Previous Projects

Recently Completed Projects

Redistricting Analytics at Virginia Tech

CGIT recently developed analysis tools to assist in drawing new and fair districts throughout Virginia following the 2020 US Census.

Virginia Broadband Planning and Analysis Toolbox

Broadband service providers, citizens, and governments have access to broadband planning via the toolbox. The toolbox currently includes: Virginia Broadband Availability Map and Integrated Broadband Planning and Analysis Tool, Vertical Assets Inventory Tool 2.0, Virginia Telecommunications Policy Database, SurveyCardinal, and DataCardinal. Elements of this project has been migrated to the newer Commonwealth Connection site.

Virginia Vineyards Portal

CGIT is enhancing and rebranding our Vineyards Site Assessment Tool to include more data and tools. Among the features to be added are user-created accounts with the potential to receive email alerts based on new weather data gathered from a variety of outside sources, a new site score feature and interactive map and model interface, and more.

Central Virginia Planning District Commission Hazard Mitigation Plan 2020 Update

A Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) identifies specific measures to be taken by a community to reduce their vulnerability from future hazard events and shorten the recovery time. Contracted by the Central Virginia Planning District Commission (CVPDC, aka, Region 2000), the Center for Geospatial Information Technology (CGIT) at Virginia Tech has carried out the original plan (2006), the first update (2013), and the most recent update (2020) of CVPDC HMP.

NRV 911

This project focuses on the standardization of GIS data from the County of Montgomery, Town of Christiansburg, Town of Blacksburg, and Virginia Tech in order to provide 911 dispatchers a seamless, uniform map view of these jurisdictions. The processes developed for this project should be applicable to other jurisdictions.

National Extension Web-mapping Tool (N.E.W.T.)

CGIT is developing an online GIS mapping tool and a dataset tailored to the needs of the Cooperative Extension. This tool will allow extension professionals to view data for the geographic area of their choice and download the data for integration in reports.

3D Blacksburg

CGIT is leading an initiative to create a comprehensive three-dimensional model of the town of Blacksburg, Virginia. The virtual model will include topography, aerial photography, and buildings in a 3-D environment that can be used to visualize related spatial information such as building interiors, utilities, and networks.

Other Completed Projects

Alexandria Archaeology GIS Mapping

For this project, CGIT collaborated with the Office of Historic Alexandria to digitally preserve important historic maps for the Alexandria Archaeology Museum beginning with the area outside of Old Town Alexandria.

Application of Spatial Uncertainty Models to Automate and Enhance Data Fusion

The general objective of this program is to develop tools and procedures which will allow National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) analysts to use information about the uncertainty of data to aid in making better informed decisions. This project seeks to create tools that will enable the NGA to account for data uncertainty and map out variables of location.

Bicyclist and Pedestrian Map-Based Survey

CGIT developed an interactive, map-based survey which assessed local bicyclist and pedestrian routes and infrastructure issues.

DARPA Grand Challenge

Dr. Bill Carstensen, associate director at CGIT, and four graduate and undergraduate students in the Department of Geography worked on a navigation system to aid the Virginia Tech Department of Mechanical Engineering’s entry in the DARPA Grand Challenge.

Disaster-resistant University

CGIT worked with Dewberry and Davis, LLC, to create multi-hazard mitigation plans for Virginia Tech, Radford University, and Virginia State University under the federal Disaster-Resistant University initiative passed in 2000.

Earthquake Prediction and GIS Mapping for Charleston, SC and Two Neighboring Counties

CGIT staff and students worked with geotechnical engineers at the Virginia Tech Earthquake Engineering Center for the Southeastern United States to develop a GIS based system for mapping and predicting ground motion and site response characteristics using an extensive geotechnical data set along with the latest ground motion prediction models for eastern North American earthquakes.

East Coast Vineyard Site Evaluation Tool

By amassing topographic, climatic, and soil information, CGIT is helping prospective and current vineyard owners understand their local site conditions, and make educated judgements regarding variety selection.

Geographic Engineering Tools for Wireless: Evaluation of Broadband Systems

In conjunction with the Center for Wireless Telecommunications at Virginia Tech, students and faculty developed a suite of software tools (referred to as the GETWEBS, Geographic-Engineering Tool for Wireless: Evaluation of Broadband Systems) for wireless network system design and layout.

