DESURBS Deliverable 3.2: Mapping and visualization software tools Project full title: Designing Safer Urban Spaces Grant agreement no.: 261652 Lead beneficiary for Deliverable 3.2: Centre Internacional de Metodes Numerics en Enginyeria Dissemination level: Public Expected delivery date: Month 36 Author: Francisco Zárate, CIMNE Actual delivery date: Month 47 This project has received funding from the European Union s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 261652
Table of Contents 1. Introduction... 4 1.1 Background... 4 1.2 The DESURBS Project... 4 1.3 Work Package 3 (WP3)... 5 2. Development of mapping and visualization tools... 5 2.1 Initial considerations... 5 2.1.1 Interfaces... 5 2.1.2 Real time representation algorithms... 6 2.2 Mapping and visualization software tool... 6 2.3 Incident mapping tool description.... 7 2.3.1 The Front Office... 7 2.3.2 The Back Office... 10 2.4 Conclusion of the security incidents visualization tool... 12 3. RISK-AT VISUALIZATION TOOL... 13 3.1 Specification of mapping and visualization... 13 3.1.1 Cadastral Data Base... 13 3.1.2 Vulnerability Data Base... 16 3.1.3 Results expected... 17 3.1.3.1 Point definition... 17 3.1.3.2 Line definition.... 17 3.1.3.3 Area definition... 18 3.2 Implementation... 19 3.2.1 RISK UE Classification... 19 3.2.2 Vulnerability Data Base... 21 3.3 Visualization tool... 24 3.3.1 Layers visualization... 24 3.3.2 Point definition... 26 3.3.3 Line definition... 26 3.3.4 Area definition.... 28 3.3.5 Multiple risk visualization.... 29 3.3.6 Cadastral information by dots.... 30 2
3.4 Conclusion of the RISK-AT visualization tool... 31 4. Final remarks... 31 3
1. Introduction This report constitutes Deliverable 3.2 of the FP7 Security Program research project Designing Safer Urban Spaces (DESURBS, Grant Agreement no. 261652). The purpose of this deliverable is to present the work carried out in realizing the mapping tool design according to the specifications and work developed in WP3.1. 1.1 Background As security-related risk in cities has intensified, our concern with anticipating, preventing, preparing, responding and recovering from the disruptive challenges brought about by such enhanced risk has become a key concern of urban managers and built environment stakeholders such as urban planners, urban designers, civil engineers and architects. Security risks to urban areas are widespread. From crime and public disorder to terrorism, securitising cities has been a focus of policy responses. This has occurred alongside ongoing natural threats such as earthquakes and flooding, which include in many cases increasingly human induced risk and the ever present risk of accidents in evermore crowded urban areas. Through it all, enhancing resilience, which is the capacity to adjust to threats and mitigate or avoid harm and has physical, economic and social components, has become an important aim for urban stakeholders. Shaping new and existing urban spaces through planning, design and management is central to this. Resilient design is therefore a holistic endeavor involving a range of activities which shape and manage the built fabric so as to reduce its vulnerability to a range of hazards and threats. It is concerned with both the spatial form and re-design of the built environment as well as the processes that help shape it. Yet designing and redesigning urban spaces to make them more secure is often constrained by the limited local knowledge and experience of dealing with these different types of hazard and security threats. By sharing, analysing and understanding past experiences of how these risks have impacted on urban spaces improvements in the practice of resilient urban planning, design and management advances can be made. Nowadays information is essential and the new technologies provide us with a wide variety of sources. However, presenting that information in a more comprenhensive way is essential to take the right actions and decisions in a short period of time. The aim of the visualization tool we develop here is in that line. 1.2 The DESURBS Project DESURBS is a research-based project which aims to develop tools which assist built environment professionals and urban managers to create and maintain safer urban spaces. Through a series of integrated work packages and based on knowledge from past incidents, DESURBS is developing an online, interactive decision support tool to help users identify strengths and weaknesses in urban spaces and take the most appropriate steps to identify, mitigate against or eliminate the risks to them through enhancing resilience. The main objective of this project is to create a decision support portal to tackle this problem. The portal will consist of a continuously evolving urban space security event database, an Integrated Security and Resilience (ISR) task plan formulation framework for engaging and assisting local stakeholders in the decision support process; and comprehensive supporting 4
