FACULTY OF ENGINEERING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

UNIVERSITY “POLITEHNICA” OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND ENGINEERING
MASTER DISSERTATION
Bucharest
2015


UNIVERSITY “POLITEHNICA” OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND ENGINEERING




Development of GIS datasets for geoportal
Supervisor:

Student:

Lect.Doc.Eng.Cristian MUSTAȚĂ

Eng. Cristian VOICULEȚ


Bucharest
2015
“POLITEHNICA” UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND ENGINEERING
Approved
Director of department:
Prof. dr. ing. George DRAGOI
MASTER DISSERTATION THEME FOR:
Eng. Cristian VOICULEȚ
Dissertation title:
Development of GIS datasets for geoportal/ Dezvoltarea seturilor de date GIS pentru geoportal
Initial design data:
Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 2007 establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE)
Student contribution:
Development of GIS datasets for geoportal
Compulsory graphical material:
Block scheme, functioning diagram, graphs, design diagrams
The paper is based on the knowledge obtained at the following study courses:
Technology Entrepreneurship
Paper development environment:
“Politehnica” University of Bucharest
Workplace
The paper serves as:
Didactic purposes
Paper preparation date:
June 2015
Supervisor:

Student:

Lect.Doc.Eng. Cristian MUSTAȚĂ

Eng. Cristian VOICULEȚ


Academic Honesty Statement
I, Cristian VOICULEȚ, hereby declare that the work with the title “Development of GIS datasets for geoportal/ Dezvoltarea seturilor de date GIS pentru geoportal”, to be openly defended in front of the master dissertation examination commission at the Faculty of Engineering in Foreign Languages, University „Politehnica” of Bucharest, as partial requirement for obtaining the title of M.Sc. in Business Administration and Engineering is the result of my own work, based on my research.
The dissertation, simulations, experiments and measurements that are presented are made entirely by me under the guidance of the scientific adviser, without the implication of persons that are not cited by name and contribution in the Acknowledgements part.
The dissertation has never been presented to a higher education institution or research board in the country or abroad.
All the information used, including the Internet, is obtained from sources that were cited and indicated in the notes and in the bibliography, according to ethical standards. I understand that plagiarism is an offense and is punishable under law.
The results from the simulations, experiments and measurements are genuine.I understand that the falsification of data and results constitutes fraud and is punished according to regulations.
Cristian VOICULEȚ Date
Table of Contents
1 Introduction 3
2 Presentation of the domain 5
2.1 INSPIRE principles 5
2.2 INSPIRE Need 5
2.3 INSPIRE Goal 6
2.4 Types of data available 7
2.4.1 Annex 1 7
2.4.2 Annex 2 9
2.4.3 Annex 3 10
3 Development of GIS datasets for geoportal 19
3.1 Geographic Information System (GIS) 19
3.2 Obtaining GIS data for geoportal 19
3.2.1 Geographic data examples on geoportal 46
4 Conclusions 50
5 References 51
Table of Figures
FIGURE 3.1: CREATING A NEW FILE GEODATABASE 20
FIGURE 3.2: LOADING A .DXF FILE 21
FIGURE 3.3: DEFINING THE REFERENCE SYSTEM 21
FIGURE 3.4: CREATING A FEATURE CLASS 22
FIGURE 3.5: DEFINIG THE REFERENCE SYSTEM AND NAME OF A FEATURE CLASS 22
FIGURE 3.6: DEFINIG THE ATRIBUTE TABLE OF THE FEATURE CLASS 23
FIGURE 3.7: VECTORIZATION FUNCTION 24
FIGURE 3.8: SELECT THE LAYER FOR VECTORIZATION 24
FIGURE 3.9: VECTORIZATION OF THE ELEMENT 25
FIGURE 3.10: SAVE EDITING OF THE ELEMENT 25
FIGURE 3.11: OBTAINING THE TABLES WITH PROPERTIES AND BUILDINGS CHARACTERISTICS 26
FIGURE 3.12: IMPORTING THE TABLES INTO THE DATABASE 26
FIGURE 3.13: THE UNION OF THE IMPORTED TABLES 27
FIGURE 3.14: SYMBOLIZING CONSIDERING THE AREA OF THE CONSTRUCTIONS 28
FIGURE 3.15: SYMBOLIZING CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF LEVELS 30
FIGURE 3.16: SYMBOLIZING CONSIDERING THE STRUCTURAL STRENGTH 31
FIGURE 3.17: LABELING FEATURE CLASSES 31
FIGURE 3.18: DISPLAYING THE LABELED FEATURE CLASSES 32
FIGURE 3.19: CONVERTING LABELS TO ANNOTATIONS 33
FIGURE 3.20: ADDING A NEW FIELD TO THE TABLE 34
FIGURE 3.21: THE MAP WITH THREE TAX AREAS 34
FIGURE 3.22: CREATION OF TOURISTIC POINTS 35
FIGURE 3.23: CREATION OF A NEW FIELD OF HYPERLINK TYPE 36
FIGURE 3.24: THE ASSOCIATION OF THE PICTURE WITH THE TOURIST OBJECTIVE 37
FIGURE 3.25: ASSOCIATION OF A PICTURE WITH SINAIA CASINO 38
FIGURE 3.26: ASSOCIATION OF A PICTURE WITH SINAIA MONASTERY 38
FIGURE 3.27: VECTORIZATION OF A TOURISTIC ROUTE 39
FIGURE 3.28: 3D REPRESENTATION OF THE BUILDINGS 40
FIGURE 3.29: LAUNCHING MODEL BUILDER 41
FIGURE 3.30: SELECTING THE TOOLS 41
FIGURE 3.31: BUFFER PROCESS 42
FIGURE 3.32: INTERSECT PROCESS 42
FIGURE 3.33: SYMMETRICAL DIFFERENCE PROCESS 43
FIGURE 3.34: RUNNING THE MODEL BUILDER 43
FIGURE 3.35: MAP AFTER COMPLETING BUFFER 44
FIGURE 3.36: MAP AFTER COMPLETING INTERSECT 44
FIGURE 3.37: THE MAP OF THE ANALYSIS 45
FIGURE 3.38: SPECIFIC TOOLS IN GEOPORTAL 46
FIGURE 3.39: GIS DATASETS, ORTHOIMAGERY AND SCANNED TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS AT DIFFERENT SCALES 46
FIGURE 3.40: GIS DATASET OF A FLOODING ANALYSIS WITH ORTHOIMAGERY AS BACKGROUND 47
FIGURE 3.41: ORTHOIMAGERY OF „POLITEHNICA” UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST 47
FIGURE 3.42: THE ORTHOIMAGERY COVERAGE OF ROMANIAN TERITORY 48
FIGURE 3.43:GIS DATASET OF A FLOODING ANALYSIS WITH SCANNED TOPOGRAPHIC MAP AS BACKGROUND 48
FIGURE 3.44: DIFFERENT BACKGROUND MAPS FOR GIS DATASETS 49
1 Introduction
In the official Journal from the 25th April 2007 was published the Dirrective 2007/2/EC witch sets up the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE).[1]
The Dirrective requires to be addopted a set of common Implementing Rules in some specific areas, such as Metadata, Data Specifications, Network Services, Data and Service Sharing and Monitoring and Reporting, in order to ensure that all the spatial data infrastructure from the European Union countries are compatible.[1]
The goal of the INSPIRE directive is to obtain a European Union spatial data infrastructure, who will enable the sharing of geographical spatial information among the public sector and will facilitate public access to it across Europe.[1]
A European Spatial Data Infrastructure will assist in policy-making across the countries. Therefore the spatial information from the directive is significant and includes a great variety of technical themes.[1]
The INSPIRE dirrective prefigure a geospatial infrastructure that will provide an extensive range of geospatial information. The users will be able to identify and acces the geographical data delivered by data producers throughout Europe.[1]
Geographic information providers, including government agencies and commercial sources, use geoportals to publish descriptions (geospatial metadata) of their geographic information. Geographic information consumers, professional or casual, use geoportals to search and access the information they need. Thus geoportals serve an increasingly important role in the sharing of geographic information and can avoid duplicated efforts, inconsistencies, delays, confusion, and wasted resources.[5]
