COMPARISON OF THE THEMATIC SCOPE OF POLISH AND SELECTED EU TOPOGRAPHIC DATABASES

Dariusz Dukaczewski¹, Elżbieta Bielecka², Joanna Bac-Bronowicz^3
1 GIS Department, Institute of Geodesy and Cartography
² Faculty of Engineering and Geodesy, WAT Military University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland
³ Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformatics, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland

ABSTRACT

In 2007 in European Union 18 national topographic databases at the level of details corresponding to the 1: 10 000 (or bigger) scale were identified. In 8 EU countries these databases are not completed as yet. One of the main factors that can slow down its creation is an excess of thematic information. To avoid this problem in the case of Polish Topographic Database (TBD) the authors have compared and analysed the thematic scope of the Polish TBD and 11 EU national civil vector topographic databases with the corresponding level of details. To achieve this goal it was necessary to identify similar topographic databases, to analyse its thematic scope, to create its typology, to analyse the similarities and differences between them and to analyse employed multirepresentation solutions and data exchange scenarios. This paper proposes the typology of 1: 10 000 (or bigger) scale topographic databases. The analysis allowed authors to show the similarities and differences between TBD and other databases, concerning their thematic scope. The authors discuss the possibility of adding some objects into the TBD and to generalize the identified group of less frequently used objects and attributes. To reduce the amount of effort, time and expenditure put into the creation of the TBD they propose to ponder the problem of the completion of TBD using data collected in specialized Polish databases.

Key words: Topographic Databases, Polish Topographic Database, TBD, Topographic Object.

INTRODUCTION

Fifty years ago, in the middle of November 1957, the first digital vector maps were created independently in the USA and in Poland. It was not a coincidence, that both of them were topographic maps. The first GIS databases created independently in the middle of the 60s in Sweden and in Canada also contained some topographic information. Today in Europe, according to Jakobsson [15,16], it is possible to identify over 236 databases. Thirty European countries have established and maintain topographic databases. According to the survey conducted by the authors in 2006, it is possible to identify 67 vector civil topographic databases in the European Union countries (Table 1).

Sixteen databases contain information with level of details corresponding to the 1: 50 000 topographic maps. These databases are used to update the 1: 50 000 national topographic maps, to create thematic maps, thematic databases, as well as official cartographic products for state and regional administration and for the whole public. The 1: 50 000 civil topographic databases are used also in many EU projects (e.g. CORINE Land Cover level 3, MARS). The number of projects which require access to the civil version of a 1: 50 000 topographic database has grown during the last decade from 12 till 53. This way, an access to the 1: 50 000 topographic database seems to be a sine qua non condition of an international cooperation in EU.

Besides these databases, most of EU countries have created 1: 10 000 (or bigger) scale civil vector topographic databases. These databases are used to update topographic maps, to create thematic maps, detailed thematic databases, and other cartographic products. They are also necessary to carry out the national projects, which sometimes could have a EU context (like LPIS). In 6 EU countries (Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugalia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden) these databases are not completed as yet.

In Poland, such a database is at the stage of being created. The aim of this research was to compare the thematic scope of TBD with other EU topographic databases with the corresponding level of details and to analyse which topographic objects should be obligatory or optional. We also discuss the possibility of adding some objects into TBD. To achieve this goal, it was necessary:

• to identify similar topographic databases,

• to analyse their thematic scope,

• to create the typology of 1: 10 000 topographic databases of EU countries,

• to analyse the similarities and differences between the thematic scope of these databases and TBD.

THE ANALYSED DATABASES

1. Belgian TOP 10v – GIS – 1: 10 000 vector map database of IGN / NGI – Institut Géographique National / Nationaal Geografisch Instituut) [13,14,21,23,27];

2. Czech ZABAGED – Základní báze geografických dat – Fundamental Base of Geographic Data of Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre / Land Survey Office (Zeměměřický Úřad) [28];

3. Danish TOP10DK – Danmarks Topografiske Grundkortdatabase 1:10 000 of Danish National Survey and Cadastre Office (Kort & Matrikelstyrelsen – KMS) [10,26];

4. Estonian Eesti Pőhikaardi 1:10 000 Digitaalkaardistuse – ENTD – The Estonian National Topographic Database of Estonian Land Board (Eesti Maa – amet);

5. Finnish Maastotietokanta – 1:5 000 – 1:10 000 NLS Topographic Database of National Land Survey of Finland (Maanmittaushallitus) [18];

6. French BD TOPO Pays. (version 1.2.) 1: 5000 – 1: 25 000 Database of French IGN (Institut Géographique National) [5,6,7,22];

7. Irish PLACE Data 1: 1000, 1: 2500, 1: 5 000 Database of Ordnance Survey Ireland – OSI (Suirbhéireacht Ordnáis Éireann);

