An indoor logical network qualitatively represents abstract relationships between indoor spaces, and it can be used for path computation. In this paper, we concentrate on the logical network that does not have notions for metrics. Instead, it relies on the semantics and properties of indoor spaces. A navigation path can be computed by deriving parameters from these semantics and minimizing them in routing algorithms. Although previous studies have adopted semantic approaches to build logical networks, routing methods are seldom elaborated. The main issue with such networks is to derive criteria for path computation using the semantics of spaces. Here, we present a routing mechanism that is based on a dedicated space classification and a set of routing criteria. The space classification reflects characteristics of spaces that are important for navigation, such as horizontal and vertical directions, doors and windows, etc. Six routing criteria are introduced, and they involve: (1) the spaces with the preferred semantics; and/or (2) their centrality in the logical network. Each criterion is encoded as the weights to the nodes or edges of the logical network by considering the semantics of spaces. Logical paths are derived by a traditional shortest-path algorithm that minimizes these weights. Depending on the building’s interior configuration, one criterion may result in several logical paths. Therefore, we introduce a priority ordering of criteria to support path selection and decrease the possible number of logical paths. We provide a proof-of-concept implementation for several buildings to demonstrate the usability of such a routing. The main benefit of this routing method is that it does not need geometric information to compute a path. The logical network can be created using verbal descriptions only, and this routing method can be applied to indoor spaces derived from any building subdivision.

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This paper proposes an initial LADM country profile of Saudi Arabia. The model aims to build a better communication system between all the stockholders to secure the land registration. The initial development of the spatial and non-spatial classes are have been based on the regulation of Saudi Arabia. For the development of the LADM profile for Saudi Arabia, several steps have been completed: 1- Interviews have been conducted with the stakeholders to collect information about the regulations of the land/building ownership. 2- Analysis of the current system of the land registration and its requirement for both spatial and non-spatial data has been performed. 3- Local regulations have been utilized to develop the initial LADM country profile.@en

Excavation work takes place almost continually in most cities around the Western hemisphere. Many cities are already full of infrastructures, buried networks, and street furniture, so excavation work is not without any thread to the operator and surrounding environment. Small construction sites, for example, are often constrained by operating infrastructure on surface level and underground. Although different agencies and network owners have information about the location of the objects that put excavation work at risk, this information is not centralized. Different organizations manage location information of buried cables, unexploded ordnance, and pollution, for example. This significantly complicates the early-stage planning and last minute risk assessment processes because professionals need to manually collect, assess, and integrate data about subsurface objects into a comprehensive risk assessment. To smoothen this process, ExcaSafeZone project, therefore, develops a system that collects location data, defines expert-based rules for safety risk assessment, and that synthesizes this into an open source prototype that visualized safety risks on a heat map.

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This paper presents the development of database for the conceptual model of LADM-IndoorGML. The aim of this work is to investigate all issues that related to generating the database and visualizing the content of the database. Based on the result of the transformation from conceptual model to the technical model that has been proposed by (Alattas et al., 2018), we have selected some classes of the conceptual model of LADM-IndoorGML to create a database in PostgreSQL with the extension of PostGIS. By converting those classes from class diagram to SQL DDL, a database has been generated and stored different type of data. A visualization tool has been used to visualize indoor spaces based on RRRs for the users.@en