A geoportal is a type of web portal used to find and access geographic information (geospatial information) and associated geographic services (display, editing, analysis, etc.) via the Internet. Geoportals are important for effective use of geographic information systems (GIS) and a key element of Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI).
In the first part of the study are presented some general information about INSPIRE Directive such as: INSPIRE principles, need, goal and types of data available structured into three annexes.
The study will continue with the development of GIS datasets that can be used to be uploaded on the geoportal. They are obtained following a few general steps: creating a new file geodatabase, defining the reference system and create a feature class, defining the attribute table for the feature class, the extraction of the feature from the available sources such as: topographic maps, orthoimagery, and saving the editing of the extracted feature classes.
Further I have symbolized the obtained data in different ways in order to obtain other specific maps: maps with buildings symbolized considering the constructed area, number of levels and the structural strength, 3D representation of the buildings.
At the end of the study I have obtained a specific map by analyzing a situation where a customer wants to find a building in an area which has nearby different facilities like bus stations, pharmacies and kindergartens. This customized map was obtained by using o model builder composed of three precesses: buffer, intersect and symmetrical difference.
2 Presentation of the domain
In the official Journal from the 25th April 2007 was published the Dirrective 2007/2/EC witch sets up the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE).[1]
The Dirrective requires to be addopted a set of common Implementing Rules in some specific areas, such as Metadata, Data Specifications, Network Services, Data and Service Sharing and Monitoring and Reporting, in order to ensure that all the spatial data infrastructure from the European Union countries are compatible.[1]
The goal of the INSPIRE directive is to obtain a European Union spatial data infrastructure, who will enable the sharing of geographical spatial information among the public sector and will facilitate public access to it across Europe.[1]
A European Spatial Data Infrastructure will assist in policy-making across the countries. Therefore the spatial information from the directive is significant and includes a great variety of technical themes.[1]
The INSPIRE dirrective prefigure a geospatial infrastructure that will provide an extensive range of geospatial information. The users will be able to identify and acces the geographical data delivered by data producers throughout Europe.[1]
2.1 INSPIRE principles
„Data should be collected only once and kept where it can be maintained most effectively”.[1]
„It should be possible to combine seamless spatial information from different sources across Europe and share it with many users and applications”.[1]
„It should be possible for information collected at one level/scale to be shared with all levels/scales; detailed for thorough investigations, general for strategic purposes”.[1]
„Geographic information needed for good governance at all levels should be readily and transparently available”.[1]
„Easy to find what geographic information is available, how it can be used to meet a particular need, and under which conditions it can be acquired and used”.[1]
2.2 INSPIRE Need
Any data or information that identifies the geographic location of features and boundaries on Earth, any information that provides a „spatial element” to other data – is known as spatial or geographic information. Spatial data is often accessed, processed or analyzed through Geographic Information Systems that store their coordinates, representing data that can be mapped and used together with other related information in a very useful and logical way.[2]
It is tremendously important to have all this spatial data centralised, in a way that enable to satisfy the needs that the wider Europe has to relate data from a number of different sources. Having the data stored, managed and referenced in this way, enables the full potential value of this data and it’s contribution in decision making for a better european governance, in different areas like cadastral, environment protection, economic and social development, public safety, and even in properly informed public participation.[2]
In the above context, all government organisations face continual chalenges with discovering spatial data, and then enabling efficient and appropiate acces to that spatial data. They will need to organise systems and processes around the collection and shareing of metadata and spatial data.[2]
The EU is well-aware of the need for pan-European cooperation and collaboration on this spatial issues, so the result of all these needs is a pragmatic directive that provides a framework within which the diversity can be adjusted and can develope.[2]
Therefore is required a better cooperation between the organisations from the public sector so that the data from different countries and sectors can be combined and shared in a much more simple manner. Briefly there is a need for a European Spatial Data Infrastructure to sustain a better decision making on the environment. Because the European Spatial Data Infrastructurehas different meanings, we can conclude that Europe will have one of the most significant geographic information data and services enabling us to have a wide perspective of the environmental issues or to be more specific by looking to an individual adress in the cadastre to find out how each citizen of Europe is affected. That can be seen as ‘global’ to ‘local’ or ‘local’ to ‘global’.[2]
2.3 INSPIRE Goal
The member states of the EU must have infrastructures for spatial information on witch INSPIRE should be based. The components of the infrastructures are: spatial data themes, spatial data services; metadata; network services and technologies; coordination and monitoring mechanisms, processes and procedures; agreements on data and service sharing, access and use.[3]
The INSPIRE Directive aims to create a European-wide Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) which will facilitate the sharing of spatial data amongst public organisations within Members States and across national boundaries in Europe, with EU Institutions – and with EU citizens. Implementation of the Directive currently focuses on the discovery of available data through metadata creation and discovery services (CSW), data viewing services (WMS) and data download services (WFS). Common data specifications for 34 data themes, and transformation services to achieve interoperability across multiple datasets, are the next phase of INSPIRE implementation.[3]
The ultimate goal of the INSPIRE Directive is to ensure interoperability of spatial data across Europe – for all those who need access, in the public and private sectors.[3]
The high level goal of INSPIRE is enabling memberstates of European Union to make better decisions, more efficient planning and more productive resource deployments, by a shared and collaborative approach to intelligence and key decision making. This goal will lead to improved operational excellence and lower overall costs.[3]
2.4 Types of data available