8. Northern Irish 1: 10 000 Digital Database Maps of The Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland;

9. Lithuanian KDB10LT (midi and micro level) of Lithuanian National Land Service under the Ministry of Agriculture (Nacionalinė Zemės Tarnyba prie Zemės Ūkio Ministerujos) & National Geoinformation and Remote Sensing Centre ‘GIS – Centras’;

10. Luxembourg BD-L-TC – The 1 : 5 000 Topographic / Cartographic Database of Luxembourg – La Base de Données Topo/Cartographique du Luxembourg of ACT (Administration du Cadastre et de la Topographie);

11. Dutch TOP10vector – 10 000 topographic database of Dutch Topographic Service (Topografische Dienst);

12. Malta Land Registry 1: 2 500 database of Land Registry Department (Regíistru Ta’ L-Artijiet);

13. Portugese Carta de Portugal 1:10 000 of Portuguese National Mapping Agency (O Instituto Geográfico Português – IGP);

14. German Basis-DLM of ATKIS – Amtliches Topographisch – Kartographisches Informationssystem created by 16 surveying offices of German lands and coordinated by Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG – Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie) [1,2,3,4,19];

15. Swedish GSD of National Land Survey of Sweden (Lantmäteriet) [11,12];

16. Hungarian DTA_10 – Database of 1: 10 000 digital topographic maps of Hungarian Institute of Geodesy, Cartography and Remote Sensing (FÖMI – Földmérési és Távérzékelési Intérzet);

17. British Superplan Data 1:1 250, 1: 2500, 1:10 000 of British Ordnance Survey - OS [24].

18. Slovak ZB GIS database of Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre Authority of the Slovak Republic (Úrad geodézie, kartografie a katastra Slovenskej Republiky) [17].

The authors analysed the database documentation available from the national surveying agencies web sites, such as Belgian TOP 10v – GIS, Czech ZABAGED, Danish TOP10DK, Finnish Maastotietokanta – NLS TDB, French BD TOPO Pays, Lithuanian KDB10LT (midi level), Dutch TOP10vector, German Basis-DLM of ATKIS, Swedish GSD, British Superplan Data and Slovak ZB GIS. All documentation (except Finnish) was analysed in the national languages. These documents differ in structure and the level of details. Most of them describe the cartographic objects, instead of database objects. Additionally, some problems arise from comparing the different topographic object classifications.

TYPOLOGY OF EU TOPOGRAPHIC DATABASES

Analysed topographic databases vary significantly, regarding the number of object types and object attributes (Table 2).

Using the criteria of the number of topographic objects included in hierarchical object classification, as well as number of attribute groups and number of attributes, it is possible to distinguish 5 types of topographic databases:

Type 1. of a very broad scope of thematic information (French BD TOPO Pays, German Basis-DLM, Slovak ZB – GIS);
Type 2. of a broad scope of thematic information (Finnish Maastotietokanta – NLS TDB);
Type 3. of an average scope of thematic information (Belgian TOP 10v – GIS, Lithuanian KDB10LT midi level, Dutch TOP10vector, Czech ZABAGED and Polish TBD);
Type 4. of a narrow scope of thematic information (Danish TOP10DK, Swedish GSD);
Type 5. of a narrow scope of thematic information and particular organization (British Superplan Data).

French BD TOPO Pays, which covers the territory of metropolitan France, overseas departments (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyanne, Reunion), and associated Community of Mayotte, is (with the big number of attributes) one of the most thematically extended databases in Europe. However, the scope of this database is justified by a big variety of types of real topographic objects in nature and their role in the national economy. Some of the attributes have been used to facilitate the process of generalization and multipresentation. Twenty four objects are described in 3 – D coordinate system, mainly the roads and buildings. The BD TOPO Pays together with IGN’s BD ORTHO® and BD PARCELLAIRE® cadastral database maintained by the General Tax Office (Direction Générale des Impôts) of the Ministry of Finance constitute, so called, ‘Big Scale Reference Database’ [20], created by interministerial decision of 19. 02. 2001 [8]. The number of objects and attributes in Slovak ZB - GIS is still the biggest in EU, which can guarantee the most detailed thematic information. The number of objects in German Basis-DLM is bigger, but the number of attributes is lower than in BD TOPO Pays and ZB – GIS. Object attributes stored in Basis-DLM and ZB – GIS seem to be very useful for data generalization, especially information about the qualitative, quantitative, and technical proprieties of the objects. All three databases include simple and complex objects. In BD TOPO Pays and ZB – GIS the objects’ attributes contain also information about a source of information.

