Automation of Topographic map from CAD to Geo Database in GIS


Abstract in English

GIS software provide manual import tools to maps produced on CAD software to be transformed to geo-database. This operation consumes time and effort. The "transformation" however will not be adequate unless we analyze the relation between CAD and GIS software in preparing maps. The question raised here if this relation competitive or integrative? This research tries to answer this matter by studying it from different angles: modeling, spatial feature, scale, spatial analysis and data management. Analyses reveal that this relation isn't competitive at all, but rather integrative, as CAD software produce technical\design plans, whereas GIS software are dedicated for the production of general and thematic maps. Thus, CAD based spatial data (topographic, cadastral, master plans) could be "up-graded" to be efficient in GIS environment. However available tools to make this are basically manual, and for that, an automated approach was developed to execute this upgrade from CAD to GIS. This new approach was applied and evaluated and the output results were satisfactory accurate, time\effort saving, and indeed didn't miss any of CAD layers. This all could be achieved if being conditioned with the approach constrains.

References used

Pu, S. and Zlatanova, S., 2006. Integration of GIS and CAD at DBMS level. In: Fendel, E. and Rumor, M. (Eds.), Proceedings of UDMS '06 25th Urban Data Management Symposium (pp. 9.61-9.72). Delft: Urban data management society
Longley, P. A., Goodchild, M. F., Maguire, D. J. and Rhind, D. W., 2001. Geographic Information Systems and Science. West Sussex, England, 454 pp
Oosterom, van P., Stoter, J. and Jansen, E., 2006. Bridging the worlds of CAD and GIS. In: Zlatanova and Prosperi (Eds.) Large-scale 3D Data Integration: Challenges and Opportunities, CRCpress, pp. 9-36

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