When a utility network is created, a common domain network named the structure network is included to be shared across different domain networks. Utilities commonly carry more than one type of resource on a common set of structures. For example, a pole may support electric lines, telecommunication wires, and cable lines. Similarly, a duct bank may carry many types of utility resources. Sharing a structure network among multiple domain networks eliminates redundancy and allows you to better track joint usage on poles and ducts.
A structure network does not have any resources (such as water or electricity) flowing through it; however, the structure network can contain other features that are part of the resource-delivering network. For example, a vault (which is a structure) can contain valves and regulators (part of the active network).
The illustration above shows conceptually how a transformer is attached to a pole, as well as a connection point on the electric distribution line.
One key purpose of a structure network is to support a type of association called structural attachments. Structural attachments provide an efficient method to create a list of structures that are supporting a section or subnetwork. This satisfies a utility's need to rapidly identify which structure, such as a pole, is associated with a device that may be experiencing an outage. Features in the structure network can also act as containers for other network features. For example, a substation can contain other features such as junction boxes, devices, wires, and conductors. This allows a dense collection of features to be represented by a single feature.
Classes in a structure network
The structure network consists of three feature classes and two tables: StructureJunction, StructureLine, StructureBoundary, StructureJunctionObject, and StructureEdgeObject. These classes are created with system-provided attribute domains assigned to system fields for use by the utility network and require additional configuration for use.
The three feature classes are more fully described as follows:
- StructureJunction—Represents structural point features such as poles, pads, vaults, and cabinets that support other features. These are compact features that are tracked in a utility's asset inventory system.
- StructureLine—Represents linear features such as trenches and duct banks. Structure lines contain other network features carrying a resource such as electricity or water.
- StructureBoundary—Represents polygon container features that contain other network features. For example, a structure boundary can represent the outline of a substation.
The two tables are described as follows:
- StructureJunctionObject—Represents junction objects such as racks or ports.
- StructureEdgeObject—Represents edge objects such as a trench or duct bank.
Structure network attributes
All classes in a structure network share the following attributes:
| Field name | Field alias | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ASSETGROUP | Asset group | Subtype field with the major classification of feature types. |
| ASSETTYPE | Asset type | Field with minor classifications implemented as attribute domains for each asset group type. |
| ASSOCIATIONSTATUS | Association status | Describes the type of association in which a feature participates, the role it plays in the relationship, and visibility properties for content features. For more information, see Association status attribute. |
| SUBNETWORKNAME | Supported subnetwork name | Name of the subnetwork in which the feature resides. Note:The field alias is set to Supported subnetwork name for utility networks created using Utility Network Version 4 and later. Utility networks that are upgraded from version 3 or earlier will have an alias of Subnetwork name. |
The StructureLine and StructureEdgeObject table have the following additional attribute:
| Field name | Field alias | Description |
|---|---|---|
| FLOWDIRECTION | Flow direction | Indicates whether resources flow with or against the digitized direction of a line, or the From and To global ID of the edge object in the association, or if flow is indeterminate when modeling flow using the digitized direction of lines. To learn more, see Flow direction in a utility network. Note:Utility Network Version 7 and later. |