Non overlapping Trade Areas of different sizes

I have built a workflow that dynamically sets trade area radii based on an average of how far people drive to a given store. I know there is an option to "eliminate overlap" in the TA tool, but that only works if the radii are the same.

Below are 2 images demonstrating my issue. The image on the left is an example of what I'm trying to accomplish (but with my dynamic TA radii). On the right you can see what my TA's look like.

As one work around I thought about summarizing all TA objects (excluding the TA for that specific record) into a separate single object so I can do a Spacial Process to separate them, but that didn't work because it created an area of intersection that drops off. See example below.

Any other creative ideas or hacks for achieving this? Maybe there is a tool that does this already that I'm not aware of. Unfortunately the non overlapping drive time won't work for me, but that type of functionality is what I'm hoping to achieve.

Thanks,

Mike

Spatial Analysis

Accepted answers

Ned

So this is the most logical solution to me. It keeps the dividing line between 2 trade areas such that the area that is nearest to a location is in that locations trade area unless it is greater than the radius. If you are looking to change the relative dividing line between the locations based on their relative weights, then you are looking for a gravity model. Definitely more complicated, but supported by Alteryx with the location optimizer macros. Anyway, I hope this helps. The workflow is attached.

It required a batch macro to build, since each different radius needed to be calculated as a separate non overlapping trade area on its own.

Non-overlap.yxzp

All comments

Philip

My solution. It uses intersections to remove the overlap, then convex hulls to create the straight lines.

Trade area non-overlapping with different buffer sizes.png

Trade area non-overlapping with different buffer sizes.yxmd

mstern

Wow, this is a great idea. Thank you Phillip. I will review your workflow and see if I can apply it to mine.

Thank you for the reply and for taking time to dig into this!!

mstern

Philip,

Your idea worked great, but there are still a few minor issues. Take a look at the screenshot below. I've included a sample file with the records represented in the screenshot too.

Please let me know if you have any other ideas.

Thanks for your help!

Mike

SampleForTroubleshooting.yxdb

Philip

This may require the brilliance of @Ned to solve.

patrick_digan

@mstern I'm no spatial guru, but the attached seems to work on your sample data. I used a spatial match, filtered the data down, and then used a spatial process tool to cut out the intersections that need to go.

Hope that helps!

Non-overlap.yxmd

SampleForTroubleshooting.yxdb

mstern

@patrick_digan, Thanks for your effort on this as well. Unfortunately I'm not sure I'm getting the result I expected, but I'm not sure if that's an error on my end, or a misunderstanding of what I'm trying to achieve. Can you include a screenshot of what you got as a result of your workflow?

I really appreciate you taking some time to look into this too!

Thanks,

Mike

Ned

It turns out this is one of those problems that is much harder than it appears at first. First you have to decide what you want. The most logical algorithm (to me) will end up with a smaller trade area being included as an island in a nearby trade area with a larger radius. The other logical algorithm will end up will end up with some surprising corners and area not in any trade area, even though it is within the radius of a farther trade area. It also ends up with some subtle round off error that will result in really small (a few feet) slices and overlap between the trade areas.

I will see if I can find some time to write a workflow to demonstrate what I am thinking.

Ned

It required a batch macro to build, since each different radius needed to be calculated as a separate non overlapping trade area on its own.

Non-overlap.yxzp

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