Innovative Approaches to 3D GIS Modeling for Volumetric and Geoprocessing Applications in Subsurface Infrastructures in a Virtual Immersive Environment

As subsurface features remain largely ‘out of sight, out of mind’, this has led to challenges when dealing with underground space and infrastructures and especially so for those working in GIS. Since subsurface infrastructure plays a major role in supporting the needs of modern society, groups such as city planners and utility companies and decision makers are looking for an ‘holistic’ approach where the sustainable use of underground space is as important as above ground space. For such planning and management, it is crucial to examine subsurface data in a form that is amenable to 3D mapping and that can be used for increasingly sophisticated 3D modeling. The subsurface referred to in this study focuses particularly on examples of both shallow and deep underground infrastructures. In the case of shallow underground infrastructures mostly two-dimensional maps are used in the management and planning of these features. Depth is a very critical component of underground infrastructures that is difficult to represent in a 2D map and for this reason these are best studied in three-dimensional space. In this research, the capability of 3D GIS technology and immersive geography are explored for the storage, management, analysis, and visualization of shallow and deep subsurface features

3D Cadastres Best Practices, Chapter 5: Visualization and New Opportunities

This paper proposes a discussion on opportunities offered by 3D visualization to improve the understanding and the analysis of cadastre data. It first introduce the rationale of having 3D visualization functionalities in the context of cadastre applications. Second the publication outline some basic concepts in 3D visualization. This section specially addresses the visualization pipeline as a driven classification schema to understand the steps leading to 3D visualization. In this section is also presented a brief review of current 3D standards and technologies. Next is proposed a summary of progress made in the last years in 3D cadastral visualization. For instance, user’s requirement, data and semiotics, and platforms are highlighted as main actions performed in the development of 3D cadastre visualization. This review could be perceived as an attempt to structure and emphasise the best practices in the domain of 3D cadastre visualization and as an inventory of issues that still need to be tackled. Finally, by providing a review on advances and trends in 3D visualization, the paper initiates a discussion and a critical analysis on the benefit of applying these new developments to cadastre domain. This final section discusses about enhancing 3D techniques as dynamic transparency and cutaway, 3D generalization, 3D visibility model, 3D annotation, 3D data and web platform, augmented reality, immersive virtual environment, 3D gaming, interaction techniques and time