Skip to main content

Violations

A violation occurs when the actual distance between a PES and an ES is less than the required distance for the governing analysis code under the applied criteria. Identifying violations is the first half of the work — the second half is deciding whether each violation is real or whether it is an artifact of incomplete data that should be mitigated by relationships, fronts, or layer reassignment before any geometry changes are considered.

Learning objectives

By the end of this lesson you should be able to:

  • Find every violation in a project from both the project- and feature-level views
  • Distinguish a "real" violation from one that disappears once the data is correct
  • Decide which mitigation applies to each violation

Where violations surface​

Violations show up in three places, all reflecting the same underlying state:

  • Project results panel — the central list of every violating pair, with required distance, actual distance, deficit, and governing code
  • Feature dashboard — the per-feature Calculations tab flags the rows that are in violation
  • Map — violation indicators (lines, markers, color treatments) draw between PES and ES

Use the project list to triage; use the feature dashboard to investigate; use the map for spatial context.

The Requires Analysis filter​

The Requires Analysis filter is the companion diagnostic — it shows every feature whose edit timestamp is more recent than its latest analysis timestamp. Right after a run, the list should be empty; entries that persist are typically missing data the engine needs to complete the analysis (missing front on a multi-face type code, missing required attribute, no explosives entered on a PES, or invalid geometry). Treat it as a diagnostic tool, not an error stop — a list that fills up as you edit is normal; a list that won't clear after a re-run is the signal worth investigating.

A feature on the wrong layer flavor does not surface here. A magazine accidentally placed on a background layer is silently absent from the analysis entirely — see Adding layers.

Real vs artifact​

Not every violation is a problem with the layout. Some violations disappear without moving anything once the underlying data is corrected. Common artifact patterns:

  • Pair should have been related — two facilities on the same operation appearing as unrelated produce IBD-Exposure-Type analyses where ILD should apply. Setting the relationship typically resolves the violation. See the Calculator: Relationships taxonomy, Module 7, and the exercise.
  • Missing or wrong attribute — a missing Heavy Wall attribute, for example, may push the analysis to a more conservative result that violates where the corrected attribute would not.
  • Operating-line context — a causal factor to a missing relationship, a pair set as sameline should be related (or vice versa) — see Calculator: Relationships.
  • Missing barricade definition — when an effective barricade exists in reality but has not been entered into the model.

The disciplined triage is to walk this list before considering geometry changes. Most early-stage projects have more artifacts than real conflicts.

Real violations​

A violation that survives a clean data review is a real conflict. Resolution typically requires one or more of:

  • Moving a feature
  • Reducing NEW
  • Adding effective protective construction (with the corresponding attribute)
  • Adding an effective barricade where the criteria allow a reduction
  • Implementing operational compensatory measures or mitigations
  • Re-categorizing the facility (where appropriate)

These are physical or operational changes, not data corrections. Treat them differently in scope, schedule, and stakeholder review.

Diagnostic flow​

For each violation:

  1. Open the pair detail and read the analysis path
  2. Confirm the relationship code is correct
  3. Confirm attributes match real-world conditions
  4. Confirm fronts are assigned where required

The order matters: cheap-to-fix data issues first, expensive-to-fix layout issues last.

Try it​

For a worked walkthrough that builds and resolves violations using only relationship and barricading edits, see Violations on what should be related facilities. It demonstrates the artifact-first triage in action.