Comparison of different algorithms used for creating river terrain model based on the cross-sections.

Various techniques can be used to create a river terrain model. The most common technique uses 3D bathymetric points distributed across the main channel. The terrain model is then created using common interpolation techniques. The quality of this terrain depends on the number of the measured points and their location.

An alternative method may be an application of a set of cross-sections. Special interpolation algorithms are used for this purpose. These algorithms create new bathymetric points between two adjacent cross-sections that are located in a composite bathymetric network (CBN). Common interpolation techniques can be used to create a river terrain model. The advantage of this approach is a necessity of smaller dataset.

We present a comparison of four different algorithms for creating a river terrain model based on measured cross-sections. The first algorithm (A1) adopts a method of linear interpolation to create CBN [1]. The second algorithm (A2) reshapes the cross-sections and then applies linear interpolation. This reshaping allows better take into the account the thalweg line [2]. The third algorithm (A3) uses cross-sectional reshaping and uses cubic hermit splines to create CBN [3]. The last algorithm (A4)  implies the channel boundary and the thalweg line as additional inputs. Additional inputs define the shape of the newly created river channel [4].

Three different distances among individual cross-sections were used for the performance tests (50, 100 and 200 meters). The quality of topographic schematization and its impact on hydrodynamic model results were evaluated. Preliminary results show that there is almost no difference in the performance of the algorithms at cross-section distance of 50 m. The A4 algorithm outperforms/surpass its competitors in the case that input data (the cross-section distance is) are in 200 m spacing.

This research was supported by the Operational Programme Prague – Growth Pole of the Czech Republic, project No. CZ.07.1.02/0.0/0.0/17_049/0000842, Tools for effective and safe management of rainwater in Prague city – RainPRAGUE.

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[4]       Merwade, V.; Cook, A.; Coonrod, J. GIS techniques for creating river terrain models for hydrodynamic modeling and flood inundation mapping. Environ. Model. Softw., 2008, 23, 1300–1311.