Extended hybrid meshing algorithm for multiresolution terrain models

Abstract

Hybrid terrains are a convenient approach for the representation of digital terrain models, integrating heterogeneous data from different sources. In this article, we present a general, efficient scheme for achieving interactive level-of-detail rendering of hybrid terrain models, without the need for a costly preprocessing or resampling of the original data. The presented method works with hybrid digital terrains combining regular grid data and local high-resolution triangulated irregular networks. Since grid and triangulated irregular network data may belong to different datasets, a straightforward combination of both geometries would lead to meshes with holes and overlapping triangles. Our method generates a single multiresolution model integrating the different parts in a coherent way, by performing an adaptive tessellation of the region between their boundaries. Hence, our solution is one of the few existing approaches for integrating different multiresolution algorithms within the same terrain model, achieving a simple interactive rendering of complex hybrid terrains.

Keywords:

• 3D modeling
• 3D visualization
• geovisualization
• triangulated irregular networks

Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by the Xunta de Galicia under projects 08TIC001206PR and 08SIN011291PR and the Program for Consolidation of Competitive Research Groups ref. 2010/06 and 2010/28, and by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain, cofunded by the FEDER funds of the European Union, under contracts TIN2010-16735 and TIN2010-17541. M. Bóo, M. Amor, and J.D. Bruguera are members of the European Network of Excellence on High Performance and Embedded Architecture and Compilation (HiPEAC).