User guide Geospatial tools for building footprint and homogenous zone extraction from imagery

Vicini, A., J. Bevington, G. Esquivias, G-C. Iannelli, M. Wieland

Physical Risk

2014

Abstract/Summary

This report describes the tools required to extract building information from remotely-sensed satellite and aerial imagery. It provides a step-by-step user guide for a set of open-source software tools for generating data for the Global Exposure Database. IDCT has proposed an expansive suite of tools for inventory and damage data collection. The opens source image processing and GIS software, Quantum GIS (QGIS) and GRASS provide the core functionality for pre-processing imagery. Algorithms for automatically extracting building footprints are provided as a plug-in toolbar to QGIS. These have evolved from the Building RECognition tool (BREC), developed by the University of Pavia, and have been customised for use in the IDCT suite. Protocols for modifying GIS information are also provided. For regional exposure development, and generating information for use in mapping schemes, areas of homogenous land use can be manually extracted. This can also be achieved in QGIS, however the use of Google Earth for generating these data are also described.