Using Digital Elevation Model to Select the Route for the Road Connecting Kirkuk and Jamchamal

There is growing for digital elevation models because they can help in the selection of the best route for a location out of several suggested alternative routes in terms of the quantities of earth (in excavation and filling) as well as drawing their longitudinal sections, making it easier and faster to select the best route. The researcher has depended on the data provided by NASA through downloading the relevant data on the study area. He was able to conclude the coordinate from them. After carrying out some specialized processes, he was able to select the best route connecting Kirkuk(located in Kirkuk Province) and Jamchamal (located in Sulaymania Province). The two cities are in the north eastern Iraq. Using the Digital Elevation Model already made for the study area, the selected route is represented taking into consideration the following points : the route, the quantities of earth removed or to be used in the filling, definition of coordinates, level of stations en route and drawing its longitudinal section. Moreover, the current road between the two cities has also been represented so that it is compared the suggested route. Below are some conclusions drawn from the comparison: - The length of the suggested route is 54.62 km while the current road is 55,96 km - The quantity of earth to be removed in the suggested route is 9187171 cubic meters which is less than that moved in the current road which was 10079097 cubic meters. Certainly this difference has an economic impact. - The quantity of earth to be filled in the suggested route is 918717cubic meters which is less than that moved in the current road which was 9490653 cubic meters. No doubt, this difference has an economic benefit. - The difference in level the lowest and highest points in the present route is 525 m which is more than that in the current road. No doubt, this difference has an effect on project cost.