• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.156-170
• /
• 2006

Determining the best visibility positions on terrain surface has been one of the frequently used analytical issues in GIS visibility analysis and the search for a solution has been carried out effectively using spatial search techniques. However, the spatial search process provides operational and methodological challenges for finding computational algorithms suitable for solving the best visibility site problem. For this problem, current GIS visibility analysis has not been successful due to limited algorithmic structure and operational performance. To meet these challenges, this paper suggests four algorithms explored robust search techniques: an extensive iterative search technique; a conventional solution based on the Tornqvist algorithm; genetic algorithm; and simulated annealing technique. The solution performance of these algorithms is compared on a set of visibility location problems and the experiment results demonstrate the useful feasibility. Finally, this paper presents the potential applicability of the new spatial search techniques for GIS visibility analysis by which the new search algorithms are of particular useful for tackling extensive visibility optimization problems as the next GIS analysis tool.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.84-95
• /
• 2005

This paper presents solution heuristics to solving optimal multiple-viewpoint location problems that are based on topographic features. The visibility problem is to maximise the viewshed area for a set of viewpoints on digital elevation models (DEM). For this analysis, five areas are selected, and fundamental topographic features (peak, pass, and pit) are extracted from the DEMs of the study areas. To solve the visibility problem, at first, solution approaches based on the characteristics of the topographic features are explored, and then, a benchmark test is undertaken that solution performances of the solution methods, such as computing times, and visible area sizes, are compared with the performances of traditional spatial heuristics. The feasibility of the solution methods, then, are discussed with the benchmark test results. From the analysis, this paper can conclude that fundamental topographic features based solution methods suggest a new sight of visibility analysis approach which did not discuss in traditional algorithmic approaches. Finally, further research avenues are suggested such as exploring more sophisticated selection process of topographic features related to visibility analysis, exploiting systematic methods to extract topographic features, and robust spatial analytical techniques and optimization techniques that enable to use the topographic features effectively.