A GIS-based simulation model for terrain tractability

The paper describes a concept for a GIS-based terrain tractability model and an optimal off-road routing. The general structure of the model is based on an object model which uses the cost surface technique to describe actual conditions in the terrain. The cost surface is a kind of mobility index and it is based, e.g., on vehicle, wheel, terrain, tree coverage, road and weather objects. Different cost surface alternatives can be generated according to changing information in objects. A regular raster analysis is used to determine alternative routes in different conditions. It has been shown that the adequate number of useful parameters can be found from national level digital maps to support off-road analyses.