Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

Spatial Overlay
Arlo Jayson C. Sabuito
Science Research Specialist,
Space Data Mobilization and Applications Division
 Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

SPATIAL OVERLAY

Spatial overlay is a critical technique in spatial

analysis that involves combining multiple layers
of spatial data to understand the relationships,
interactions, and patterns between different
geographic features.

By stacking layers of geographic data on top of

each other, you can compare, analyze, and
extract insights about the spatial relationships
between different types of data.
 Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

Vector Operations
Single layer analysis
In single layer analysis, buffer, dissolve, append, select, and merge are the
commonly-used operations (Schmitz, 2012).

Buffer
Buffer is a common tool for addressing the proximity question, “what’s near what?”, in
GIS, which can be used on points, lines, or polygons (Schmitz, 2012; ESRI, n.d.).

Use of buffering tool on points, lines and polygons (Image credit to Schmitz (2012))
 Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

Vector Operations
Single layer analysis
Dissolve
Dissolve aggregates features in a single feature dataset based on predetermined attributes
(Schmitz, 2012)

Use of dissolve tool based on the field attribute (Image credit to Schmitz (2012))
 Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

Vector Operations
Single layer analysis
Append
Append combines multiple datasets into an existing target dataset (ESRI, n.d.). The append
tool can be used with point, line, and polygon datasets, in which the derived output is an
appended input dataset into the target dataset. This does not create a new output dataset

Use of append tool (Image credit to Schmitz (2012))

 Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

Vector Operations
Single layer analysis
Select
Merge combines multiple input datasets of the same data type into a single, new output
dataset. This tool can be used on point, line, or polygon features (ESRI, n.d.).

Example of extracting attribute 1 of a feature using the select tool. (Image credit to Schmitz (2012))
 Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

Vector Operations
Multiple layer analysis
Point-in-Polygon
A point layer is returned that includes all the points within the spatial extent of the overlay.

Polygon-on-point
The polygon features that overlay the points are selected and subsequently preserved in the
output layer.
 Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

Vector Operations
Multiple layer analysis
Line-on-Line
Points located precisely at the intersections of two linear datasets.

Line-in-polygon
Similar to the point-in-polygon overlay, each line that has any part of its extent within the polygon
layer will be included in the output line layer.
 Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

Vector Operations
Multiple layer analysis
Polygon-on-line
This is the opposite of the line-in-polygon overlay. The polygon features that overlay the lines are
selected and subsequently preserved in the output layer.

Polygon-in-polygon
This is the most commonly used overlay operation. The polygon input and overlay layers are
combined creating an output polygon later with the extent of the overlay.
 Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

Vector Operations
Multiple layer analysis
Boolean Operators
The overlay operation assumes that the user wants the layers to be combined, as discussed
previously. Combining layers is not always the case. Overlay methods can also employ the
basic Boolean operator (Schmitz, 2012).

Boolean operators are based on binary logical operations. It forms a mathematical structure
that is based on the values 1 and 0, which means true and false, respectively. Boolean
algebra provides different links that can be true or false but never both (GITTA, 2013).

In GIS, Boolean operators used for linking two spatial selection criteria are AND, NOT, OR,
and XOR (GITTA, 2013). Depending on which operators, the overlay method will result in an
intersection, erase, union, or symmetrical difference. The next slides will show the Boolean
algebra operators, defined and explained with venn diagrams. Each circle in the diagram
denotes the criteria and the true results are highlighted in blue.
 Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

Vector Operations
Multiple layer analysis
Intersection
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Vector Operations
Multiple layer analysis
Clip
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Vector Operations
Multiple layer analysis
Difference / Erase
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Vector Operations
Multiple layer analysis
Union
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Vector Operations
Multiple layer analysis
Symmetrical Difference
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Raster Operations
Single layer analysis
In raster overlay, each cell of each layer references the same geographic location (ESRI,
n.d.). For single layer analysis, reclassification and buffering are commonly used in raster
dataset (Schmitz, 2012).

• Reclassification is commonly used in

raster analysis. Reclassification
assigns a new class or range value to
all pixels in the dataset based on the
original values.