models and tools to improve the design of new and renewed urban areas. Improved design will contribute to the creation and maintenance of safer places, protect surrounding natural environments and making the urban space itself less vulnerable to damage. The overall strategy of the DESURBS work plan is straightforward and aimed at achieving the best possible workflow. The work is divided into seven work packages of which WP3 corresponds to the visualization tools. 1.3 Work Package 3 (WP3) An adaptive and user-friendly GIS-based mapping and visualization framework will be created, based on CIMNE s OpenGisUrb visualization tool, that interacts with an unlimited range of data (weak points in urban areas, urban space materials database, etc.) and simulation codes. Users will be able to configure it to read and write data in the format needed and interface it with any existing simulation software. 2. Development of mapping and visualization tools 2.1 Initial considerations Initially some key issues were defined to fulfil WP3. The essential ones were as follows: Feedback from the partners involved with security, urban and resilience design was needed. All the functionalities of the mapping tool were to be defined at the initial stage in order to avoid misunderstandings and future problems. The integration process with the DESURBS DSSP in WP5 needed to be worked out. The tool would offer functions to geo-reference the urban vulnerabilities and in some instances be able to analyse graphically the improvements of the urban spaces with respect to security threats The simulation algorithms results will also be able to be uploaded to the server using this tool. It would be a web oriented system Having in mind these considerations, the options considered are: 2.1.1 Interfaces Open Street Map Open Street Map is a Worldwide free editable map with geographical information from all around the world and fully integrable using JavaScript map libraries. Open Street Map does not need a username and password to work with. There are no restrictions in its license to use it. Google Maps Google Maps is a free tool offered by Google. It s a service with satellite images from all around the world. Only open public sites can use its satellite photographs. Bing Maps 5
Bing Maps is a tool offered by Microsoft. It s a service with topographic and satellite images from all around the world. A username and password is needed to work with Bing Maps Data Repositories Communication and data extraction protocols from external data sources will be set in order that this data can be managed, analyzed and visualized Any kind of Relational Data Base could be supported, also CVS, Excel, etc. 2.1.2 Real time representation algorithms Algorithms can be developed which will be able to set on maps the information obtained in real time. These algorithms will be able to represent graphically the data using thematic or coloured maps. There will be different layers for each type of data associated with the algorithms. We will be able to generate clouds of points with certain geometries and data patterns to make simulations to detect problems or anomalies in the urban space studied. The default data format for thematic maps will be shapefiles, also we could accept any ASCII format Privative formats should be studied if necessary Simulations and points of interest will be loaded using a back office Any type of information could be shown in the map viewer 2.2 Mapping and visualization software tool With the idea to carry into practice the previous specifications made in WP3.1, and also in order to show the tool capabilities to the partners, the first version of the visualization tool was developed based on OpenStreet Map with Open GIS. The preliminary visualization tool has the capability to visualize accidents and security related events anywhere in the world. The information related to each register includes pictures, comments and downloadable documents. All the recommendations decided on in WP3.1 have been considered. The visualization tool has two frames: the Front Office and the Back Office. In the first one the end user is able to search for incidents and visualize on the world map at a very close resolution in the main cities of the world. The Back Office corresponds to the data administration framework. Feeding the visualization tool with disaster information can be done in a completely online way with a very intuitive interface. Also the classification class criteria are fully customizable. The visualization tool is available at http://www2.cimne.com/websmaps/desurbs One of the most important innovations in the visualization tool is the inclusion of comments made at the internet social networks like Facebook and Twitter. The last comments appear at the Front Office framework and also some comments can be linked to events recorded at the data base. 6
The tool has been very useful for helping to carry out the WP1.1 security incidents analysis, particularly in the early stages before the WP5 incidents tool was fully developed. A detailed user manual of this mapping tool is presented in Deliverable 3.3. A brief description is made in the following section. 2.3 Incident mapping tool description. The tool is divided in two sections, the Front Office and the Back Office. Each section is described below. 2.3.1 The Front Office The Front Office is the collection of graphical user interfaces for showing in a comprehensive way the data stored in the security cases data base. It has three well defined areas: The Tree tool, the World Map and the Social Network areas. The Tree Tool area: FRONT OFFICE at http://www2.cimne.com/websmaps/desurbs/mapa.aspx This tree of check boxes allows the user to filter the security cases database, according to different criteria like the time when the event has occurred, and the type of case like accidents, natural disasters etc. This tool is very intuitive and easy to use. Once the selections have been made, it is necessary to click on the refresh button to present in the world map the cases found in the database. 7