There are 34 different types of data which have been categorised into three groups, know as Annex 1, Annex 2 and Annex 3 data themes. This has been done in order to apply different levels of priority to each. Annex 1 data has to be prepared and supplied first, with the other Annexes at later dates. Because of the range of data types involved, the impact of INSPIRE is very comprehensive.[3]
2.4.1 Annex 1
Addresses: “Location of properties based on address identifiers, usually by road name, house number, postal code.”[4]
The most commonly object types that have addresses are buildings and land parcels, as well as agricultural buildings and water pumping stations. Other property types that might have address are sports ground, foothold or mooring places. The object that have address are referred to as addressable objects.
Within Europe all national address systems have similar and general properties, but there may be some differences in formal and informal standards, rules and data models.[4]
Administrative units: “Units of administration, dividing areas where Member States have and/or exercise jurisdictional rights, for local, regional and national governance, separated by administrative boundaries”.[4]
Each country in the European Union is characterized by administrative boundaries and administrative units, which are areas where they have and exercise jurisdictional rights. These particular areas are assigned to the INSPIRE themes ‘Cadastral parcels’, ‘Hydrography’ (Annex I) and/or ‘Sea regions’ (Annex III). [4]
Cadastral parcels: “Areas defined by cadastral registers or equivalent”.[4]
The INSPIRE Directive focuses on the geographical part of cadastral data. In the INSPIRE context, cadastral parcels will be mainly used as locators for geo-information in general, including environmental data.[4]
As much as possible, in the INSPIRE context, cadastral parcels should be forming a partition of national territory. Cadastral parcel should be considered as a single area of Earth surface, under homogeneous real property rights and unique ownership (adapted from UN ECE 2004 and WG-CPI, 2006).[4]
Cadastral parcels are considered in the INSPIRE scope if they are available as vector data.[4]
Rights and owners are out of the INSPIRE scope.[4]
Buildings, land use, addresses are considered in other INSPIRE themes.[4]
Coordinate reference: “Systems for uniquely referencing spatial information in space as a set of coordinates (x, y, z) and/or latitude and longitude and height, based on a geodetic horizontal and vertical datum”.[4]
Coordinate reference establishes a structure for spatial referencing of features by coordinates.[4]
Geographical grid: “Harmonized multi-resolution grid with a common point of origin and standardized location and size of grid cells.”[4]
Geographical names: “Names of areas, regions, localities, cities, suburbs, towns or settlements, or any geographical or topographical feature of public or historical interest.”[4]
An endonym is a name for a geographical feature in an official or well-established language occurring in that area where the feature is situated. An exonym is a name used in a specific language for a geographical feature situated outside the area where that language is widely spoken, and differing in form from the respective endonym(s) in the area where the geographical feature is situated.[4]
A geographical name serves as a means to identify a location. Gazetteers and gazetteer services associate the names with corresponding features – or locations – by means of co-ordinates, feature types and/or other necessary information. A multi-lingual gazetteer (service) shall most probably be established as a part of INSPIRE. [4]
Hydrography: “Hydrographic elements, including marine areas and all other water bodies and items related to them, including river basins and sub-basins. Where appropriate, according to the definitions set out in Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy (2) and in the form of networks”. [4]
For mapping it includes the representation of all main hydrographic elements – both natural and artificial. To fulfill reporting requirements of EC water-related directives it includes the river and channel network; surface water bodies within river basin districts are categorised as rivers, lakes, transitional waters or coastal waters, or as artificial surface water bodies or heavily modified surface water bodies. [4]
Protected sites: “Area designated or managed within a framework of international, Community and Member States’ legislation to achieve specific conservation objectives”.[4]
According to IUCN and adopted for the INSPIRE context a protected site is: “An area of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means”.
Protected sites may be located in terrestrial, aquatic and/or marine environments, and may be under either public or private ownership. They may include localities with protection targets defined by different sectors and based on different objectives, especially dedicated to the conservation of nature, the protection and maintenance of biological diversity and of natural and where appropriate associated cultural resources. The sites may receive protection due to more than one type of objectives, and may have a double or multifarious designation status.
Transport networks: “Road, rail, air and water transport networks and related infrastructure. Includes links between different networks. Also includes the trans-European transport network as defined in Decision No 1692/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community Guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (1) and future revisions of that Decision”.[4]
The transport component should comprise an integrated transport network, and related features, that are seamless within each national border. Transportation data includes topographic features related to transport by road, rail, water, and air. It is important that the features form networks where appropriate, and that links between different networks are established, i.e multi-modal nodes, especially at the local level, in order to satisfy the requirements for intelligent transport systems such as location based services (LBS) and telematics.[4]
2.4.2 Annex 2
Elevation: “Digital elevation models for land, ice and ocean surface. Includes terrestrial elevation, bathymetry and shoreline”.[4]
The Elevation data theme includes digital elevation models for land, ice and ocean surfaces both for terrestrial elevation and bathymetry, as well as shorelines.[4]
The main purpose of a Digital Elevation Model is to provide an elevation property with reference to a specified origin (vertical reference or datum). This property may be height (when the value is measured opposite to the gravity field of the Earth) or depth (when the value is measured in the direction of the gravity field). In line with existing technologies three spatial representation methods have been provided: grid, vector and triangulated irregular network (TIN). Regarding provision of data, the grid spatial representation type is mandatory for the description of land elevation, whereas the other ones are optional. Finally, either the grid or the vector spatial representation type is mandatory for the provision of data describing the bathymetry, whereas the other ones are optional. [4]
