Integration of Spatial Information for Geo-Information Systems

180 Pages·1996·5.102 MB·English

by  Martin Breunig (auth.)

Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences 61
Editors:
S. Bhattacharji, Brooklyn
G. M. Friedman, Brooklyn and Troy
H. J. Neugebauer, Bonn
A. Seilacher, Tuebingen and Yale
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Martin Breunig
Integration of
Spatial Information for
Geo-Information Systems
regnirpS
Author
Dr. Martin Breunig
institut f~ir Informatik II1, Universit~it Bonn
R0merstraBc 164, D-53117 Bonn, Germany
Cataloging-in-Publication data applied for
Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnahme
Breunig, Marlin:
Integration of spatial information for geo-information systems
/ Martin Breunig. - Berlin ; Heidelberg ; New York ; Barcelona
; Budapest ; Hong Kong ; London ; Milan ; Paris ; Santa Clara
; Tokyo : Springer, 1996
(l.ccture notes in earth sciences ; 61)
ISP, N 3-540-60856-7
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ISBN 3-540-60856-7 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York
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To Maximilian
Preface
The objective of this book is to introduce the practitioner as well as the more theoretically
interested reader into the integration problem of spatial information for Geo-lnformation Sy-
slems. Former Get-Information Systems are restricted to 2D space. They realize the integra-
tion of spatial information by a conversion of vector and raster representations. This, howe-
ver. leads to conceptual difficulties because of the two totally different paradigms. Further-
more, the internal topology of the get-objects is not considered.
In recent years the processing of 3D information has played a growing role in Get-Informa-
tion Systems. For example, planning processes for environmental protection or city planning
are dependent on 3D data. The integration of spatial reformation will become even more im-
poaant in the 3D context and with the development of a new generation of open GISs.
This book is intended to respond to some of these requirements. It presents a model for the
integration of spatial information for 3D Geo-lnformation Systems (3D-GISs). As a precon-
dition for the integration of spatial information, the integration of different spatial represen-
tations is emphasized. The model is based on a three-level notion of space that likewise in-
cludes the geometry, metrics and the topology of get-objects. The so called extended com-
plex (e-complex) is introduced as a kernel of the model. Its internal basic geometries are the
point, the line, the triangle and the tetrahedron. It is shown how a convex e-complex (ce-com-
plex) is generated by the construction of the convex hull and the "'filling" of lines, triangles
and tetrahedra, respectively. As we know from computer geometry, this results in substan-
tially simpler geometric algorithms. Additionally, the algorithms gain by the explicit utiliza-
tion of the topology of the ce-complex. This book also builds a bridge from the GIS to the
object-oriented database technology, which will likely become a key technology for the de-
velopment of a new generation of open Geo-lnformation Systems. In the so-called GEt-
model kernel "building blocks" are introduced that s~mplify the development of software ar-
chitectures for geo-applications. A geological application in the Lower Rhine Basin shows
the practical use of the introduced geometric and topological representation for a 3D-GIS.
The initial ideas of this book were conceived when I was with the Institute of Computer
Science at the Freie Universit~.t Berlin during 1990 - 92. Most of the work, however, was
done after my move from Berlin to Bonn at the Institute of Computer Science III (group of
Amain B. Cremers, University of Bonn) in an excellent cooperation with the Geological In-
stitute (group of Agemar Siehl) within a special research project .1 The core of this book is
my doctoral dissertation with the same title, written in German.
.I The "Sonderforschungsbereich 350" (SFB 350) si supported by eht m~mreG Research Foundation
(DFG).
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First and foremost, I am extremely grateful to Armin B. Cremers for his help and the excel-
lent support for the "GIS-group" at the Institute of Computer Science III. This book would
not have been possible otherwise. In the same way I am indebted to Agemar Siehl from the
Institute of Geology for agreeing to take over a second reader on short notice and for his sup-
port during my change to Bonn. His help in the translation of many geological terms is also
gratefully acknowledged. I explicitly thank the speaker of the special research project, Horst
Neugebauer, its board and members for the warm-hearted reception. Horst Neugebauer also
stimulated me in writing this English manuscript. I thank Lutz Pltimer for his useful com-
ments on the manuscript and Ralf Hartmut Giiting for his stimulating critics. My thanks also
go to Hans-J/Srg Schek (now ETH ZUrich) who sparked my interests in Geo-Information Sy-
stems during the DASDBS-Geokemel project at the Technical University of Darmstadt.
I am indebted to my colleagues Walter Waterfeld at the Technical University of Darmstadt,
Axel Perkhoff, Gernot Heyer and Peter Schtitze at the Freie Universit/it Berlin and my col-
leagues at the University of Bonn for the always pleasant atmosphere. I particularly thank
Thomas Bode for his extensive involvement in the SFB and for many discussions about GIS
and database problems. He and Andreas Bergmann, Jiargen Kalinski, Thomas Kolbe, Ger-
hard Lakemeyer and Wolfgang Reddig have made their comments on parts of this book. I
also thank Rainer Alms and Christian Klesper for their patient explanation of many geolog-
ical facts.