Subdivision of land parcels in the vertical space has made it necessary for cadastral jurisdictions to manage cadastral objects both in 2D as well as 3D. Modern sensor and hardware capabilities for capture and utilisation of large point clouds is one of the major drivers to consider Spatial Database Management Systems (SDBMS) in 3D and organisations are still progressing towards it. 3D data models and their topological relationships are two of the important parts of 3D spatial data management. 3D spatial systems should enable data models that handle a large variety of 3D objects, perform automated data quality checks, search and analysis, rapid data dissemination, 3D rendering and visualisation with close linkages to standards. This chapter asserts that while there has been work done in defining 2D and 3D vector geometry in standards, it is still not sufficient for 3D cadastre purposes as 3D cadastral objects have a much more rigorous definition. The Land Administration Domain Model (LADM), which is an ISO Standard, addresses many of the issues in 3D representation and storage of 3D data in a database management system (DBMS). The chapter further discusses the various approaches to storing 3D data such as through voxels, or point cloud data type and elaborates on the characteristics of a 3D DBMS capable of storing 3D data. Approaches for spatial indexing to improve the fast access of data and the various available options for a 3D geographical database system are presented. Several spatial operations on and amongst 3D objects are illustrated with linkages to the current standards including the LADM. Next, construction of 3D topological and geometrical models based on standards and including their characteristics is discussed. Current 3D spatial database managements systems and their characteristics, including some comparison between selected DBMS including the hardware capabilities are elaborated in detail. Finally, the chapter proposes a 3D topology model based on Tetrahedron Network (TEN) synchronised with LADM specifications for 3D cadastral registration. This topological model utilises surveying boundaries to generate 3D cadastral objects with consistent topology and rapid query and management capabilities. The definition for validation of 3D solids also considers the automatic repair of invalid solids. Point cloud and TEN related data structures available in SDBMSs are also investigated to enable storage of non-spatial attributes so that database updates would store all spatial and attribute information directly inside the spatial database.@en

This paper shows the conversion of LADM-IndoorGML conceptual model to technical model. The aim of this research is assessing the conceptual model and discovering the possibilities and the shortcomings of the conceptual model via the conversion to technical model. There are three steps to convert the conceptual model: - Prepare the LADM-IndoorGML UML model; - Transform the class diagram to table diagram; - Generate SQL DDL code from the table diagram. During the work from step to step several issues did appear and they are addressed in this paper to enable more automated transformation possibilities from the conceptual model to technical mode. Most of the issues are quite generic and also applicable when converting other conceptual models into technical models. There are a few issues related to our specific conceptual models (IndoorGML and LADM packages) and the Enterprise Architect software (which is the used tool in our case), but most issues are generic: the primary keys that have been created to all tables by the software even if there an ID attributes, foreign keys, the association multiplicity, the attributes multiplicity, data type, spatial data type, index, spatial index, constraints, and inheritance. The research shows that there is a need to develop a complete UML diagram for IndoorGML that contain all the attributes and their datatypes. The current class structure of the code list in LADM standard has been developed for better semantic meaning during the implementation by creating an intermediate conceptual model class to support the transformation. Many critical decisions have been taken during the derivation of the technical model to solve these issues.@en

Generation of indoor networks for navigation will normally be done out of standard floor plans that are only 2D and is more often manual than automatic. These floor plans are drawn at a specific time and do not correspond to the reality, moreover some of those buildings were built already differently than designed. Then in due course the building will change both externally and internally. Also objects like furniture will be moved around in the building. If these changes are not updated in the map of the building, it becomes out of date and cannot be used for the creation of indoor navigable models anymore. To enable correct indoor navigation, we will need to have the current data of the indoor environment. This article concentrates on providing a new approach to generate up to date floor plans by using a mobile (and hand held) laser scanner in the fastest way. This device creates a point cloud and the corresponding trajectory at the same time. Because the mobile laser scanner device is operated by a walking human, the trajectory contains information about the surface the person is walking on. In this article, a method is explained for the detection of walkable spaces based on the analysis of the point cloud and its corresponding trajectory provided by the mobile laser scanner. Three steps will be used: voxelization, trajectory analysis and the identification of floor regions. Dynamic objects, doors, and furniture objects are also used to identify the surfaces which are available for navigation purposes. Three types of surfaces are considered: horizontal, slopes, and stairs.@en

Visibility is a common measure to describe the spatial properties of an environment related to the spatial behaviour. Isovists represent the space that can be seen from one observation point, and they are used to analyse the existence of obstacles affecting or blocking intervisibility in an area. Although point clouds depict the as-built reality in a very detailed and accurate way, literature addressing the analysis of visibility in 3D, and more specifically the usage of point clouds to visibility analysis, is rather limited. In this paper, a methodology to evaluate visibility from point clouds in indoor environments is proposed, resulting in the creation of 3D isovists. Point cloud is firstly discretized in a voxel-based structure and voxels are labelled into ‘exterior’, ‘occupied’, ‘visible’ and ‘occluded’ based on an occupancy followed by a visibility analysis performed from a ray-tracing algorithm. 3D Isovists are created from the boundary of visible voxels from an observer position and considering as input parameters the visual angle, maximum line of sight, and eye gaze direction.@en