Geology: “Geology characterized according to composition and structure. Includes bedrock, aquifers and geomorphology”. [4]
In the INSPIRE context the Geology data theme can be seen as a „reference data theme” as it provides information for several other INSPIRE data themes e.g. Mineral resources; Area Management, Restriction and Regulation Zones; Natural Risk Zones; Soil; Energy resources. In Geology there is a specific relationship with one of the most important natural resources, water, through groundwater bodies contained in aquifers. The theme also covers geomorphology.[4]
The INSPIRE Geology Theme is split into the following sub-themes:
• Geology: provides basic knowledge about the physical properties and composition of geologic materials (rocks and sediments), their structure and their age as depicted in geological maps, as well as landforms (geomorphological features). The model also covers boreholes – another important source of information for interpreting the subsurface geology. [4]
• Hydrogeology: describes the flow, occurrence, and behaviour of water in the subsurface environment. The two basic elements are the rock system (including aquifers) and the groundwater system (including groundwater bodies). Man-made or natural hydrogeological objects/features (such as groundwater wells and natural springs) are also included. [4]
• Geophysics: focuses on the availability and location of key geophysical features. It includes metadata on high rank gravity, magnetic and seismological stations that are part of international and national observation networks as well as metadata on 2D and 3D seismic measurements that are most often requested by third party users. It also provides collective metadata on gravity, magnetic and airborne geophysical campaigns that cover large areas and provide basic geological information for scientific research and more detailed applied studies e.g. exploring earth resources (hydrocarbons, mineral deposits, ground water, geothermal energy…). [4]
Land cover: “Physical and biological cover of the earth’s surface including artificial surfaces, agricultural areas, forests, (semi-)natural areas, wetlands, water bodies”. [4]
The land cover data set consists of a collection of land cover units. These units may be points, polygons or raster cells (resulting in two core models, one for vector data and one for raster data).[4]
Orthoimaginary: “Geo-referenced image data of the Earth’s surface, from either satellite or airborne sensors”. [4]
The Orthoimagery data theme includes orthorectified image data of the earth’s surface, from either satellite or airborne sensors. An orthoimage is a raster image that has been geometrically corrected (orthorectified) to remove distortion caused by differences in elevation, sensor tilt and, optionally, by sensor optics. Data is orthorectified to achieve an accuracy commensurate with a given topographic map equivalent.[4]
2.4.3 Annex 3
Agricultural and aquaculture facilities: “Farming equipment and production facilities (including irrigation systems, greenhouses and stables)”. [4]
Agriculture refers to the set of process and activities consisting in cultivating soils, producing crops and rearing animals; it includes harvesting, milking, breeding animals, keeping animals for farming purposes, and, according to Council Regulation 73/2009, maintaining the land in good agricultural and environmental condition. Agricultural facilities include facilities ranging from entire holdings to installations such as irrigation systems, drainage systems, greenhouses, stables, barns, silos and tanks. [4]
Aquaculture covers activities and techniques related to the production, breeding and treatment of fish, molluscs, seaweed and other kinds of aquatic resources (vegetables or animal). Aquaculture facilities only include permanent or semi-permanent systems or constructions for breeding, treatment and raising of organisms. Aquaculture facilities may exist both in marine waters, inland water environments and as terrestrial production systems. [4]
Catching, hunting or collection of natural resources (vegetables or animal) on their natural environment is not considered as an agricultural. Similarly, forestry is not considered as an agricultural activity, with the exception of tree nurseries. [4]
Area management/ restriction/ regulation zones and reporting units: “Areas managed, regulated or used for reporting at international, European, national, regional and local levels. Includes dumping sites, restricted areas around drinking water sources, nitrate-vulnerable zones, regulated fairways at sea or large inland waters, areas for the dumping of waste, noise restriction zones, prospecting and mining permit areas, river basin districts, relevant reporting units and coastal zone management areas”. [4]
The zones are typically established to deliver specific objectives related to any environmental media, for example, air, water, soil and biota (plants and animals). This includes, but is not limited to, objectives established to protect and improve environmental quality (includes reducing pollution levels), protect and conserve environmental and natural resources, protect and control risk from natural and man-made hazards, protect plant, animal and human health or control development. [4]
The theme also addresses reporting units, which are defined as „spatial objects that provide the spatial reference for any non-spatial data exchanged under environmental reporting obligations.” The reported non-spatial data must include a property that contains a reference to the spatial object. This is typically an identifier, code or name and is a join key between the spatial and non-spatial objects enabling the data to be combined. This allows the non-spatial data to be visualised as a map or enable spatial analysis. [4]
Atmospheric conditions: “Physical conditions in the atmosphere. Includes spatial data based on measurements, on models or on a combination thereof and includes measurement locations”. [4]
The INSPIRE themes „Atmospheric Conditions” and „Meteorological Features” are covered together in one Data specification. These themes provide basic concepts and data models for environmental protection related activities requiring information on atmospheric conditions like weather, climate and air quality. [4]
Bio-geographical regions: “Areas of relatively homogeneous ecological conditions with common characteristics”.[4]
Bio-geographical Regions describe areas of relatively homogeneous ecological conditions with common characteristics. The INSPIRE theme Bio-geographical Regions has a strong linkage to other „biodiversity themes”. [4]
Buildings: “Geographical location of buildings.
A building is a covered facility, usable for the protection of humans, animals, things or the production of economic goods. A building refers to any structure permanently constructed or erected on its site. Information on location of buildings may be supplied as points or with the actual basic form of the building. Usually buildings are part of cadastre. On the local level buildings are available within the large scale cadastral maps or cadastral data sets and are geometrically represented as surfaces”.[4]
Most buildings can be identified by address. [4]
Energy resources: “Energy resources including hydrocarbons, hydropower, bio-energy, solar, wind, etc., where relevant including depth/height information on the extent of the resource”. [4]
