ICE7501

Geographic Information Systems

Ling Pei
Email: [email protected]

Institute of Sensing and Navigation, SEIEE

SEIEE Teaching Development & Student Innovation Center

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

09/2020
IE26033

Chapter 3 Vector Data Model

 Chapter 3 Vector Data Model

Contents

Ø3.1 Representation of Simple Features

Ø3.2 Topology

Ø3.3 Geo-relational Data Model

Ø3.4 Object-Based Data Model

Ø3.5 Representation of Composition Feature

Representation of Simple
Features
How can the computer “see” the features
and their spatial relationships?
Three steps：
üClassifies spatial features into points, lines, and polygons over
an empty space and represents the location and shape of these
features using points and their x-, y-coordinates.
üStructures the properties and spatial relationships of these
geometric objects in a logical framework.
üCodes and stores vector data in digital data files so that they
can be accessed, interpreted, and processed by the computer.
 3.1 Representation of Simple Features

n Data Model
defined as the objects in a spatial database plus the relationships among them.

Real Word Geometric Objects Data Structure Data Storage Format

Entities (Point, Line, Polygon，Cell) (vector, raster) (vector, raster)
 3.1 Representation of Simple Features

n Vector Data Model

Use x, y coordinate to represent the locations and shape of point, line
and polygon .

Polygons
 3.1 Representation of Simple Features

n Vector Data Model

p uses the geometric objects of point, line, and polygon to

represent simple spatial features

Objects Dimension Properties Examples

• Defined by (x, y) coordinate

Markers,
Point 0 • No length, width or height, only location
building, etc.
implied

• Defined by (x, y) coordinates of its end

points
• Properties of length and location Roads, streams,
Line 1 • The shape of a line may be a smooth curve etc.
or a connection of straight-line segments
• Lines also known as edges, links
• Defined by its boundary line (which is
defined by its points)
• Properties of area (size) , perimeter and Timber stands,
location land parcels,
Polygon 2 • Made of connected, closed, non- and water
intersecting line segments bodies
• A polygon may stand alone or share
boundaries with other polygons
Open way=line，polyline
Close way=area，polygon
 It should be noted that the representation of
simple features on paper maps is not always
straightforward.

pThe representation of simple features depend on

map scale.

p For example, a city on a 1:1,000,000 scale map may appear as a

point, but the same city may appear as a polygon on a 1:24,000
scale map
Topology
 3.2 Topology

p Explicit expression of spatial relationship between features

p Topology studies those properties of geometric objects that remain invariant
under certain transformations such as bending or stretching

Möbius strips, which have only one surface

and one edge, are a kind of object studied in
topology
 3.2 Topology

pTopology is often explained through graph theory

 3.2 Topology

pVector data model are directed graphs, which

include points and directed lines.
pThe directed lines are called arcs, and the points
where arcs meet or intersect are called nodes.
p If an arc joins two nodes, the nodes are said to be
adjacent and incident with the arc.
Incident
Adjacent
 3.2 Topology

pAdjacency and incidence are two fundamental

relationships

Nodes

Nodes
Arcs
Nodes

From node-> +1 ; To node-> -1; no connection->0

 3.2 Topology
n Topology application case

p TIGER : Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing

database, U.S. Census Bureau
p the TIGER database includes the spatial relationships among points, lines,
and areas.
p Based on these built-in spatial relationships, the TIGER database can
associate a block group with the streets or roads as its boundary. Thus, an
address on either the right side or the left side of a street can be identified

Topology in the TIGER database involves 0-cells or

points, 1-cells or lines, and 2-cells or areas
 3.2 Topology

Topology Importance

pensures data quality and integrity

penhance GIS analysis

ptopological relationships between spatial

features allow GIS users to perform spatial data

query
Georelational Data Model
 3.3 Georelational Data Model

n Georelational data model

p stores geometries and attributes separately in a split system:
geometries (“geo”) in graphic files and attributes (“relational”)
in a relational database
 3.3 Georelational Data Model

nTopological Data Structure : Coverage

p Esri’s Coverage data model
p Supports three basic topological relationships: Connectivity,
Area definition and Contiguity
p Contains feature IDs and x-y coordinate pairs

• Connectivity: Arcs connect to each other at nodes.

• Area definition: An area is defined by a series of
connected arcs.
• Contiguity: Arcs have directions and left and right
polygons.
 3.3 Georelational Data Model

n Coverage Data Structure : Coverage

Point
coverage
 3.3 Georelational Data Model

n Coverage Data Structure : Coverage

line coverage
 3.3 Georelational Data Model

n Coverage Data Structure : Coverage

Polygon
coverage
 3.3 Georelational Data Model

n Nontopological Vector Data

p non-topological data model: no files describe the spatial relationships among
these geometric object
p Example: Esri’s shapefile
p the shape file treats a point as a pair of (x, y) coordinates, a line as a series of
points, and a polygon as a series of line segments
What’s the advantage of non-
topological data model?
Object-Based Data Model
 3.4 Object-Based Data Model

n Object-Based Data Model

p Treats geospatial data as objects
p stores geometries and attributes in a single system, Geometries are
stored as a collection of binary data in a special field with the data type
BLOB (binary large object)
p allows a spatial feature (object) to be associated with a set of
properties and methods. A property describes an attribute or
characteristic of an object. A method performs a specific action.

