SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING OPTIMAL PATH ARRANGEMENTS FOR AN INFRASTRUCTURE LINK WITH TERRAIN SLOPE CONSIDERATION

A method for determining optimal path arrangements for an infrastructure link between two geographic locations, in particular, in uneven terrain. The method includes modelling a geographic terrain containing the two geographic locations; optimizing an arrangement cost and a repair rate for two or more potential paths based on the modelled geographic terrain, an arrangement cost model, and a repair rate model, taking into account at least two design levels, wherein the arrangement cost model incorporates direction-dependent factor and direction-independent factor associated with the path arrangements; and determining the optimal path arrangements each including multiple path portions and respective design levels associated with the path portions based on the optimization.