The Social Network Area : FRONT OFFICE: Tree Tool. On this area the latest comment made on the DESURBS Facebook account (Designing Safer Urban Spaces) and Twitter (@DESURBS) are displayed. With this information the user is linked with other DESURBS users, and can be informed in real time. This option has been disabled in the latest version of the tool due to lack of use by the people who use the tool. The World Map: FRONT OFFICE: Social Network area. 8
On this area the matched events found on the database are presented as dots in a map. Each dot is geographically positioned on the world map. To move over the map there are the typical tools such as zoom in/out, the zoom bar or the elastic box zoom made with the magnifying glass icon. The pan buttons or the dynamic pan hand are available for moving around the map.. FRONT OFFICE: World map tools. The information related to the filtered cases can be recovered clicking on each dot, as is shown in the next figure, where information related to the Lorca earthquake is presented. Also, if some additional files are stored, these can be downloaded from this window. This is a very useful feature because there are no limits on the kinds of files stored, like videos, pdf files, etc. FRONT OFFICE: World map tools. Information about the selected case 9
Another option is the facility to show pictures of the selected case in the same window. A photo gallery can be linked with the event description, so the end user can have high quality information about the event. Finally each event is linked with comments made by the Facebook users. These comments can appear not only on the WP3 mapping tool, but also on the user account (if he/she allows it) FRONT OFFICE: World map tools. Facebook comments about the selected case 2.3.2 The Back Office In the Back Office, existing incidents can be updated or deleted, and new events can be added to the incidents database. The Back Office is located at http://www2.cimne.com/websmaps/desurbs/admin under password protection in order to guarantee the quality of the information. Inside the Back Office, two different users exist: administrators and users. The privileges are the same except for the second who are not able to delete records. The menu is simple and intuitive. Only two options exist: update the user s profile and administrate the event database. For the first option the Settings button allows the user to change the e-mail address, password and name. 10
The database is administered by using the Manage button. Event classification can be established by using the Type of disaster option. A pencil icon represents update, and a red cross mark means delete. If a new classifications is required this can be done with the add button. BACK OFFICE: Disaster classification window It is important to remark that any changes in the classifications are automatically displayed in the Front Office s check boxes. For the events, it is easy to update and input new records just following the input form where the name, description, date and classification is required, as can be seen in the following picture. The event description can be done using hypertext so web references are easy to edit. BACK OFFICE: Disaster data input I 11
BACK OFFICE: Disaster data input II Geographical references can be input using the longitude-latitude integer format or by using the implemented mapping facilities to locate an object directly on the map. BACK OFFICE: Disaster data input III 2.4 Conclusion of the security incidents visualization tool The visualization tool has been a successful tool to present in a simple way the security incidents database. It is an easy to use, intuitive tool and has fulfilled two main aspects in DESURBS: -To put in practice the mapping tool visualization requirements. -To cover a gap in the WP1 data base for visualization aspects. One of the main ideas is to keep the functionality of the tool after the project ends and maintain it for public use for an indeterminate (at the moment) period of time going forward. Some improvements (not describe in this document) are being made to make the site widely accessible to the web under a statement of disclaimer. 12
3. RISK-AT VISUALIZATION TOOL A second visualization tool has emerged in WP3 in order to be able to map and illustrate the risk in a city (Test case: BARCELONA). Not only is geographic information needed, but also information relative to buildings and other infrastructure and their responses to specific shocks and actions. The tool is immersed in the project as it is shown in the next figure, were can be seen the use of two databases. The first is provided by DESURBS WP4 which will produce a set of vulnerability curves to describe the damage of a structure because some action measured in terms of energy or other similar parameter. The second database corresponds to the cadastral data base. This aspect is necessary to define properly the structure of the city and because the high detail of the information the standard GIS for world map visualization is not enough. Second WP3 visualization tool: Project relationship As part of the vulnerability curves generation, it is necessary to take into account the material properties data base generate by TUC also in WP4. Also for the cadastral database it is important to have in mind that not all cities have this information with the detail required. The feedback obtained from the rest of the partners helped to define an alternative way for completing the city database as will be show in the next sections. 3.1 Specification of mapping and visualization 3.1.1 Cadastral Data Base 13