It takes into account resources that are depleted due to exploitation in the past and resources currently not viable but may become so in the future. Information about location and the potential of energy resources have a significant impact on the environment. This impact can have both positive and negative implications, therefore appropriate knowledge about the extent, distribution and volumes of the resources is of great value. [4]
There is a main distinction between fossil fuels and renewable energy resources. The concept of energy resources provides focus to the resource aspect and the extent/distribution of the resources. Energy use, e.g. petrol consumption, is not covered by this theme. Fossil fuel resources include oil accumulation, natural gas accumulations, coal, lignite or peat deposits and Uranium ore deposits. [4]
Renewable energy resources include Hydropower in which water resources mapped according to energy potential. [4]
Bio-energy resources contains forest resources, cereals or agricultural residues which can be used for energy purposes, Wind energy – estimated by wind measurement together with topographical information. Geothermal energy the natural heat flow is of high interest as a renewable and clean energy source. [4]
Environmental monitoring facilities: “Location and operation of environmental monitoring facilities includes observation and measurement of emissions, of the state of environmental media and of other ecosystem parameters (biodiversity, ecological conditions of vegetation, etc.) by or on behalf of public authorities”. [4]
The theme scope includes two main aspects; the first is the environmental monitoring facility as a spatial object, the second is the data obtained through observations and measurements taken at this facility, encoded using the ISO 19156 standard. This information is complemented by further administrative information pertaining to the facility and activities undertaken there such as networks the facility is part of or programmes the facility provides data to. The Environmental Monitoring Facilities theme is cross-cutting to environmental domains; thus, the generic model allows the necessary freedom to bring in thematic specific needs while keeping a shared data structure. [4]
Habitats and biotopes: “Geographical areas characterised by specific ecological conditions, processes, structure, and (life support) functions that physically support the organisms that live there. Includes terrestrial and aquatic areas distinguished by geographical, abiotic and biotic features, whether entirely natural or semi-natural”. [4]
Habitats and Biotopes is a biodiversity theme that deals with habitats and biotopes as areas and their distinct boundaries. Spatial data model provides characterisation of geographical areas being functional for living organisms: biotopes being the spatial environment of a biotic community; habitats being the spatial environment of specific species. To achieve harmonization on local, national and international level, habitat types should refer to the the European Nature Information System habitat classification in the first place, but could also use Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC and Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC as a reference.[4]
Human health and safety: “Geographical distribution of dominance of pathologies (allergies, cancers, respiratory diseases, etc.), information indicating the effect on health (biomarkers, decline of fertility, epidemics) or well-being of humans (fatigue, stress, etc.) linked directly (air pollution, chemicals, depletion of the ozone layer, noise, etc.) or indirectly (food, genetically modified organisms, etc.) to the quality of the environment”. [4]
The INSPIRE Human Health and Safety (HH) theme describes the geographical distribution of dominance of pathologies, the effect on health or well-being of humans linked to the quality of the environment. [4]
Thematic components are human health data, biomarkers, health care/health services data, health determinant measurement data and events related to safety.
Direct or indirect links between pathologies and the quality of the environment, the HH data model is able to accommodate all health data, while linkage of specific health issues and the environment is a matter of a user decision. [4]
Land use: “Territory characterised according to its current and future planned functional dimension or socio-economic purpose (e.g. residential, industrial, commercial, agricultural, forestry, recreational)”. [4]
Land Use theme is defined as the use and functions of a territory and it is description of land in terms of its socio-economic and ecological purpose. Land use theme is itself split in two different types:
– The Existing Land Use which objectively depicts the use and functions of a territory as it has been and effectively still is in real life
– The Planned Land Use which corresponds to spatial plans, defined by spatial planning authorities, depicting the possible utilization of the land in the future. [4]
Two types of classification systems are supported by Land Use theme, the (obligatory) Hierarchical INSPIRE Land Use Classification System which is a multi-level, classification system that will apply to the existing and planned land use; the (optional) specific classification system in use in a member state. [4]
Meteorological geographical features: “Weather conditions and their measurements; precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration, wind speed and direction”. [4]
Four broad types of data are involved at different phases of the cycle:
1. Observations: around 11000 surface stations globally make up the Global Observing System, reporting such atmospheric parameters as weather, cloud, temperature, humidity, wind, visibility, pressure. A subset of these stations make ‘climate observations’ which include daily temperature minimum and maximum, sunshine hours, rainfall amount etc. In addition, around 1000 ‘upper-air’ stations make radiosonde (free-rising balloon) observations of pressure, wind, temperature and humidity. Voluntary observing ship and drifting buoys make marine observations including sea surface temperature, and wave height and period. Several hundred thousand reports per day of pressure, winds and temperature are made from aircraft observations. [4]
2. Synoptic analysis: Gridded wind, temperature, humidity, geopotential height, precipitation, etc. Also, ‘sensible weather’ elements (fronts, cloud, thunderstorm activity etc) will be analysed. [4]
3. Forecasts: Numerous forecast products are produced operationally. A conventional weather forecast contains similar elements to the synoptic analysis[4]
4. Climatological data: Long-term time-series’ of data (either observations or analyses) may be analysed statistically to create climatologies (e.g. 20th century decadal averages, seasonal/monthly minimum or maximum, etc.). There is considerable overlap and ambiguity between the themes ‘Atmospheric conditions’ and ‘Meteorological geographical features’ – e.g. weather conditions (‘Meteorological geographical features’) including precipitation, temperature, wind etc. are precisely components of the atmospheric state (‘Atmospheric conditions’).
Numerous suggestions have been made by stakeholders to resolve this ambiguity. They include:
