Pre-Validating Juno Cassandra Outputs
Overview of a new tool for pre-validation of Juno Cassandra outputs using our default road network model.
Happy New Year, everyone!
I hope this year brings success and joy to you, your team, and your family.
Over the holidays, we got a head start at Lonrix by developing a tool to assist with the pre-validation of outputs from a Juno Cassandra road network model. This tool is designed primarily for early adopters of the Cassandra framework in a road network context. For now, we have assigned the code name “Agatha” to this tool1.
The tool tackles a key challenge faced by modellers working on unfamiliar road networks: How relevant are the treatments assigned by the model? Does the model's output align with the actual road conditions? This validation step helps bridge the gap between theoretical modelling and practical application, providing users with greater confidence in their results.
A second challenge we tackled with this tool is the need for rapid navigation through model outputs. The tool allows users to quickly move between treatments, offering both an overarching view of the network and, where necessary, a detailed examination of specific road segments.
This capability fills a gap not yet addressed by the JunoViewer Field Validation Tool, which is better suited for a highly detailed analysis of individual treatment lengths, one at a time.
The figure below illustrates the quick overview feature2, which highlights committed treatments as black dots and model-assigned treatments as red dots. The size of each dot represents the relative spending on that treatment compared to the total budget allocated for its category, providing a clear and intuitive visualisation of resource distribution.
The next figure highlights the detailed view, which allows for an in-depth investigation of assigned treatments. This view plots individual distresses or faults on the map and includes a "drive along" feature for exploring road conditions via Google Street View.
One of the key applications of this detailed view is identifying whether distresses are concentrated in specific areas, such as intersections, or distributed along the entire segment—a critical distinction that models cannot yet fully account for.
On the left, an interpreted summary of the road condition provides key insights, while the panel on the right displays the raw input row used in the model, offering full transparency into the data driving the treatment decisions.
This tool is now available for modellers to use in conjunction with Juno Cassandra. It is designed to support both model refinement during the modelling phase and pre-validation discussions with clients.
While this tool enhances the pre-validation process, we strongly recommend field validation of the finalised outputs—a critical step where the JunoViewer Field Inspection Tool truly shines.
For a more comprehensive walk-through of this tool, including its broader workflow and prerequisites, check out the video on the Lonrix YouTube channel. If you're interested in using Agatha or would like to learn more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Where does the name come from? You might recall the movie Minority Report, which featured “pre-cogs” – individuals capable of seeing a short distance into the future. The most gifted of these pre-cogs was named Agatha. Inspired by her unique foresight, we chose "Agatha" as the code name for our pre-validation tool, which similarly aims to provide foresight and confidence to modellers.
Note that all treatments shown in these figures are illustrative only and do not represent a real Forward Works Programme for this network.