The Finnish Maastotietokanta – NLS TDB represents the type of a broad scope thematic information database. The reference NLS data together with data of Finnish Population Register database, Finnish Sea Administration Database, Finnra Finish Road Administration Database, and the database of Institute of Languages of Finland were the sources of this database. The particularity of NLS TDB is a considerable information concerning the sea navigation and transport networks (144 of 458 objects). Despite the huge amount of data, this database is not exhaustive (NLS Topographic Dartabase..., 2006). It constitutes only the reference for other departmental thematic databases, between which and the NLS TDB data exchange is organized.

The Polish TBD can be situated among type 3 (of an average scope of thematic information) databases. In this group the Lithuanian KDB10LT midi level database provides the most wide – ranging thematic information, however this database still covers only a little part of the territory of Lithuania. The less extended databases – Belgian TOP 10v – GIS and Dutch TOP10vector, contain more detailed, but less diverse information than TBD. Both databases include complex objects. In TOP 10v – GIS the information about the year of update of an object and the used source of information, as well as on the rules of objects generalization to the scale 1: 50 000 (TOP 50v – GIS database) is also available. Initially, TOP 10v – GIS database was designed as a tool to generate the 1: 50 000 topographic maps [9,25] Le système d’information géographique et la carte à 10 000, 2 000). The analysis proved that this solution is very time and work consuming, which has resulted in creation of TOP 50v – GIS database, used e.g. to create one of the most detailed and beautiful topographic maps of the world. The level of details of spatial information in the TBD is very similar to the information, which is carried by Czech ZABAGED (however the scope of thematic information in TBD is more diversified). In the case of all these databases the objects attributes contain also information about the update and the source of information.

The fourth type is represented by databases (Danish TOP10DK and Swedish GSD) which include only the part of objects presented at the topographic maps. The remaining part of the data, which is needed to generate the map is provided from another specialised databases (e.g. technical infrastructure, administrative divisions). The TOP10DK database was made available to the Ministry of Transport; Defence; Supplies, Agriculture and Fishing; Interior and Health; as well as Economy, Industry and Commerce. Some of these institutions create its departmental databases, which are used together with the TOP10DK to generate the 1: 10 000 cartographic products and 1: 25 000 topographic maps. This solution is less expensive for taxpayer and can guarantee up-to-date and more credible information about technical infrastructure, but it needs the efficient transfer of data, regulated by interministerial agreements.

The fifth type contains only Superplan data, which includes data available at the British maps of cities at 1:1 250, towns and villages maps at 1:2 500 and other areas at 1: 10 000 scale in 60 CAD vector format layers. This database does not include data about telecommunication and energetic lines, pipelines. The public roads are represented by area of paved coverage. The private paved roads are taken into consideration, if they are longer than 100 meters. There is no information about unpaved roads, plantations, golf fields.

THE SIMILARITIES OF THE THEMATIC SCOPE BETWEEN TBD AND ANALYSED EU CIVIL VECTOR TOPOGRAPHIC DATABASES

The thematic scope of TBD objects is similar to the thematic scope of analysed databases. The comparison of analysed databases objects is shown in the appendix No 1.

All objects of TBD level 1 class ‘hydrography’ (except the irrigation channel) are presented in all analysed databases. The irrigation channel object was mentioned in ZABAGED, Basis-DLM, NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, Top10v, KDB10LT, TOP10vector, and ZB GIS, but the parameters of this object differ very much between German Basis-DLM and Dutch TOP10vector and Belgian Top10v.

The classification of roads is different in each analysed database. In ZABAGED, GSD, NLS TBD the information about the roads categories is stored, in TOP10DK – the NATO classification is used, and in Basis-DLM and TBD – the administrative – technical classification is applied. In Basis-DLM, BD TOPO Pays and TOP10vector roads are simple or complex objects. In BD TOPO Pays roads are stored in 3 – D coordinates system. In almost all analysed databases, the axes of the roads are stored. In British Superplan Data the roads are polygons. Almost all classes used in TBD have its counterpart objects in analysed databases. The captivating (arterial) road / street (droga, ulica zbiorcza) is the only one exception, which doesn‘t exist in any other database. The road surface attributes in TBD, Basis-DLM, and BD TOPO Pays are very similar.

In all databases the information about railways is available. The thematic scope of this information is the most broad in French BD TOPO Pays, Belgian Top10v, and German Basis-DLM. The thematic scope of data about the railways in TBD resembles that of ZABAGED. The information about the tramway tracks is available in all databases, except the NLS TDB, KDB10LT, and GSD. The underground tracks are not presented in Slovak ZB-GIS and KDB10LT. In BD TOPO Pays, only open cast part of underground is taken into consideration.

The information about ferries is available in all analysed databases (except the Dutch Top10vector), while the boat crossings are included only in NLS TDB and BD TOPO Pays. The topographic object of ford is presented in ZABAGED, Basis-DLM, BD TOPO Pays, GSD, ZB-GIS, and Superplan Data.