• merging the themes (it is impossible to amend the Directive, but it would be sensible to consider the themes jointly during data specification development) [4]
• distinguishing ‘field-based data’ (Atmospheric conditions) from ‘point-based data’ (Meteorological geographical features) [4]
• distinguishing ‘time-series & near-real-time data’ (Atmospheric conditions) from ‘gridded climate data’ (Meteorological geographical features) [4]
• distinguishing ‘climate data’ (Atmospheric conditions) from ‘observations and forecasts’ (Meteorological geographical features). [4]
To resolve the ambiguity between themes, we consider the multi-level approach to data needs assessment applied in the INSPIRE ‘Environmental Thematic User Needs Position Paper’ (2002). Data at local or regional level are often needed for management and policy implementation, while lower resolution (‘smaller scale’) data are often required for reporting and policy development/evaluation. The latter includes summaries and integrated data products. [4]
The scope of ‘Meteorological geographical features’ thematic data should be limited to local-level high-resolution (weather-related) data, typically observations. [4]
• This includes synoptic observations from stations making up the WMO RA VI (European) Regional Basic Synoptic Network. The WMO operates a dedicated network (the Global Telecommunications System) to distribute observations and data products. Data exchange is governed by WMO Resolution 40, which provides for free and unrestricted exchange of observational data ‘essential’ for forecast activities. ‘Additional’ nominated data and products may be provided with charge, while all data must be supplied free of charge (excluding costs of reproduction and delivery) for research and education. The ECOMET Catalogue (http://www.meteo.oma.be/ECOMET/Categories of data and products.htm) provides a ‘one-stop shop’ index of both ‘essential’ and chargeable data and product offerings from European NMSs. [4]
Mineral resources: “Mineral resources including metal ores, industrial minerals, etc., where relevant including depth/height information on the extent of the resource”. [4]
The Mineral resources data theme refers to the description of natural concentrations of very diverse mineral resources of potential or proven economic interest. The important attributes such as the nature, genesis, location, extent, mining and distribution of resources reflect the two main identified categories of potential use. These are: [4]
• Management of resources and their exploitation and exploration activities: provision of information on inventoried mineral resources as well as on the quantitative assessment of undiscovered mineral resources and the modelling of mineral deposits. [4]
• Environmental impact assessments: mapping and measuring environmental geological parameters for assessing geological material to be used for construction and rehabilitation at the mine site. [4]
The Mineral resources data model is organised around two major categories of information: description and location of mines and mining activities; the description and location of „earth resources” including their classification, estimates of amount, as well as a description of the main market commodities. The energy resources such as coal, oil and gas are excluded in this theme, as they are found in theme energy resources. [4]
Natural risk zones: “Vulnerable areas characterised according to natural hazards (all atmospheric, hydrologic, seismic, volcanic and wildfire phenomena that, because of their location, severity, and frequency, have the potential to seriously affect society), e.g. floods, landslides and subsidence, avalanches, forest fires, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions”. [4]
Natural risk zones are zones where natural hazards areas intersect with highly populated areas and/or areas of particular environmental/ cultural/ economic value. [4]
To define or pre-estimate a Risk following parameter are necessary: potential hazard, probability of its occurrence and vulnerability of the exposed populations and of the environmental, cultural and economic assets in a specific zone. [4]
Natural hazards can be classified by origin namely: geological, hydro-meteorological or biological. Hazardous events can vary in magnitude or intensity, frequency, duration, area of extent, speed of onset, spatial dispersion and temporal spacing. Specific examples for different types of hazard were identified: Floods (calculation of flood impact, reporting and flood hazard/risk mapping), Risk Management Scenario (an example from a national perspective), Landslides (hazard mapping, vulnerability assessment and risk assessment), Forest fires (danger, vulnerability and risk mapping) and Earthquake insurance.
Following four key spatial object types that are modelled, Hazard area, Observed event, Risk zone and Exposed element. [4]
Oceanographic geographical features: “Physical conditions of oceans (currents, salinity, wave heights, etc.)”. [4]
An Ocean Geographical Feature (OF) represents the (physical or chemical) properties of a Sea Region. This type of information is essentially a coverage describing the ocean and could be presented as a set of point data, gridded data, but also as vertical profiles through ocean depths and trajectories along the ocean surface. The Ocean Geographical Features theme employs the ISO 19156 Observations and Measurements standard for consistent encoding of measured, modelled or simulated data. [4]
Population distribution and demography: “Geographical distribution of people, including population characteristics and activity levels, aggregated by grid, region, administrative unit or other analytical unit”. [4]
Population Distribution deals with datasets of statistical information describing how some phenomenon regarding human population is spread within some part of the 2D space. The theme has no direct spatial features, only contains attributes allowing to describe population phenomenon related to statistical units. Population data is linked to spatial object (statistical units) through their common identifier, e.g. NUTS codes. [4]
Production and industrial facilities: “Industrial production sites, including installations covered by Council Directive 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control (1) and water abstraction facilities, mining, storage sites”. [4]
The theme Production and Industrial Facilities comprises information about industrial facilities and activities of production (focusing on extraction, transformation or storage of resources, including energy production) and the main related environmental issues. [4]
The description of production and industrial facilities, e.g. types or activities, in INSPIRE is based on the Integrated pollution prevention and control Directive (2008/1/EC), as recently amended by Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU), the European pollution and transfer register regulation (166/2006/EC), the SEVESO Directive, its amendments (96/82/EC-A), the NACE regulation (1893/2006/EC) and other relevant legislation and industrial standards.[4]
Sea regions: “Physical conditions of seas and saline water bodies divided into regions and sub-regions with common characteristics”. [4]
