3D Web GIS Campus requirements: A Case Study for the University of Osnabrück

摘要

In this case study, we describe the process of defining the requirements to build 3D Web GIS for a university campus. The paper starts with a review of the uses of 2D GIS for interior space. Several case studies are described and evaluated. Based on these results, we have conducted a user requirement analysis at the University of Osnabrück, with a view to implementing a Web-based 3D GIS campus. The end result of this study is a description of several information products1 (IP)that are required by the building management department to manage campus facilities, such as utility networks, green areas, or classrooms. Defining these IP includes identifying the required 3D GIS capabilities for the database, geovisualization, and the analysis functionalities. This evaluation shows that the 2D GIS capabilities have limitations in a number of situations. These limitations' including modelling 3D building in the database or 3D analysis such as ‘metric', ‘relationships', etc. New 3D GIS functionalities have been developed to facilitate the use of GIS for indoor and outdoor space. The required functionalities for the system are summarised and organised based on intended use, in order to determine the system requirements. Finally, the paper addresses some of the issues and problems involved in developing such a system, and recommends openings for further research.