3D WebGIS: From Visualization to Analysis. An Efficient Browser-Based 3D Line-of-Sight Analysis

Abstract

3D WebGIS systems have been mentioned in the literature almost since the beginning of the graphical web era in the late 1990s. The potential use of 3D WebGIS is linked to a wide range of scientific and application domains, such as planning, controlling, tracking or simulation in crisis management, military mission planning, urban information systems, energy facilities or cultural heritage management, just to name a few. Nevertheless, many applications or research prototypes entitled as 3D WebGIS or similar are mainly about 3D visualization of GIS data or the visualization of analysis results, rather than about performing the 3D analysis itself online. This research paper aims to step forward into the direction of web-based 3D geospatial analysis. It describes how to overcome speed and memory restrictions in web-based data management by adapting optimization strategies, developed earlier for web-based 3D visualization. These are applied in a holistic way in the context of a fully 3D line-of-sight computation over several layers with split (tiled) and unsplit (static) data sources. Different optimization approaches are combined and evaluated to enable an efficient client side analysis and a real 3D WebGIS functionality using new web technologies such as HTML5 and WebGL.

GIS-Based Planning and Web/3D Web GIS Applications for the Analysis and Management of MV/LV Electrical Networks (A Case Study in Tunisia)

“…This is 166% more users that existed 10 years ago [37]. The Internet and, in particular, the World Wide Web enable easy access to spatial data and applications that can offer fast and simple solutions to the spatial needs of people, such as public services and business operations [38]. Web-based GIS applications have gained popularity due to their ease of use and simplicity [39].…”

GIS Planning, Web and 3D Web GIS Applications for the Management and Analysis of MV/LV Electrical Networks in the Region of Medjez el Bab (North-West of Tunisia)

“…This is 166% more than 10 years ago [42]. The Internet, and in particular the World Wide Web, enables easy access to spatial data and applications that can offer fast and simple solutions to the spatial needs of people, public services and business operations [43]. Web GIS is relatively recent but very fast-growing sub-set of Geographic Information System.…”

CEBOW: A Cloud‐Edge‐Browser Online Web3D approach for visualizing large BIM scenes

“…Li et al 36 proposed a multi‐level cache management mechanism based on clients, files, and servers. Auer and Zipf 37 presented layer‐level and tile‐level caching mechanisms and optimization methods for 3D tile data. In our study, we take into consideration that for devices with low performance and small memory, especially mobile browsers, their cache capacity is limited.…”