Coupling Historical Maps and LiDAR Data to Identify Man-Made Landforms in Urban Areas

Abstract

In recent years, there has been growing interest in urban geomorphology both for its applications in terms of landscape planning, and its historical, cultural, and scientific interest. Due to recent urban growth, the identification of landforms in cities is difficult, particularly in Mediterranean and central European cities, characterized by more than 1000 years of urban stratification. By comparing and overlapping 19th-century cartography and modern topography from remote sensing data, this research aims to assess the morphological evolution of the city of Genoa (Liguria, NW Italy). The analysis focuses on a highly detailed 1:2’000 scale map produced by Eng. Ignazio Porro in the mid-19th century. The methodology, developed in QGIS, was applied on five case studies of both hillside and valley floor areas of the city of Genoa. Through map overlay and digitalization of elevation data and contour lines, it was possible to identify with great accuracy the most significant morphological transformations that have occurred in the city since the mid-19th century. In addition, the results were validated by direct observation and by drills data of the regional database. The results allowed the identification and quantification of the main anthropic landforms. The paper suggests that the same methodology can be applied to other historical urban contexts characterized by urban and architectural stratification.

Combining Remote-Sensing-Derived Data and Historical Maps for Long-Term Back-Casting of Urban Extents

“…(i) We demonstrated that signals obtained from scanned and georeferenced historical maps or whole map collections have the potential to enrich remote-sensing-based analyses (e.g., [93]) and to extend the observational window of remote-sensing-based change analysis further back in time. We applied our method to the study of long-term urban change, but similar frameworks could be employed for other applications, such as the analysis of long-term forest dynamics or other types of land cover.…”

Hypsometric changes in urban areas resulting from multiple years of mining activity

“…Archival maps are a reliable source of knowledge about landform changes in historical times 37 – 40 ). The Prussian Meßtischblätter maps used in this study are characterised by very high detail and accurate topography and are among the best sources of information on the spatial transformations (e.g.…”

Environmental and Socio-Economic Effects of Underground Brown Coal Mining in Piła Młyn (Poland)

“…Spatial data analyses constitute a particularly note-worthy method for demonstrating changes within urban areas. Historical data and digital models, on the other hand, can be used to indicate the impact of excavation on land relief in the course of anthropogenic transformations both in terms of surface [19] and linear changes [20,21].…”