Precise and comprehensive knowledge about 3D urban space is required for simulation and analysis in the fields of urban and environmental planning, city administration and disaster management. In order to facilitate these applications, geo-information about functional, semantic, and topographic aspects of urban features, their mutual dependencies and relations is needed. Substantial work has been done in the modelling and representation of above-ground features in the context of 3D city modelling. However, the belowground part of the real world, of which utility networks form a big part, is often neglected. Existing data models for utility networks are generally very domain-specific and, therefore, not suitable either. This paper describes a 3D data modelling approach for integrated management of below-ground utility networks and related above-ground city objects. This approach consists of manipulating first the structure of existing utility data in the commonly used Feature Manipulation Engine ETL software in order to make the data compliant to the CityGML Utility Network ADE data model. Subsequently, workspaces are created that take care of storing the CityGML data into the free and open-source 3D City Database, which has been extended in order to manage utility network data, too. Moreover, the research shows the suitability of the extended 3DCityDB to perform graph-based topological operations by means of the PostgreSQL pgRouting extension. Lastly, the results are visualized in typical GIS applications, e.g. QGIS and ArcGIS.

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In this chapter we address various aspects of 3D Cadastral Information Modelling. Of course, this is closely related to the legal framework and initial registration as presented in the first two chapters. Cadastral data models, such as the Land Administration Domain Model, which include 3D support, have been developed for legal information modelling and management purposes without providing correspondence to the object’s physical counterparts. Building Information Models and virtual 3D topographic/ city models (e.g. LandXML, InfraGML, CityGML, IndoorGML) can be used to describe the physical reality. The main focus of such models is on the physical and functional characteristics of urban structures (Aien et al, 2015). However, by definition, those two aspects need to be interrelated; i.e. a tunnel, a building, a mine, etc. always have both a legal status and boundaries as well as a physical description; while it is evident that their integration would maximise their utility and flexibility to support different applications. A model driven architecture approach, including the formalization of constraints is preferred. In the model driven architecture design approach as proposed by the Object Management Group the information model, often expressed in the form of a UML class diagram is the core of the development. This so-called Platform Independent Model (PIM, as presented in the current chapter) is then transformed into Platform Specific Model (PSM). This could be a relational database schema for a spatial DBMS (as will be discussed in the next chapter), or XML schema for a data exchange format or the structure of maps, forms and tables as used in the graphic user interface of a spatial application. Constraints have proved effective in providing the solutions needed to avoid errors and enable maintenance of data quality; thus the need to specify and implement them. This chapter explores possibilities of linking 3D legal right, restriction, responsibilities spaces, modelled with the Land Administration Domain Model (ISO 19152), with physical reality of 3D objects (described via CityGML, IFC, InfraGML, etc).@en

With the increasing number of indoor navigation applications, it is essential to have clear and complete conceptual model (in the form of UML class diagram) for IndoorGML. The current version of IndoorGML standard has an incomplete class diagram (incomplete w.r.t. attributes, of which some are appearing in the XML/GML schema), and that provides confusion for the users of the standard. Furthermore, there are some issues related to unclear association names, unclear class names, classes that related to the Primal space and the Dual space, code lists not specific per type (which should have their own code list values), untyped relationships to external object classes, and semantically overlapping classes. In this paper, we propose an enhancement for IndoorGML conceptual model (UML class diagram) to avoid the misunderstanding. We propose a conceptual model that maps the classes of the standard in a better way. This conceptual model is the basis for 1) a database schema when storing IndoorGML data, 2) the XML schema when exchanging IndoorGML data, and 3) when developing IndoorGML applications with an intuitive and clear GUI. Furthermore, the proposed conceptual model provides constraints for more meaningful model and to define more sharply what is considered valid data. This paper briefly reports these preliminary results on the UML conceptual model.@en