Geospatial Support for Chimpanzee Studies

CGIT worked with Assistant Professor Taranjit Kaur of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine to integrate socio-ecological research and conservation medicine to analyze chimpanzee activity and health.

GIS-based decision support database and application for Virginia's bikeway and pedestrian infrastructure

A statewide project will create an Internet-based digital repository of existing and planned bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, including bike lanes, hiking and horseback riding trails. The project is funded by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

GIS-based Vineyard Site Evaluation Tool

Global Agroclimatology with SANREM

Funded by USAID, CGIT has paired with the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (SANREM) Innovation Lab at Virginia Tech to identify regions that have similar agroclimatology to the locations in which SANREM CRSP research has been conducted.

Gopher-Tortoise Relocations Database and GIS Application

CGIT worked with Kimley-Horn and Associates to develop a GIS application that would quickly identify locations of previously approved habitats for gopher tortoises in Florida. The state of Florida officially lists the tortoise as a Species of Special Concern.

Hazard Mitigation Plan for Virginia

CGIT collaborated with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to develop a five-year business plan detailing different Virginia floodplain management areas that would be further addressed by DCR.

Integrating Geospatial Technology into Right-of-Way Data

The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies awarded the National Cooperative Highway Research Program grant to CGIT to prepare and disseminate information about geospatial technologies in the right-of-way (ROW) data management process.

Internet-based database of water pipes infrastructure

Researchers from CGIT worked with Dr. Sunil Sinha and graduate student Rahul Vemulapally from the Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to create the prototype of a national internet-based geospatial database of underground water pipes.

Interstate 77-81 Visualization Study

For safety reasons, the Virginia Department of Transportation contracted with civil engineering specialists from Virginia Tech to consider location alternatives to separate the two major roadways of I-81/I-77. As part of the location study, the group of civil engineers created 3D, interactive visualizations of proposed routes for the new I-81/I-77 interchange in Wytheville, VA.

Inventory of Eastern US Coal-Mined Land Characteristics

Conducted by three professors affiliated to CGIT, the research quantified total mined-land acreages, determined the lands’ SMCRA-permit post-mining land uses, and described soil and site properties determining reforestation potentials of lands reclaimed to hayland-pasture but not under active use for that purpose.

Local All Hazards Mitigation Plans

The Center for Geospatial Information Technology (CGIT) and Dewberry & Davis, LLC worked with Virginia regional planning agencies to complete multi-jurisdictional, all-hazard mitigation plans of four Virginia regions: West Piedmont, Northern Shenandoah, Northern Neck, and Crater. In addition, CGIT worked with Region 2000 (Lynchburg and the surrounding area) Regional Commission on the development of their Hazard Mitigation plan.

Montgomery and Giles Co., and Radford City, Va. Flood Map Modernization

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation has contracted with CGIT to redefine the flood-prone areas for Montgomery and Giles Co., and Radford city, Va., through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s map modernization program.

NCAHD

CGIT is working with the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) and the National Center for Analysis of Healthcare Data (NCAHD) to transfer applications from Microsoft Silverlight to Javascript.

New River Valley Water Authority Study for Expansion South of U.S. I-81

For this project, CGIT's main objectives were to digitize and model the proposed regional water distribution system. With assistance from the New River Valley's Planning Commission (PDC) and Virginia Tech's Institute for Policy Outreach (IPO), block projections were created for the expansion area using 2000 census block data.

Nutrient Management

CGIT is helping to geo-enable an agricultural nutrient management planning software application developed by Nick Stone.

PlantShoe

CGIT is partnering with citizen scientists to study and conserve native Appalachian medicinal forest plants.

Quantifying NPS Pollutant Discharges from an Urbanizing Headwater Basin

This research evaluated nonpoint source (NPS) sediment and nutrient fluxes from four headwater basins in the Piedmont physiographic province of the Chesapeake Bay drainage for up to 24 years. The basins are part of the Occoquan River watershed in northern Virginia.