The object-based data model stores each land-use polygon in a record.

The Shape field stores the geometries of land-use polygons. Other fields
store attribute data such as Land use_ID and Category
 3.4 Object-Based Data Model

n Object-Based Data Model

p Object-oriented technology
p Relationship: dependency, association, aggregation,
composition and inheritance

Relationships between classes

 3.4 Object-Based Data Model

n Object-Based Data Model

p Object-oriented technology
p Relationship: dependency, association, aggregation, composition and
inheritance
p Interface: represents a set of externally visible operations of a class or
object.

A Feature object implements the IFeature interface.

IFeature has access to the properties of Extent and
shape and the method of Delete. Object-oriented
technology uses symbols to represent interface,
property, and method. The symbols for the two
properties are different in this case because Extent
is a read-only property, whereas Shape is a read-
and-write (by reference) property

Unified Modeling Language (UML)

3.4 Object-Based Data Model

pInterface: represents a
set of externally visible
operations of a class or
object.
 3.4 Object-Based Data Model

n Object-Based Data Model: Geodatabase

p Example : Geodatabase. ArcOjects, ESRI

The geodatabase organizes vector data sets into

p feature classes : stores spatial features of the same
geometry type
p feature datasets: stores feature classes that share
the same coordinate system and area extent

p Geodatabase can also store raster data, triangulated

irregular networks location data, and attribute tables
 3.4 Object-Based Data Model

n Object-Based Data Model: Topology Rules

p The geodatabase defines topology as relationship rules, lets the user choose
the rules
 3.4 Object-Based Data Model

n Object-Based Data Model: Topology Rules

p The geodatabase defines topology as relationship rules, lets the user choose
the rules
 3.4 Object-Based Data Model

n Object-Based Data Model: Geodatabase

Advantages of the Geodatabase

p The hierarchical structure of a geodatabase is useful for data

organization and management
p Can take advantage of object-oriented technology.
p Offers on-the- fly topology
p Thousands of objects, properties, and methods in ArcObjects are
available for GIS users
p ArcObjects provides a template for custom objects to be
developed for different industries and applications
Representation of Composite
Features
 3.5 Representation of Composite Features

n Composition Features
p Some spatial features are better represented as composites of points,
lines, and polygons.
p Examples : TINs, regions, and routes
p varies among coverage, shapefile, and geodatabase.

Delaunay
 3.5 Representation of Composite Features

n Composition Features: TIN

p triangulated irregular network (TIN) : approximates the terrain with a
set of nonoverlapping triangles
p three types: polygons (triangles or faces), points (nodes), and lines
(edges).
p Data structure: the triangle number, the number of each adjacent
triangle, and data files showing the lists of points, edges, as well as the x,
y, and z values of each elevation point

Digital Elevation Model

Each triangle is a polygon, each node of a triangle Data structure.
is a point, and each edge of a triangle is a line.
 3.5 Representation of Composite Features

n Composition Features: Regions

p A region is a geographic area with similar characteristics.
p a region may have spatially joint or disjoint areas, and regions may
overlap or cover the same area

region’s subclass allows overlapped

regions (a) and spatially disjoint polygons in
regions
 3.5 Representation of Composite Features

n Composition Features: Regions

p the coverage organizes regions as subclasses in a polygon coverage and,
through additional data files, relates regions to the underlying polygons and arcs

Multipart polygons——regions subclasses

（shapefile, geodatabase）
 3.5 Representation of Composite Features

n Composition Features: Routes

p A route is a linear feature such as a highway, a bike path, or a stream
p a route has a measurement system that allows linear measures to be used
on a projected coordinate system, unlike other linear features
p Events: linear attributes associated with linear routes
p Section: refers directly to lines (i.e., arcs)in a line coverage and positions along
lines, i.e., measured in coordinates and its length can be derived from its
reference lines.
p A route subclass is a collection of sections
 3.5 Representation of Composite Features

n Composition Features: Routes

p the shape file and the geodatabase use polylines with m (measure) values
to replace route subclasses.
p they use m values for linear measures along a route and store the m
values directly with x- and y-coordinates in the geometry field

A route, shown here as a thicker, gray line,

The linear measures (m) of a route are stored is built on a polyline with linear measures
with x- and y-coordinates in a geodatabase in a geodatabase
Concepts
Topology: A subfield of mathematics that studies
invariant properties of geometric objects under certain
transformations such as bending or stretching.
Triangulated irregular network (TIN): A vector data format
that approximates the terrain with a set of non-overlapping
triangles.
Vector data model: A data model that uses
points and their x-, y-coordinates to construct spatial
features. Also called discrete object model.
Object-based data model: A vector data model that uses
objects to organize spatial data.
Georelational data model: A GIS data model that stores
geometries and attributes in two separate but related file
systems.
Discussion