As we realize that we spend most of our time in increasingly complex indoor environments, applications to assist indoor activities (e.g. guidance) have gained a lot of attention in the recent years. The advances in ubiquitous computing made possible the development of several spatial models intending to support context-aware and fine-grained indoor navigation systems. However, the available models often rely on simplified representations (e.g. 2D plans) and ignore the indoor features (e.g. furniture), thereby missing to reflect the complexity of the indoor environment. In this paper, we introduce the Flexible Space Subdivision framework (FSS) that allows to automatically identify the spaces that can be used for indoor navigation purpose. We propose a classification of indoor objects based on their ability to autonomously change location and we define a spatial subdivision of the indoor environment based on the classified objects and their functions. The framework can consider any 3D indoor configuration, the static and dynamic activities it hosts and it enables the possibility to consider all types of locomotion (e.g. walking, flying, etc.). It relies on input 3D models with geometric, semantic and topological information and identifies a set of subspaces with dedicated properties. We assess the framework against criteria defined in previous researches and we provide an example.

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3D indoor navigation in multi-story buildings and under changing environments is still difficult to perform. 3D models of buildings are commonly not available or outdated. 3D point clouds turned out to be a very practical way to capture 3D interior spaces and provide a notion of an empty space. Therefore, pathfinding in point clouds is rapidly emerging. However, processing of raw point clouds can be very expensive, as these are semantically poor and unstructured data. In this article we present an innovative octree-based approach for processing of 3D indoor point clouds for the purpose of multi-story pathfinding. We semantically identify the construction elements, which are of importance for the indoor navigation of humans (i.e., floors, walls, stairs, and obstacles), and use these to delineate the available navigable space. To illustrate the usability of this approach, we applied it to real-world data sets and computed paths considering user constraints. The structuring of the point cloud into an octree approximation improves the point cloud processing and provides a structure for the empty space of the point cloud. It is also helpful to compute paths sufficiently accurate in their consideration of the spatial complexity. The entire process is automatic and able to deal with a large number of multi-story indoor environments.

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3-D modeling has been the subject of increased attention in the last two decades. Technology has been developed to such a degree that large datasets can be collected, processed, analyzed, managed, and visualized in reasonable time. Domain applications are looking with much interest at 3-D representations, acknowledging the increased possibilities for display and analysis of data. The tendency of using 3-D data from different domains in one application is growing, and this poses many challenges. Developed independently through the years, 3-D applications involve various representations (vector, raster, freeform curves, and surfaces), levels of detail, appearance, semantics, and topology. Representing the real world in 3-D differs significantly from representation in 2-D. Technology and approaches for data collection (detect vertical elements of objects, overhanging sections – as sheds, bridges, and roofs), data processing, data structures, data models, and visualization have to be adapted, extended, and/or improved to deal with vertical and overhanging elements as well as objects located inside, above or below each other. Many of the well-known approaches in 2-D GIS are not readily applicable to 3-D representation. This requires investigation of new possibilities for representation, structuring, and visualization of data. This entry outlines the most commonly used 3-D geometric representations in terms of their geometry, resolution, topology, and semantics, elaborates on their use in a wide range of applications, and discusses some of the challenges in research and development.@en

Many research works have been oriented to the formulation of different algorithms for estimating the paths in indoor environments from three-dimensional representations of space. The architectural configuration, the actions that take place within it, and the location of some objects in the space influence the paths along which is it possible to move, as they may cause visibility problems. To overcome the visibility issue, different methods have been proposed which allow to identify the visible areas and from a certain point of view, but often they do not take into account the user's visual perception of the environment and not allow estimating how much may be complicated to follow a certain path. In the field of space syntax and cognitive science, it has been attempted to describe the characteristics of a building or an urban environment by the isovists and visibility graphs methods; some numerical properties of these representations allow to describe the space as for how it is perceived by a user. However, most of these studies are directed to analyze the environment in a two-dimensional space. In this paper we propose a method to evaluate in a quantitative way the complexity of a certain path within an environment represented by a three-dimensional point cloud, by the combination of some of the previously mentioned techniques, considering the space visible from a certain point of view, depending on the moving agent (pedestrian, people in wheelchairs, UAV, UGV, robot).@en

