Arc Collector: Part 2

Intro:

This lab is a continuation of the previous lab which demonstrated the basics of how to use Arc Collector. Using this knowledge, the goal of this exercise was to formulate a research question that can be solved using ArcCollector, and then to collect data and map the results. This specific project focuses on the condition of sidewalks in the student housing area nearby the UW-Eau Claire campus to answer the question of "which sidewalks are in the greatest need of repair"? This topic is relevant to all of the students of the university because they all utilize the sidewalks to get to campus. When sidewalks are damaged, they can become a hazard to those walking, jogging or using other methods of transportation. By using ArcCollector to pinpoint areas of high damage, a map will be created showing the areas in greatest need of repair.

Study Area:

Figure 1
Section of Student Housing Area

The study area for this exercise is a section of the student housing area north of the UW-Eau Claire campus. This section is a 5 by 5 block area between 1st and 5th avenue and Chippewa and Lake street. The reason this section was chosen is because it is very frequently used by students traveling to campus. This area also contains Randal Park, an area used heavily by students and the public alike. The methods used to collect data in this area can be expanded to larger areas as well.
   

Methods: 

Before data can be collected, a geodatabase needs to be created to house feature classes. In ArcMap, a geodatabase was created and domains were established. Within the geodatabase, a feature class for sidewalk damage was created and given various attributes. Each of these attributes were assigned one of the previous domains.

Figure 2 :
List of Domains under Database Properties

Some domains included a coded values domain to restrict what types of damage may be recorded. Another was a range domain that limited the number of damages that may be recorded.
It is important to make sure that the geodatabase is designed correctly so that the proper data can be collected.

The fields assigned to the feature class are as follows

Severity: This field records how severe the damage is

Street: A text field to record the street name the damage is on

Number: Number of damage features on a section of sidewalk (i.e two cracks)

Type: Coded values field to record the type of damage (crack, chip or uneven sidewalk)

Once the geodatabase and feature class are created it may be published as a service to ArcGIS online. Once this is done, the data collection in ArcCollector may begin.

Results: 

Figure 3
Map showing types of sidewalk damage

Figure 4
Map of quantified sidewalk damage

http://arcg.is/Oef5v Link to map of damage severity

This study concluded that there is extensive damage to sidewalks in the student housing area near the UW-Eau Claire campus. The greatest damage can be seen on Hudson and Lake streets. This is likely due to these streets being heavily traveled by students yet being further away from major roads such as Water Street or First Avenue. Although it is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, the sidewalks around Randal park showed surprisingly little damage. These sidewalks are likely attended to more frequently because the area is used heavily by students as well as the general public. 

Conclusion:

This project is just one example of the capabilities of ArcCollector with data collection. The geodatabase schema for this project was relatively simple and suited the needs of this project. However it was still important to carefully design the geodatabase because in a project with several feature classes with various subtypes and domains it is crucial that the data is well organized. I feel that my research has answered my overall question. In the future I may expand my study over a larger area or include additional attributes to examine.