3D Geovisualization Interfaces as Flood Risk Management Platforms: Capability, Potential, and Implications for Practice

Abstract

Recent advances in technology and workflows related to 3D geovisualization present numerous opportunities for development and evaluation of the usefulness of these tools for analysis and communication of environmental risks. This article explores how cartographic tools currently used for understanding and managing flood risks could be improved through the use of emerging 3D visualization approaches. The topological and dimensional realism enabled by these platforms has the potential both to improve the quality of representation and analysis and to reduce the knowledge barriers impeding understanding of flood risk by nonexpert audiences in risk communication. Furthermore, emerging mixed-reality interfaces offer multiple advantages over desktops for interaction with 3D content. The significant recent growth in both the interface and visualization domains represents an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to evaluate the contributions of these approaches to real-world planning and risk management. In this study, we overview the recent trends in the realm of flood risk visualization and the contributions mixed reality can have for the field. We then present a pragmatic workflow that enables integration of rigorous geospatial data related to flooding into a 3D visualization environment, to illustrate how various interface platforms can easily be integrated and evaluated.