Availability of 3D underground information models is key to designing and managing urban infrastructure construction projects. Buried utilities information is often registered by using different types of location data with different uncertainties. These data variances are, however, not considered in many existing visualization approaches. This study, therefore, aims to enable 3D-representation of uncertainties in underground utility data. To this end, the research team identified four different location parameters (unknown, standard, estimated, surveyed location), and explored how these could be integrated into models that visualize utilities in 3D. As proof of concept, we developed a first 3D uncertainty model for an urban road intersection and implemented this in a handheld augmented reality application. As a next step, we designed an improved 3D visualization model that incorporates standard, estimated, and surveyed location data to estimate utility locations, and to generate cylinder shapes that represent the uncertainty buffer around a visualized utility. The presented approach eventually allows city engineers to better estimate design and construction workspaces. We conclude the paper by elaborating both the contributions and consecutive research steps.@en

The aim of this research is to investigate the combined use of IndoorGML and the Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) to define the accessibility of the indoor spaces based on the ownership and/or the functional right for use. The users of the indoor spaces create a relationship with the space depending on the type of the building and the function of the spaces. The indoor spaces of each building have different usage functions and associated users. By defining the user types of the indoor spaces, LADM makes it possible to establish a relationship between the indoor spaces and the users. LADM assigns rights, restrictions, and responsibilities to each indoor space, which indicates the accessible spaces for each type of user. The three-dimensional (3D) geometry of the building will be impacted by assigning such functional rights, and will provide additional knowledge to path computation for an individual or a group of users. As a result, the navigation process will be more appropriate and simpler because the navigation path will avoid all of the non-accessible spaces based on the rights of the party. The combined use of IndoorGML and LADM covers a broad range of information classes: (indoor 3D) cell spaces, connectivity, spatial units/boundaries, (access/use) rights and restrictions, parties/persons/actors, and groups of them. The new specialized classes for individual students, individual staff members, groups of students, groups of staff members are able to represent cohorts of education programmes and the organizational structure (organogram: faculty, department, group). The model is capable to represent the access times to lecture rooms (based on education/teaching schedules), use rights of meeting rooms, opening hours of offices, etc. The two original standard models remain independent in our approach, we do not propose yet another model, but applications can fully benefit of the potential of the combined use, which is an important contribution of this paper. The main purpose of the combined use model is to support the indoor navigation, but could also support different applications, such as the maintenance and facility management work, by computing the cleaning cost based on the space floor area. The main contributions of this paper are: a solution for the combined use of IndoorGML-LADM model, a conceptual enhancement of LADM by the refinement of the LA_Party package with specialization for staff and student (groups), and the assessment of the model by converting sample data (from two complex university buildings) into the model, and conducting actual access-rights aware navigation, based on the populated model@en

Boosted by the dynamic urbanization of cities, indoor environments are getting more and more complex in order to be able to host people properly. While most of our time is spent inside buildings, the need of GIS tools to assist our daily activities that can become tedious, such as indoor navigation or facility management, became more and more urgent. In that perspective, the IndoorGML standard is aiming to address the gaps left by other standards regarding the spatial modelling for indoor navigation. It includes several concepts such as the organization of the spaces into cells along with their network representation and the possibility to represent multiple connected layers. However, being at its first stage, several concepts of the standard could be improved. One of these is the cell subspacing that is not enough discussed in the current version of the standard. In this paper, we explore all the aspects involved in the subdivision process, from the identification of the navigable and non-navigable space cells to the generation of a navigation graph. We propose several criteria on which the indoor sub-spacing can rely to be automatically performed and and illustrate them on a 3D indoor model.@en

This paper investigates the integration of traffic information (TI) into the routing in the presence of moving obstacles. When traffic accidents occur, the incidents could generate different kinds of hazards (e.g., toxic plumes), which make certain parts of the road network inaccessible. On the other hand, the first responders, who are responsible for management of the traffic incidents, need to be fast and safely guided to the incident place. To support navigation in the traffic network affected by moving obstacles, in this paper, we provide a spatio-temporal data model to structure the information of traffic conditions that is essential for the routing, and present an extended path planning algorithm, named MOAAstar–TI (Moving Obstacle Avoiding A* using Traffic Information), to generate routes avoiding the obstacles. A speed adjustment factor is introduced in the developed routing algorithm, allowing integration of both the information of vehicles and traffic situations to generate routes avoiding the moving obstacles caused by the incidents. We applied our system to a set of navigation scenarios. The application results show the potentials of our system in future application in real life.@en