• Buffering is the process of creating

zones at a specified width. In the case
of raster datasets, buffers determine
the area of influence around features
of interest. The input features are
given as a grid cell or a group of grid
cells containing a uniform value, for
instance buffer all cells whose value is
equal to
 Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

Raster Operations
Multiple layer analysis
In multiple layer analysis, the clipping process is also used in raster layers. Raster overlay
combines attributes of two or more raster layers based on the mathematical, Boolean and
relational raster overlay methods (Schmitz, 2012).

• Clip extracts a portion of a raster

dataset based on the clipping extent
(ESRI, n.d.).

• Mathematical raster overlay (or

arithmetic operators) is a widely used
overlay method uses the addition (+),
subtraction (-), division (/), and
multiplication (✕) arithmetic operators
(Schmitz, 2012; Cai, 2022).
 Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

Raster Operations
Multiple layer analysis
• Boolean raster overlay computes new raster data through Boolean operators that is based on
1 (true) and 0 (false) given the criteria AND, NOT, OR, and XOR (Schmitz, 2012).

• Relational raster overlay (or comparison operator), based on the criteria 1 (true) and 0 (false),
utilizes relational operators (<, <=, =, <>, > and =>) in evaluating conditions of the input raster
datasets (Schmitz, 2012).
 Training Course on Downstream Data Utilization 2024

Overlay Operations in Suitability Analysis

Overlay operations are most commonly used in suitability analysis (Cai, 2022). Suitability
analysis allows the qualification, comparison and ranking of candidate sites based on how
closely they adhere to the selected and defined criteria (ESRI, n.d.). Suitability analysis is an
integration of GIS and the multi-criteria decision analysis to evaluate the appropriateness of
locations for a specific purpose based on the spatial distribution of related characteristics.

General steps for creating a suitability model are discussed below (ESRI, n.d.):

1. Define the goal or the research question

2. Determine and prepare the criteria data
3. Transform the values of each criterion to a common suitability scale
4. Weight criteria relative to one another and combine them to create a suitability map
5. Determine the best locations from the suitability map based on the defined spatial requirements

Both vector and raster overlay can be used in performing a suitability analysis. The decision on
which data model to use depends on the research questions, objectives, methods and data
sources. Vector overlay is suitable in suitability analysis requiring clear feature boundaries or
needs an accurate distance measurement. Raster overlay is mostly preferred due to its
representation simplicity and processing efficiency (Cai, 2022).
 Suitability Analysis for
Photovoltaic Solar Panels
in Ilocos Sur Province
 According to Global Statistical Energy
Yearbook 201, the demand for energy
worldwide are continuously rising. Based
on the trend of energy consumption,
global power consumption from years
2017 to 2018 increased by 3.5% with
45.5% of 2018 usage was consumed by
INTRODUCTION Asian countries.

Most of the energy production worldwide

comes from non-renewable resources
and in order to satisfy the increasing
global demand, natural sources will
deplete faster than its recovery period.
 • Energy sector is the primary source
that emits greenhouse gases.

•
INTRODUCTION 25% of carbon emissions globally
comes from energy generation

*IPCC statistics based on global

emissions from 2010
 In the Philippines, there’s Republic Act
No. 9513 -

“An Act Promoting the Development,

INTRODUCTION Utilization and Commercialization of
Renewable Energy Resources and for
Other Purposes”

- signed December 2018

STATEMENT
There is a need to have a systematic and
OF THE efficient assessment of suitable sites for
solar farm construction. Further analysis
PROBLEM for constraining variables and factor
variables within the region must be
conducted to produce a comprehensive
guide for determining and assessing
these favorable areas.
METHODOLOGY
Study Area

The Ilocos Region is a coastal

region located in the
northwestern part of the
Philippines. It is officially known
as Region I and consists of four
provinces: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos
Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan.
Geographically, it is characterized
by a mix of coastal plains,
mountain ranges, and agricultural
lands.
METHODOLOGY
 ● Land cover classification on the study
CONSTRAINT area
● Existing protected areas,
VARIABLES ● Water bodies like rivers and lakes,
● Landslide Susceptibility,
● Flood Hazard Susceptibility
● Existing roads
 Land Cover
Classification
1. Built-up areas;
2. Coral reefs;
3. Fishponds derived from
mangrove;
4. Mangrove vegetation;
5. Other fishponds;
6. Riverbeds;
7. Siltation pattern in lake

