Line generalisation by repeated elimination of points

Visvalingam, Maheswari; Whyatt, J. D.

Abstract

This paper presents a new approach to line generalisation which uses the concept of ‘effective area’ for progressive simplification of a line by point elimination. Two coastlines are used to compare the performance of this, with that of the widely used Douglas-Peucker, algorithm. The results from the area-based algorithm compare favourably with manual generalisation of the same lines. It is capable of achieving both imperceptible minimal simplifications and caricatural generalisations. By careful selection of cutoff values, it is possible to use the same algorithm for scale-dependent and scale-independent generalisations. More importantly, it offers scope for modelling cartographic lines as consisting of features within features so that their geometric manipulation may be modified by application- and/or user-defined rules and weights. The paper examines the merits and limitations of the algorithm and the opportunities it offers for further research and progress in the field of line generalisation. © 1993 Maney Publishing.

Citation

Visvalingam, M., & Whyatt, J. D. (1993). Line generalisation by repeated elimination of points. The Cartographic journal, 30(1), 46-51. https://doi.org/10.1179/000870493786962263

• Publication Date: Jan 1, 1993
• Deposit Date: Jul 9, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 9, 2015
• Journal: The cartographic journal
• Print ISSN: 0008-7041
• Electronic ISSN: 1743-2774
• Publisher: Maney Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 30
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 46-51
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1179/000870493786962263
• Keywords: Earth-Surface Processes
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/376330
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/000870493786962263
• Additional Information: Copy of an article published in The cartographic journal, 1993, v.30, iss.1 at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/000870493786962263 This is related to the CISRG discussion paper 10 at: https://hydra.hull.ac.uk/resources/hull:8338