The cadastral information is required in order to define properly each building inside the city. The parcels are well defined nowadays due the information of the city administration; however some information is required in addition. Even more, it is necessary to understand how the cadastral information is defined in order to administer graphically the parcels. This work is not an easy task, but it is necessary to obtain a solid city map to apply the vulnerability data base. The next figure shows a cadastral visualization mock-up of Barcelona. WP3.2 Tool: Cadastral visualization Barcelona has invested a big effort in developing cadastral information; however many cities do not have the same level of accuracy and detail as we have found in Barcelona, therefore some diffierent ways of feeding the tool with city parcel information is required. One of the initial proposals is to use the GIS tool with satellite images in order to position the parcels with dots as shown in the next image. This procedure will be enough to identify the parcels for the next step. 14
WP3.2 Tool: Cadastral visualization using satellite images WP3.2 Tool: Cadastral classification The figure above shows the cadastrial classification in order to link this informtaion with the vulnerability database. 15
Each parcel is classified in a short range list according to the structual type. i.e. masonry type I, concrete type II steel type III. (just as an example. The final classification list will be more detailed with each structural type) This classification can be done with the data provided by the cadastral database or defined in situ. For this classification, it is important to have the same criterea as the one adopted by the vulnerability data base. 3.1.2 Vulnerability Data Base The vulnerability data base is the other information required to produce the vulnerability maps on the tool. The vulnerability curves are defined in the WP4 and briefly it represents the damage done in a structure due an action. In the figure presented some vulnerability curves are presented for a hypothetic structure type III under some action measured in TNT Kg. the IDAD value represents the damage in a scale from 0 to 1 were 0 means no damage and 1 means totally destroyed. Each curve represents the distance from the load application to the structure (1m, 2m, etc.) WP3.2 Vulnerability curves The IDAD value goes from 0 to 1 in order to have a parameter that can be easy to understand. Even more, some zones can be defined as it is shown in the figure above. The green zone means no damage, the orange means some damage has been done but structurally speaking the building is safe, the red zone means that the structural capability has been diminished drastically and the black zone means total collapse. These curves are constructed using numerical simulations and require a considerable amount of computation just to obtain one of these curves. This work has been done in WP4. 16
3.1.3 Results expected With all of this information stored properly, the tool must be capable of combining the inputs and obtaining a graphical response over the cadastral maps. In order to have a sense of the results that can be obtained, some of them are explained in the following sections. 3.1.3.1 Point definition The first kind of result that can be obtained is a function of the distance between a fixed point and the structure. This can be defined as a point on a map, and because it requires some extensive calculations only a small region to display the results is defined. In the figure below the point selected appears as a red dot and the yellow area is the zone of interest where the results are displayed. The calculations need to be performed at the server and involve determining the distances between all the structures selected and the reference point and with the proper vulnerability curve to obtain the damage index to be presented in the color scale, as is shown in the figure below. This kind of result is applicable when a single event occurs in a specific location. WP3.2 Point definition output 3.1.3.2 Line definition. In this case the results that can be obtained are a function of the distance between a structure and a line. This can be defined as a path on a map. Again due the extensive calculations only a small region is selected to be displayed. In the figure below the path appears as a blue line and the yellow area is the zone for which results are to be displayed. The calculations that need to be performed at the server evaluate the distance between all the structures selected to the reference path and with the proper vulnerability curve to obtain the damage index to be presented in the color scale, as is shown in the figure below. This kind of result are designed to evaluate the best path for some dangerous transport along the city and other similar situations. 17
WP3.2 Line definition output 3.1.3.3 Area definition. The last case proposed corresponds when the results do not depend on the distance to a point or a line. Like the earthquake case. WP3.2 Area definition output 18