My thanks go as well to Ralf Noack, Ingo Schoenenbom, Jtirgen Stienecke and Norbert
Klein, who had their part in the successful outcome of this book with their M.Sc. theses and
other work. Finally I am indebted to my parents to enable me the study of computer science.
Bonn, November 1995 Martin Breunig
Contents
1 Introduction I
1.1 Geo-lnformation Systems ....................................... I
I. I. I Historical Development ................................ I
1.1.2 Definitions .......................................... 2
1.1.3 Types of GISs ........................................... 3
1.1.4 Architecture of GISs ................................ 5
1.2 integration of Spatial Information ............................ 8
1.2.1 Motivation .......................................... 8
1.2.2 Requirements for a 3D-GIS ........................... 8
1.3 Goals and Overvmw .................................... I I
2 Spatial Representations 13
2.1 Representattons in 2D Space .............................. 31
2 I.I Vector Representation ................................ 31
2.1.2 Tesselating Representattons ............................. 51
2.1,3 Hybrid Representations ................................ 61
2.1.4 Analytical Representations ...................... 71
2.2 Representattons in 3D Space ................................ 91
2.2.1 Vector-based Representation .......................... 91
2.2.2 Tesselating Representations ........................... 20
2.2.3 Analytical Representations ............................... 23
2.2.4 Hybrid Representations .......................... 25
2.3 Comparison of the Representations ............................. 26
2.4 Conversions ................................................ 29
3 Abstraction from the Spatial Representation 33
3.1 Approximations ............................................... 33
3. I.I The "'Bounding-Box World" . .............................. 33
3.1.2 Estimations ............................................. 34
3.2 The Point-Set Approach ........................................ 34
X stnetnoC
3.3 Topological Abstractions ........................................ 35
3.3.1 The "Blocks World" . ..................................... 35
3.3.2 Cell-Complexes .......................................... 36
3.3.3 Simplicial Complexes ..................................... 37
3.4 Valuation ..................................................... 40
4 A Model for the Integration of Spatial Information 41
4.1 Classification of Spatial Operations ................................ 41
4.2 Building Blocks for Spatial Queries ................................ 43
4.2.1 Basic Building Blocks ..................................... 43
4.2.2 Advanced Building Blocks ................................. 44
4.3 A General Notion of Space ....................................... 46
4.4 Extended Simplicial Complexes ................................... 51
4.4. i Generation of Convex e-Complexes .......................... 56
4.4.2 Compressed Representation ................................ 63
4.5 Transformation of Spatial Representations into e-Complexes ............. 64
4.5.1 Transformations in 2D Space ............................... 64
4.5.2 Transformations in 3D Space ............................... 67
4.6 Efficient Geometric Algorithms ................................... 69
4.7 Foundations of the ECOM-Algebra ................................ 79
4.7. I Topological Relationships ................................. 81
4.7.2 Direction Relationships ................................... 101
4.7.3 Topological Operators .................................... 104
4.7.4 Metrical Operators ....................................... 106
4.7.5 Geometric Properties ..................................... 108
4.7.6 Geometric Cut- and Paste-Operators and Local Operations ....... 108
5 Integration of Building Blocks for e-Complexes into a GEO-Model Kernel 111
5.1 CASE-Building Blocks ......................................... 111
5.1.1 Integration of Thematic and Spatial Attributes ................. 11 i
5.1.2 Object Oriented Modeling Support and Integrity Constraints ...... 115
stnetnoC IX
5.2 Service-Building Blocks ........................................ 711
5.2.1 Access Methods for GEO-Complexes ....................... 711
5.2.2 Spatial Relationship Graphs ............................... 120
5.3 Integration of the Building Blocks into the GEO-Model Kernel ......... 122
Performance Behaviour of Geometric and Topological Algorithms 125
6.1 Goals of the Measurements ..................................... 521
6.2 Data Sources and Mapping of the e-Complexes upon an Extensible
Database Kernel System ........................................ 521
6.3 Spatial Operations and Queries ................................... 721
6.4 Results of the Measurements .................................... 129
6.4.1 Spatial Operations ....................................... 129
6.4.2 Spatial Queries ......................................... 131
6.4.3 Comparison with a Boundary Representation ................. 231
7 A Geoscientific Application 135
7.1 The Examination Area in the Lower Rhine Basin .................... 531
7.2 Requirements of Geology for a GIS ............................... 731
7.2.1 3D-Modeling and Visualization of Geologically Defined
Geometries ............................................ 731
7.2.2 Consistent Management of Geological Objects ................ 931
7.2.3 Support of Time and Open GIS ............................ 140
7.3 Database Support for a GIS in Geology ............................ 140
7.3.1 Object Oriented Modeling of Geologically Defined Geometries... 140
7.3.2 Management of the 3D Geometry and Topology of Geological
Objects ............................................... 142
7.3.3 3D-Visualization and Coupling with GIS Tools ............... 541
8 Summary and Outlook 149
References 153
Index 169