Renewable Energy Facility Siting

CGIT provides site analysis and decision support for large and small scale renewable energy facilities. Visual inventory analysis and scenic landscape analysis methods can be combined with solar radiation and wind speed models, energy infrastructure, economic, policy, and other criteria to cmopare design alternatives and scenarios.

Site-Specific System Simulator for Wireless Communications

Site-Specific System Simulator for Wireless Communications (S4W) is a collaborative PSE for the design and analysis of wideband wireless communications systems. In contrast to other current projects, the S4W project occurred in parallel with the development of high-fidelity propagation and channel models.

State Corporation Commission Utility Maps Digitization

Researchers at CGIT are digitizing approximately 1,400 utility coverage area maps for the state of Virginia, under a contract with the State Corporation Commission (SCC). The project is intended to turn the existing hard copy maps into digital versions that will streamline SCC’s activities.

Town of Blacksburg Storm Water Management Research

CGIT has assisted the Town of Blacksburg in bringing the Town into compliance with the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) regulations under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).

Ultra-High Resolution Interactive Information Visualization

The aim of this project was to design new visualizations to take advantage of the technology of high-resolution displays. These new visualizations would allow users to present large quantities of geospatially referenced information on increased space. The use of multiple monitors to either view one project in detail or several projects at a glance offers countless possibilities.

Urban Biodiversity in Holmes Run/Cameron Run Watershed

The Urban Biodiversity Information Node pilot (UrBIN), part of the National Biological Information Infrastructure, aims to provide communities with the information and tools needed to proactively manage urban natural resources.

VDEM HAZUS Hurricane Project

This project was developed for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) to generate hurricane wind hazard assessment maps for their Virginia Map Atlas. The map series will provide demographics, impact information, and damage estimates by census tract for 10, 50, and 100 year hurricane winds as projected by FEMA HAZUS-MH software.

Veterans Virginia Community College System (VCCS)

CGIT provided a demonstration of a future data tracker and multiple maps for VCCS to asses the needs of veterans in Virginia.

Virginia Bio-Informatics Institute Visualization Simulations

The intention of this project was to create a time series visualization of simulation results for bioterrorism events in large urban areas. The Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) created data regarding what activities took place in a city during the course of a day, and the Center for Geospatial Information Technology (CGIT) created a moving picture model that provides the geographic frame of reference for daily activities of transportation systems, waterways, and other resources.

Virginia Floodplain Management Business Plan

Virginia Hazard Mitigation Planning

CGIT analyzes a variety of geospatial data to identify and assess the risks posed by a variety of hazards, such as flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and winter storms.

Virginia Map Modernization Management Support

The Center for Geospatial Information Technology (CGIT) conducted activities for the Map Modernization Management Support (MMMS) across the Commonwealth of Virginia, commissioned and funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

Virginia's Stormwater Runoff Impact Evaluation

Funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), this project seeks to develop a watershed management and decision making tool that will enable regulators and site developers to rank and select the best management practices (BMPs) for reducing stormwater runoff impacts.

Virginia Tech Facilities GIS

CGIT entered into an agreement with University Facilities to provide services relating to campus GIS, CADD, and mapping. As part of this project, CGIT managed the existing spatial data layers on the current servers including the CADD, GIS, and aerial mapping section of the existing University facilities website, as well as the as-built utility data.

Virginia Tech Hazard Mitigation Planning

To support the university’s hazard mitigation efforts, CGIT has used geospatial techniques to analyze hazards and assess risk in order to update the Virginia Tech Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Virginia Veteran and Family Support

CGIT will continue support of the Virginia Veteran and Family Support (VVFS) Data Management System from October, 2016 - December, 2017. Support will include migrating the system from VT-IPG to CGIT and maintenance on the system as needed. VVFS provides peer and family support and care coordination services to Virginia veterans, members of the Virginia National Guard and Armed Forces Reserves (not in federal service), and their families with a special emphasis on those affected by stress related conditions or traumatic brain injuries resulting from military service.

Web-Enabled Spatial Decision Support System for Interdisciplinary Watershed Management

This research project presented the development issues, architecture, and advantages of internet-based, cross-disciplinary modeling for watershed management using the Back Creek sub-watershed of the Upper Roanoke River Basin in southwestern Virginia as a case study.