Some area needs to be selected for display requirements. The calculation that needs to be performed at the server evaluates only the damage with the corresponding vulnerability curve to obtain the damage index to be presented in the color scale, as is shown in the figure below. This kind of result is designed to evaluate the damage done by an earthquake or another similar action like floods. 3.2 Implementation In this section we describe the tool implementation according to the specifications defined above. As an initial task it is necessary to establish the correlation between the cadastral database with the vulnerability curves. For this we will consider the building type according to the RUSK- UE classification, including the buildings height. 3.2.1 RISK UE Classification For each parcel a value in the RISK UE classification is given. This requires a big effort, and an in situ inspection in many cases; however the use of satellite photographs was a big help on this task. The Classification includes buildings made of masonry, concrete, steel and wood. The complete classification is presented below. MASONRY M1.1 -Rubble stone, fieldstone masonry bearing walls M1.2 - Simple stone masonry bearing walls M1.3 Massive stone masonry bearing walls M2 - Adobe M3.1 - Unreinforced masonry bearing walls with wooden slabs M3.2 - Unreinforced masonry bearing walls with masonry vaults M3.3 Unreinforced masonry bearing walls with composite steel and masonry slabs M3.4 - Unreinforced masonry bearing walls with reinforced concrete slabs M4 - Reinforced or confined masonry bearing walls M5 -Overall strengthened masonry buildings CONCRETE RC1 - Concrete moment frames RC2 Concrete shear walls RC3.1 Concrete frames with regular unreinforced masonry infill walls RC3.2 - Irregular concrete frames with unreinforced masonry infill walls RC4 - RC dual systems rc frames and walls RC5 - Precast concrete tilt-up walls RC6 Precast concrete frames with concrete shear walls 19
STEEL S1 Steel moment frames S2 - Steel braced frames S3 - Steel frames with unreinforced masonry infill walls S4 Steel frames with cast-in-place concrete shear walls S5 -Steel and RC composite systems WOOD W - Wood structures For the structures high the following subclasification is made: M3.1 - Unreinforced masonry bearing walls with wooden slabs M3.1H High ( above 5 floors) M3.1M Medium ( 3 5 floors) M3.1L Low ( 1 2 floors) In the following pictures the cadastral map of Barcelona is presented with the buildings classifications. This database is an important element of the risk tool developed here. 20
WP3.2 Risk UE classification for Gracia neighbourhood and Diagonal. WP3.2 Risk UE classification for Mallorca Valencia and Aragon streets. 3.2.2 Vulnerability Data Base As was mentioned in the design section, the vulnerability database is provided by WP4 in this case. 21
The new tasks that need to be included in this part: Curve classifications to match the RISK-UE table. Linear interpolator between vulnerability curves. The kind of information provided by WP4 is shown in next figure. It shows the vulnerability curves for the Risk-UE type RC3.1M, where in the x-axis the blast energy is measured in terms of TNT Kg and in the y-axis the Index of Damage. Each curve corresponds to the distance between the detonation points to the wall. WP3.2 Vulnerability curves for RC3.1M buildings. It can be seen that not all the distances are covered, and not all energy values released by the explosion; therefore it is necessary to construct the whole surface described by the curves, as can be shown in the next figure. In order to obtain the complete surface it is necessary to implement an interpolation algorithm where the input data corresponds to the curves collection (Risk-UE code), the amount of energy and the distance to the wall. The program finds and returns the corresponding IDAD value for those data. 22
WP3.2 Vulnerability surface map. 23
3.3 Visualization tool The visualization tool developed is named RISK AT and allows presenting the cadastral map and combining all the elements described above with a friendly user interface. Some of the main features are described in the next sections. WP3.2 RISK AT initial splash window. The tool allows selecting the kind of event and evaluates automatically the distance of the parcels to this point (or line). It generates a file with the RISK-UE parcel type, distance to the event and passes this information to the interpolator code which reads the vulnerability curves database and calculates for each record the IDAD value in other files which are passed, once finished, to the visualization tool. At this point the tool represents in a color code all the IDAD values. All of these processes are done automatically, and the user only needs to select the point event, the load size and the region to explore. 3.3.1 Layers visualization The RISK AT program visualizes the cadastral information in a layer format and allows to mix different kinds of layers like Google Maps, satellite photographs or Bing Maps. This feature produces more realistic maps as can be seen in the pictures below. Also all the GIS features are implemented like zoom in/out, pan, distance calculator and layer manipulation. A complete print facility is implemented in the RISK AT program. PDF, paper print or photographs can be extracted from the results generated, increasing the tool capabilities for creating reports. Also direct picture to web posting is under design. 24