Boolean Operations + Dissolve + Clip

 Existing
protected areas
There are nine (9) Protected Areas within
the Ilocos Sur Province that are
considered as a constraint on this
research. Those sites are considered as
national parks, natural monuments,
protected landscapes and watershed
forest reserves

Clip
Water bodies within
the study area
Presence of water bodies like rivers and
its tributaries, ponds and lakes in the area

3-meter buffer in urban areas, twenty (20)

meters in agricultural areas and forty (40)
meters in forest areas were the basis of
used buffers as stated under Article 51 of
the Presidential Decree No. 1067

Buffer + Clip
 Landslide
Susceptibility
The following specification were used by MGB on each
level of susceptibility:
Low Susceptible = Slope < 6.5°
Medium Susceptible = 6.5° ≤ Slope < 22.5°
High Susceptible = 22.5° ≤ Slope < 45°
Very High Susceptible = Slope > 45°

Reclassification + Clip
 Flood Hazard
Susceptibility

The following specification were used on each level of

susceptibility:
Low Susceptible = Flood level ≤ 0.5 m.
Medium Susceptible = 0.50 m. ≤ Flood level < 1.50 m.
High Susceptible = 1.50 m. ≤ Flood level

Reclassification + Clip
 Existing roads
A 120-meter wide (60 m from centerline) was
used to generate a vector polygon for roads.

The width of the road was based on a

specification of National Roads Right-of-Way
as specified under Executive Order No. 180

Buffer + Clip
 CRITERIA 1.
2.
Global solar irradiation;
Average insolation hours;
VARIABLES 3. Average Cloud Frequency;
4. Average Land Surface Temperature;
5. 3D path distance to existing roads;
6. Existing power connection points
 Global Solar
Irradiation and
Insolation Time
Average global solar irradiation and
insolation hours were modeled using
GRASS GIS’ r.sun.insoltime
Inputs:
- Elevation
- Slope
- Aspect
- Julian Day
- Declination
- Linke Turbidity Factor

Spatial Modelling + Clip

Average Cloud
Frequency
Cloud cover is one of the greatest
attenuators of incoming solar
irradiance

The mean annual cloud frequency

was calculated by averaging the
binary cloud masks from 2000-2018
(MODIS DATA)

Mathematical Operations Overlay + Clip

Average Land
Surface
Temperature
Generally, the trend of efficiency
above values of about 25°C will start
decreasing up to 10-25% depending
on the location and unit specifications

Mean of MOD11A1.006 from 2000-

2018.

Mathematical Operations Overlay + Clip

 3D path
distance to
existing roads
Road proximity basically
dictates the access of the
infrastructure with the
transportation network.

3D path distance using

elevation raster
Spatial Modelling + Clip
 Existing power
connection points
The proximity with the
existing power grid, like the
proximity to road criteria,
makes the construction of
photovoltaic farms more
economical.

Spatial Modelling + Clip

 Normalizing the factor variables to the
range of 0 to 1 were all conducted linearly
using the following formulas:

Rnorm = (R - min(R))/(max(R) - min(R))

(1)

Normalization of Rnorm = (max(R) - R)/(max(R) - min(R))

(2)
Values
where Rnorm is the normalized raster
criteria, R is the original raster criteria,
min(R) is the defined lowest value, and
max(R) is the defined maximum value.

Mathematical Operations Overlay

 Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) Method
is one of the decision-making methods
that could be used for assigning different
Analytic Hierarchy weights to a multi-criteria analysis.

Process Method The respondents range from:

for Weighting -
-
Undergraduates
Expert on the renewable energy field
of solar energy
- Been in a certain projects and
researches on Photovoltaic Farms
- Currently dealing with assembly,
testing and fabricating photovoltaic
cells.
Results and
Discussion
 Unified
Constraints Layer
The remaining areas are
mostly agricultural, barren,
or forested areas.

Most of the areas are

masked because of the flood
and landslide risks inherent
to the area.
Boolean Or (Union) + Clip
AHP Computed Values
 Generated
Suitability Maps
Boolean Or (Union) + Clip
Most Suitable Sites Assessment

Site 1 Site 2

The regions are

mostly agricultural,
small patches of
barren or forested
areas. The study
included agricultural
areas as possible
suitable sites under
the assumption that
it can be converted
under careful and
systematic
considerations by
the investors and
stakeholders.