Visualization of Spatio-Temporal Building Changes Using 3D Web GIS

Abstract

Modern laser scanning methods and photogrammetric techniques provide tools for rapid data acquisition and semi-automated 3D scene construction. The common access to measuring sensors allow building digital representation of scanned objects relatively easy. This enables the construction of photorealistic building models and complex GIS/BIM models.Recently, increasing number of government departments and local councils trying to use 3D models as part of their planning, development, promotion strategy can be observed. To date, there is no universal, low-cost methodology that will allow visualizing changes of building facades using the Internet. The article presents a study which explored the possibilities of building a web application to visualize the changes in the buildings with the use of 3D models. It allows to integrate current three-dimensional models with those based on historical data. An interactive web application presenting the spatio-temporal changes of buildings in two study areas was presented (campus of the University of Warmia and Mazury and the Old Town of Olsztyn). The proposed architecture is low-cost and easy to implement. The content displayed on the map is determined by the timeline slider, which allows presenting changes in the building facades over time. Each building has its own attributes, some of which also have one or more 3D models. In the end, the potential stages of the system’s development were presented, including the possibility of participating volunteers in the process of obtaining historical data and using the Augmented Reality to present 3D models of the buildings directly in the field.