A distributed system architecture for spatial data management to support engineering modeling

This research seeks ways to manage the process of analysis and synthesis of geographic data to support collaboration among researchers, planners, and engineers working on a spatial problem. This question is addressed on two levels. The first level examines the abstraction and representation of the analysis process, using the Unified Modeling Language. The second level examines the distributed environment that enables such collaboration, and proposes a three-tier distributed system architecture. The interdisciplinary Urban Respiration project provides a context and examples illustrating the need for such design. A prototype application is developed to test and understand the applicability of the proposed designs. Thesis Supervisor: Joseph Ferreira Title: Professor of Urban Planning and Operations Research