WP3.2 RISK AT cadastral layer. WP3.2 RISK AT Cadastral and Bing Map visualization at the time. 25
WP3.2 RISK AT Printing facilities. 3.3.2 Point definition According to the tool design, a point event has been implemented. Once the event type has been selected (point collocation), a window is presented to specify the load size, the layer where the buiding RISK-UE classification is, and the radius of the area to analyze. At this point, clicking over the map the center of the area to analyze is fixed and the run button can be pressed. The program does all the calculations mentioned previously, including the distance determination between each façade in the region to the center of the area selected. The results are presented in a color map that can be defined by the user. 3.3.3 Line definition. As it was defined, in this case the results that can be obtained are a function of the distance between a structure and a line. The line is defined as a path in a map when this option is selected. Also the load size and the buffer ratio is defined. This parameter is necessary to establish an area along the line width a with of two times the buffer ratio, as can be seen in the next figure. The calculations needed to be performed at the server evaluate the distance between all the structures selected to the reference path and with the proper vulnerability curve obtaining the damage index to be presented in the color scale, as is shown in the figures below. 26
WP3.2 RISK AT Point collocation event definition. WP3.2 RISK AT Point collocation event results. 27
WP3.2 RISK AT Line event definition. WP3.2 RISK AT Line event results. 3.3.4 Area definition. The object of this kind of result focuses mainly on the kind of disaster which does not depend on distance as a variable, like earthquakes. A small area of the map is defined by an elastic box and the user only needs to input the size of the event. 28
The calculations needed to be performed at the server evaluate only the vulnerability map interpolation of the hazard magnitude over all the structures selected. The damage index is presented in the color scale, as is shown in the figure below. WP3.2 RISK AT Area event results. 3.3.5 Multiple risk visualization. In order to evaluate different scenarios, a multiple layer visualization has been implemented. Several layers with different kinds of risk can be displayed at the time. The layers can be transparent to overlap the results. This facility increases the functionality of the code at the time to evaluate different posibilities of risk. In the figure below two layers a) with earthqualke risk and b) with explosion risk defined over a line are displayed at the time (c). This facility not only includes the need to overlap layes, but also the selection of a different kind of risk. The risk type is selected in a pop-up window where the user can choose from diferent types loaded on the RISK-AT tool. There is no limit on the type of risk to analyze when the proper vulnerability curve is defined. 29
a) b) c) WP3.2 RISK AT Multiple risk event results. 3.3.6 Cadastral information by dots. In many cases not all the cadastral information is available from different cities. Nowadays, the use of this information exists in major cities but not in all. At the design stage of the tool this was mentioned as a problem. In order to avoid this lack of information, we implement the possibility of assigning the structural type of a bulding to a geolocalized dot on a map. As a base image, an aireal photograph or a city map availabe in bing maps can be used as a cadastral grid. Selecting the option and the kind of structure, a simple click on the map, over the structure desired, is enough to define a dot. This point then has the information required to be used with the vulnerability curve database. It s important to remark that the distance is calculated using the dot as reference. Therefore some care must be used when choosing the right position of the dot inside the cadastral grid. This implementation of this facility opens the capabilities of the tool to any city in the world. 30
WP3.2 RISK AT Dots over a cadastral grid. 3.4 Conclusion of the RISK-AT visualization tool A general risk visualization tool was developed, not only for the kind of risk analysed, but for any risk in which the damage can be defined with a vulnerability curve. The possibilities of this are wide and extend to, for example, fire or flood risk in a city; even more, the parcels can represent different kinds of soil properties like cultivated terrain or arid zones, and with the right vulnerability curve different risk scenarios can be presented (plagues invasion, fire, etc.). The RISK-AT visualization program is a successful tool to present in a simple and comprehensive way the risk level over a city, without knowing in detail all the technical details of the vulnerability curves. It is also simple to use and runs in real time. One of the main ideas is to keep the functionality of the tool after the project. We consider the tool to complete the goals of the project, as some municipalities have shown their interest in the use of the RISK-AT visualization tool. 4. Final remarks As a final remark, CIMNE and the DESURBS consortium keep the right to improve and/or modify some facilities of the tools presented to fulfil technical and operative functionalities without any mention in this report. 31