A Sea Region (SR) is a 2D geometry of an area or line with common (physical or chemical) characteristics that is covered by an ocean, sea or similar salt water body. The model allows the concept of named seas, as well subdivisions and aggregation of seas according to physical or chemical properties. The Sea Regions theme provides mechanisms to describe both the sea bed and sea surface as well as inter-tidal areas and the shoreline. [4]
Soil: “Soils and subsoil characterised according to depth, texture, structure and content of particles and organic material, stoniness, erosion, where appropriate mean slope and anticipated water storage capacity”. [4]
Soil represents the upper part of the earth’s crust, formed by mineral particles, organic matter, water, air and living organisms. It is the interface between rock, air and water which hosts most of the biosphere. [4]`
INSPIRE Soil data theme comprises information on:
• Soil inventories that provide one-off assessments of soil conditions and/or soil properties at certain locations and at a specific point in time, and allow soil monitoring, providing a series of assessments showing how soil conditions and/or properties change over time. [4]
• Soil mapping that provides a spatial representation of the properties linked to the soils, including soil types; typically, soil maps are derived with the help of data available in soil inventories. Also other soil related information derived from soil properties, possibly in combination with non-soil data are within the scope. [4]
Species distribution: “Geographical distribution of occurrence of animal and plant species aggregated by grid, region, administrative unit or other analytical unit”. [4]
Species Distribution is a biodiversity theme focused on geographical distribution of occurrence of biological organisms aggregated by grid, region, or any administrative or analytical unit. Distributions may be represented in a wide range of formats, such as points, grid cells at different scales or polygons of specifically defined areas. To achieve harmonization EU-Nomen is the preferred reference list for species (taxon) names to be used, the second choice is European Nature Information System and finally Natura2000. [4]
Statistical units: “Units for dissemination or use of statistical information”. [4]
Statistical unit informs on the location of statistical data and information. The principle of this theme is to provide stable and identified representations of the statistical units – and statistical data refers to these objects through their identifier. Recommendations are provided on how to give stable identifiers to statistical unit and use these identifiers to attach statistical information on them. This is particularly important if the responsibility for geometry and statistical data are shared between different institutions e.g. mapping agency and statistical offices. Other INSPIRE data specifications such as Population Distribution use this referencing mechanism. [4]
Utility and governmental services: “Includes utility facilities such as sewage, waste management, energy supply and water supply, administrative and social governmental services such as public administrations, civil protection sites, schools and hospitals”. [4]
The theme Utility and Government Services provides basic information (e.g. the location, basic technical characteristics or involved parties) on a wide range of administrative and social services of public interest. [4]
The theme is split in the following subthemes: [4]
• Utility Networks: Node-link-node structured networks for collection, transmission and distribution, including electricity, oil/gas and chemicals, sewer, thermal, water or (not mandatory) telecommunications networks; [4]
• Administrative and social governmental services: Local and governmental services and social infrastructures, selected with respect to the INSPIRE scope (focused on public & environmental aspects), represented as points of interest”; [4]
• Environmental management facilities: Generic facility descriptions for waste management sites, water treatment plants and regulated or illegal areas for dumping. [4]
3 Development of GIS datasets for geoportal
3.1 Geographic Information System (GIS)
GIS is an abbreviation for the Geographical Information System and it is a computer-based technology used for mapping and analysis entities from the surface of the Earth. A GIS is a system used for the modeling of information, processes and structures that reflect the real world, including past events in order to understand, analyze and manage resources and facilitie.
A GIS system can be described as a system for database management, which typically presents to the user the data in an interactive graphics that can be interrogated and analyzed. However, GIS is not a pure hardware system, it is an ensemble consisting of computer equipment, software, people, methods and rules that allows data processing and exploitation of geo-topographic maps.
One of the most used software for GIS applications is ESRI ArcGIS developed by ESRI on 3 modules, namely ArcView, ArcEditor and ArcInfo. ArcInfo 10.1 was used for developing this project.
A geoportal is a type of web portal used to find and access geographic information (geospatial information) and associated geographic services (display, editing, analysis, etc.) via the Internet. Geoportals are important for effective use of geographic information systems (GIS) and a key element of Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI).
Geographic information providers, including government agencies and commercial sources, use geoportals to publish descriptions (geospatial metadata) of their geographic information. Geographic information consumers, professional or casual, use geoportals to search and access the information they need. Thus geoportals serve an increasingly important role in the sharing of geographic information and can avoid duplicated efforts, inconsistencies, delays, confusion, and wasted resources.[5]
3.2 Obtaining GIS data for geoportal
The geographical data web portal will have the following main components:
Hardware component: server, rack, Ethernet switch, KVM switch, UPS, automated power generator, HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) system.
Software component: GIS (geographic information system) Server, Portal Server.
Geographical data: raster maps, vectorial maps, aerial images.
The major functionalities of the Geoportal will allow end users to:[6]
Register as a portal user. [6]
View live data or maps maintained on a web-accessible server. [6]
Publish and expose their own geospatial information enableing it to be discovered by other users. [6]
Search and discover metadata records directly from a variety of external applications[6]
Subscribe and receive automatic notification of new geospatial data resources that meets user-specified criteria. [6]
Obtain geospatial resources provided by other data producers. [6]
One of the most used software for GIS applications is ESRI ArcGIS developed by ESRI on 3 modules, namely ArcView, ArcEditor and ArcInfo. ArcInfo 10.1 was used for developing this project.
The area chosen for this project include Peles Castle, Sinaia Monastery and Sinaia Casino.
The first step in obtaining a GIS database in ArcGIS, is to create a Geodatabase. The Geodatabase created in this case is the type File Geodatabase.


