Data validation in 3D cadastre

Abstract

In a cadastre, the 2D parcel is nowadays correctly considered to be a special case of the 3D parcel because the rights and restrictions extend beyond the surface itself. Storing, representing and manipulating a true 3D parcel however has not yet been satisfactorily achieved because of constraints in data modeling and software development. Significant research has been done to identify the best ways to represent a 3D solid, with rigorous mathematical testing on the respective merits of alternative approaches. Software companies have come up with their own ways of storing and validating 3D data, mostly as extensions of the 2D concepts. However, validation rules of one software may not be acceptable within another software’s validation environment. The validation itself can be specified in great detail but sometimes this leads to redundant, repetitive or unnecessary processing. Because of the high volume of data a typical organization may be expected to handle, it is necessary for the rules to be streamlined and efficient. In this paper, validation is initially approached to answer questions such as:  what is validation? why it is necessary to validate?, and how do we validate?. Limiting the scope to the 3D geometry or spatial representation of a 3D cadastre, the paper takes a novel approach in identifying the various aspects of validation of a 3D cadastral parcel and identifies the critical validation factors. It examines the validity within individual parcels and the relationship between adjoining or overlapping parcels in 2D or 3D. Although it is difficult to ensure completeness of rules, critical validation rules are examined for each identified factor.