A 3D dynamic visualization method coupled with an urban drainage model

Abstract

The urban drainage model is an important tool for the management and decision-making around an urban drainage network. Owing to urban drainage networks’ complex distribution, existing model analysis methods have gradually exposed problems of insufficient utilization of spatial information, weak coupling and analytical capacity of multi-source heterogeneous data, and poor human-computer interaction. By coupling an urban drainage model with 3D GIS technology and 3D visualization technology, this study presents a 3D dynamic visualization method of an urban drainage model (3DDVM-UDM). A case study from Chaohu, China, is used to demonstrate the method. The environmental information and distributions of pipe network objects in 3D space were presented. The urban drainage model can be edited and simulated in the 3D environment, and a 2D flooding simulation method was also established. Multiple model results were dynamically and simultaneously visualized in the pipe network entity models. By coupling and comparing the model results under different rainfall return periods, various information was intuitively analyzed, such as the water level and water quality differences of each pipe and node, and the spatial distribution differences of fully filled pipes, overflowed nodes and buildings influenced by node overflow. The operation state of a drainage pipe network can be systematically analyzed by intuitively combining with the attribute information of a pipe network, 3D spatial information and other relevant data. This study provides a feasible theory and method to assist in environmental management and decision-making, to facilitate communication between different fields, and to promote a shift in analysis from 2D to the combination of 2D and 3D.