Figure 3.1: Creating a new File Geodatabase
Loading the file SINIMOB.dxf:


Figure 3.2: Loading a .dxf file
The next step is to define the reference system Gauss-Kruger WGS84 projection Stereo70. To achieve this step was created a text file which defines the characteristic data of the system, then the file is copied to the file containing the reference systems of ArcGIS software.




Figure 3.3: Defining the reference system
After defining the reference system I’ve created the feature classes.


Figure 3.4: Creating a feature class
I’ve defined the feature class name and the reference system



Figure 3.5: Definig the reference system and name of a feature class
Define the fields of the attribute tables:


Figure 3.6: Definig the atribute table of the feature class
In a similar manner there was created the feature classes for all of graphical elements that are to be represented, namely: Cladiri, Curte, Drum, Farmacie, Gradinita, Limita, Limita_cad, Padure, Parc, PIT, Rau, ruta_turistica, Spatii_diverse, Statie_bus, Zona_impozitare.
After all these feature classes have been created, proceed to vectorize graphics elements from the .dxf file provided.
The vectorization of the features is performed using existing editor function in ArcInfo.



Figure 3.7: Vectorization function
Choose the layer that is going to be vectorized:


Figure 3.8: Select the layer for vectorization
Use trace tool for an easier vectorization of the elements due to DXF type base vectorization


Figure 3.9: Vectorization of the element
After finishing the vetorization we save the edits:


Figure 3.10: Save editing of the element
Using the Microsoft Excel were created two tables, one containing 16 property owners and their data (name, ID, address) and the other containing 16 buildings with all their characteristics as from the methodology for execution of real estate cadastre in localities.


Figure 3.11: Obtaining the tables with properties and buildings characteristics
Once the tables have been created, they will be imported into the created database


Figure 3. 12: Importing the tables into the database
The next step is the union of the imported tables with the attribute tabe defined in the database, and it is done by using the tool JOIN:





Figure 3.13: The union of the imported tables
Next is presented the way of symbolizing the constructions considering the area, number of levels and the structural strenght:
-symbolizing considering the area of the constructions:





Figure 3.14: Symbolizing considering the area of the constructions
– symbolizing considering the number of levels and the input of the index mapping






Figure 3.15: Symbolizing considering the number of levels
-symbolizing considering the structural strenght




Figure 3. 16: Symbolizing considering the structural strength
The creation of a label for the entity „NR_CAD” and its conversion in annotation:


Figure 3.17: Labeling feature classes


Figure 3.18: Displaying the labeled feature classes




Figure 3.19: Converting labels to annotations
The addition of a field to the construction table that contains the tax area and the creation of the map with three tax areas and their labeling.


Figure 3.20: Adding a new field to the table


Figure 3.21: The map with three tax areas
The creation of a shapefile with touristic points of interest will be achieved using the ArcCatalog application.


Figure 3.22: Creation of touristic points
Association of photographs of three tourist objectives, taken with PrintScreen from Google Earth by creating a new column of Hyperlink type






Figure 3.23: Creation of a new field of hyperlink type




Figure 3.24: The association of the picture with the tourist objective
This operation was repeated for two other attractions: Sinaia Monastery and Sinaia Casino


Figure 3.25: Association of a picture with Sinaia Casino


Figure 3.26:Association of a picture with Sinaia Monastery
Creation a route for foreign visitors, which includes points of interest was achieved by its vectorization


Figure 3.27: Vectorization of a touristic route
3D representation of the constructions depending on their heights was achieved using ArcGIS 3D Analyst.






Figure 3.28: 3D representation of the buildings
Using MODEL BUILDER for an analysis.
For the analysis that is going to be performed, we chose the setting of an area where a person can purchase a home based on the presence of certain facilities namely the existence of bus stations, pharmacies and kindergartens. This is to find the best residential area to the needs of the client characteristic.
Model implementation is carried out from the ArcToolbox menu.


Figure 3.29: Launching Model Builder
We will select the tools that we are going to use


Figure 3.30: Selecting the tools


Figure 3.31: Buffer process


Figure 3.32: Intersect process


Figure 3.33: Symmetrical Difference process
After the settings for obtaining the model have been implemented, it will be runned


Figure 3.34: Running the Model Builder
,and the result after the completion of the first stage (buffer) will be:


Figure 3.35: Map after completing buffer
,the result after the completion of the second stage (intersect)


Figure 3.36: Map after completing intersect
,and the result after the completion of the final stage (symetrical difference):


Figure 3.37: The map of the analysis
3.2.1 Geographic data examples on geoportal


Figure 3.38: Specific tools in geoportal


Figure 3.39: GIS datasets, orthoimagery and scanned topographic maps at different scales


Figure 3.40: GIS dataset of a flooding analysis with orthoimagery as background


Figure 3.41: Orthoimagery of „Politehnica” University of Bucharest


Figure 3.42: The orthoimagery coverage of romanian teritory


Figure 3.43:GIS dataset of a flooding analysis with scanned topographic map as background


Figure 3.44: Different background maps for GIS datasets
4 Conclusions
The geoportal system will be an one of a kind service on the romanian market because it will be like a virtual geographical web library from witch the customers like state or private companies, or everybody who is interested in acquisition of geographical data, will be able to search, visualize, download and transform the geographical data that they need.
The application is designed to facilitate the discovery and exchange geospatial data resources to a broader community of users, providing the means to search and view the spatial data sets and web services, within the framework of the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE) Directive.
The GeoPortal represents a gateway to relevant, up to date and quality geographic information and it has a real potential to improve decision making process and operations at all national levels, dealing with activities which have a direct or indirect impact on the environment.
The geoportal system is designed for a range of applications. These include:
Land planning: detection and identification of small features (e.g. vehicles, roads, bushes)
Agriculture: land management and crop yields, location of crop diseases, tree count (palm trees, vineyards…)
Defense: imagery-derived intelligence and tactical planning in urban/densely populated areas
Homeland Security: mitigation, assistance in crisis events and post-crisis assessment (particularly earthquakes)
Hydrology: topography and drainage basin gradient studies
Forestry: illicit deforestation and management of forestry yields; REDD data qualification (sampling)
Maritime and littoral surveillance: vessel reconnaissance and contamination (oil spill), harbor mapping
Civil Engineering/Asset Monitoring: planning of road, rail and oil pipeline corridors.
GIS applications in urban areas
5 References
http://geoportal.ancpi.ro/geoportal/catalog/main/aboutInspire.page
http://geoportal.ancpi.ro/geoportal/catalog/main/aboutInspireNeed.page
http://geoportal.ancpi.ro/geoportal/catalog/main/aboutInspireGoal.page
[4] http://inspire.ec.europa.eu/index.cfm/pageid/2/list/7
[5] https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Sef96121/temp
[6] http://geoportal.ancpi.ro/geoportal/catalog/main/aboutGeoportal.page