A spatial overlay analysis method for three-dimensional vector polyhedrons

Three-dimensional spatial overlap analysis (3DSOA) has become a bottleneck in the development of three-dimensional Geographic Information System (3DGIS). Three-dimensional spatial overlay analysis method for vector polyhedrons is the key problem of three-dimensional spatial overlap analysis which still lacks complete solutions. This paper proposes a method for three dimensional spatial vector polyhedrons overlay analysis. First of all, it describes topological relationships between polyhedrons based on nine-intersection model. Secondly, Oriented Bounding Box Tree-based collision detection algorithm is improved for judging topological relations of intersecting triangles. Then triangles on the boundary of polyhedrons which is expressed by triangulated irregular network are classified. Next, geometries and properties overlay results of vector polyhedrons are calculated based on the principle of Boolean Operations and classifications of triangles. Finally, the method is applied in the Urban Geological Information Management and Service Systems in Beijing Hangzhou and some other cities. The experimental results show that the proposed method which has the characteristics of low time complexity and high accuracy can efficiently solve the three-dimensional spatial analysis problems of vector polyhedrons.