Visualization Feature

This feature utilizes the networkx library to create a graphical visualization of the network model. The method extracts nodes and edges from the model to generate a visual representation, allowing for an intuitive understanding of the network’s structure.

Usage Instructions

To use this feature, first build the model and then call the visualization method as shown below:

plot_network(model)

You can customize the visualization by adjusting the argument values as needed. For example, to display both piping and trucking arcs, you can use:

plot_network(model, show_piping=True, show_trucking=True)

A complete list of the optional keyword arguments for plot_network() follows:

• show_piping: (bool, default = True)

  Determines whether to display available pipeline arcs within the network.

• show_trucking: (bool, default = False)

  Determines whether to display available trucking arcs within the network.

• show_results: (bool, default = False)

  If True, the network visualization will highlight the pipelines which are suggested to be built or expanded. The model needs to be in a solved state for this option to have an effect.

• save_fig: (str, default = None)

  Specifies the file name for saving the visualization. No figure is saved if a file name is not provided.

• show_fig: (bool, default = True)

  If True, the network visualization will be displayed directly after creation.

• pos: (dict, optional)

  A dictionary to define the relative positions of the nodes in the format {Node: (x, y)}. For example: {R01: (10,10)}. If this dictionary is not provided, the network elements are displayed in a circular layout.

Examples

The following figures show the network visualization produced for the strategic toy case study, showing both piping and trucking arcs, first with the default circular layout, and second in a layout with custom positioning: