EXPRESSION OF THREE DIMENSIONAL SPACE WITH DIGIT AL CARTOGRAPHIC 
DATA AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS METHOD 
Takayasu OHTSUKA, Hidehisa TAKAHASHI, 
Hiroshi MASAHARU, Takashi ISAKA, Yoshikazu FUKUSHIMA 
Geographical Survey Institute, Japan 
Commission II, Working Group 2 
KEYWORDS: Cartography, GIS, Graphics, Three dimensional, DEM/DTM, Spatial 
ABSTRACT: 
Expression of three dimensional space with digital cartographic data and computer graphics method have been studied in the 
Geographical Survey Institute of Japan since 1994. This trial has been carried out as one of the research for next generation map. 
So far, we have studied data producing method, three dimensional model generation method and trial of making realistic 
landscape images so as to consider the data contents of next 
of three dimensional space were obtained. This 
their results. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
In conventional topographic maps printed on paper, real three 
dimensional world is projected vertically onto two 
dimensional plane with symbolization of ground objects. This 
expression demands some knowledge and skills to read maps. 
It also has some problems especially in representing urban 
area where many elevated roads and underground passages 
exist. 
We are trying to study new representation method for three 
dimensional space, according to human's custom and ability 
concerning about 3-D space recognition. Digital cartographic 
data opens up possibility of completely new expression of 
maps. By utilizing computer graphics technology, landscape 
image from arbitrary viewpoint can be generated. Animation 
movement of viewpoint is also possible. The expression 
makes it easy for general users to recognize three dimensional 
space. 
2. METHOD OF THE STUDY 
There are two research items in this study. One is to study 
the method to create realistic landscape image from digital 
cartographic data. The other is to examine data contents of 
digital cartographic data required for such representation. 
Cartographic data corresponding to 1:25,000 Topographic 
Maps published by the Geographical Survey Institute(GST) 
are used as the first target because they are the largest scale 
maps covers all of Japan. As for data items, digital elevation 
data(DEM) and main road data of 1:25,000 scale 
topographic maps produced by the GSI and houses and field 
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generation map. A few kinds of results for the realistic expression 
paper describes the process of creation of three dimensional landscape view and 
boundary data picked up with a digitizer are used. 
So far, we have studied about data contents and realistic 
expression for three dimensional space by using Computer 
Graphics (CG) technology with personal computer or 
graphic workstation. As results, we can got some kind of 
realistic landscape static scene of Mt. Tsukuba, which is 
small mountain but famous as sightseeing place in Japan, 
rendered by various kind of CG method, for example flat 
shading, phong shading, texture mapping and bump 
mapping, to express for more reality. We also created 
animation of Mt. Tsukuba area for more realistic expression 
of three dimensional space. The study of map representation 
for three dimensional space written in above was presented 
at the 17th International Cartographic Conference in 1995. 
These results have brought many capabilities of new map 
representation. But some problems have been found in this 
study. So, we have been continuing to study to cope with 
these problems and for more realistic expression. 
2.1 Digital cartographic data produced by GSI of Japan 
and data preparation 
Geographical Survey Institute has been producing several 
kinds of digital cartographic data. We used these digital 
cartographic data for this study as a structure of three 
dimensional space. 
Some kind of information, for instance, vegetation boundary, 
houses and buildings data of 1:25,000 topographic map are 
not prepared in present. So we have to collect these data from 
conventional topographic map with a digitizer. 
Large scale cartographic data obtained from Digital Mapping 
data produced by GSI was used. 
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B2. Vienna 1996