The considerable part of the objects of TBD level 1 class ‘infrastructure networks’ exists in all analysed databases. The information about the power lines is available in all databases (with exception of Basis-DLM, TOP10vector and GSD). The telecommunication lines are presented in the NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, ZB-GIS, and Superplan Data. The same classification of pipelines, classified according to similar rules, are available in TBD NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, and ZB-GIS, Superplan Data. In TOP10DK, TOP10vector, and GSD pipelines are not stored at all. The information about it is available in the specialized departmental databases.

The TDB ‘land cover complexes’, in other EU databases, correspond to the ‘land use’ or ‘vegetation’ classes. The information on waters is available in all analysed databases (the most detailed – in NLS TDB). The TBD classification of build – up areas differs from the other analysed databases. The objects of level 2 class ‘forest and trees areas’ are very similar in all databases. The most detailed information about the forests is available in KDB10LT and ZB-GIS. The bushy vegetation is stored in all analysed databases. The information about the dwarf mountain pine is available only in Polish TBD, Czech ZABAGED and in Slovak ZB-GIS. Almost all databases include the information about the arable lands and meadows (except the Danish TOP10DK and British Superplan Data). The information about the ‘communication areas’ (like road area, railways area) is available only in Basis-DLM, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, KDB10LT, ZB-GIS, and partially in the Superplan Data. The road / railways area is stored only in TOP 10v – GIS and ZB-GIS. The objects of the ‘sand, gravel areas, rocks’ group are present in all analysed databases, as well as ‘industrial and storage areas’. The most detailed information about ‘industrial and storage areas’ is available in BD TOPO Pays and in ZB-GIS.

All analysed databases include the information about the different types of ‘buildings’ and ‘technical structures’. The most detailed information about the buildings is available in Basis-DLM, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, ZB-GIS. The classification of buildings in TDB is very similar to that used in BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, and in Basis-DLM. In all databases (with exception of Top10DK) the information about the bridge structures is available. The scope of this information in TBD is similar to these, available in BD TOPO Pays and in ZB-GIS. However, in these databases, in contrast to TBD, there is no information about the construction material of bridge structures. Almost the same information, concerning the hydrotechnical structures, as in TBD is available in Basis-DLM, NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, TOP10vector, and ZB-GIS. All analysed databases include the data about the sport facilities. The classification of related objects in TDB is very similar to this of BD TOPO Pays. The information about the high technical structures is available in all analysed databases. The same classification of high technical structures objects, like proposed in TBD, was applied in NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, KDB10LT, ZB-GIS, and Superplan Data. The TBD database includes the same type of ‘technical basins’ objects, like BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, KDB10LT, and ZB-GIS. The TBD ‘bank reinforcements’ objects are almost the same, as they are in NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, KDB10LT, and TOP10vector. The information about the road and railways reinforcement is available in the Basis-DLM, NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, KDB10LT, TOP10vector, and ZB-GIS. The walls are taken into the consideration in Basis-DLM, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, TOP10DK, KDB10LT, TOP10vector, GSD, ZB-GIS, and Superplan Data. The historic walls – only in Basis-DLM, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, ZB-GIS, and Superplan Data. The conveyors are included into the ZABAGED, Basis-DLM, and BD TOPO Pays, the gauntries – into the Basis-DLM and BD TOPO Pays only. The transformers are presented in most of analysed databases (except of NLS TDB, TOP10vector, GSD, and Superplan Data). In Finland, Netherland, Sweden and Great Britain this kind of information is available in other thematic databases.

In all analysed databases there is no information about the ‘residential complexes’.

In almost all databases there are objects, which corresponds to the TBD level 1 class ‘industrial complex’. The same number of objects, as in TBD is available in BD TOPO Pays, almost the same – in ZABAGED, Basis-DLM, TOP 10v – GIS, and ZB-GIS. The commercial centres are stored in BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, TOP10vector, GSD, and ZB-GIS; the market places – in NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, as well as in GSD and ZB-GIS. In all analysed databases the information about the airports, ports and harbours is available. In some of them (Basis-DLM, NLS TDB, ZB-GIS) the airports are complex objects. Almost all databases include the information about the railway stations, but only TBD, Basis-DLM, BD TOPO Pays, GSD, and ZB-GIS – about the bus stations. The information concerning the car parks is available in all databases (except of NLS TDB and Superplan Data). Almost all databases include the objects of sport and leisure centres and parks. The ‘complex of holiday houses’ is available only in TBD and ZABAGED. The objects included into the TBD’s ‘hotels and tourists services complex’ are also available in BD TOPO Pays, TOP10vector and ZB-GIS. TBD ‘education complex’ objects are also available in ZABAGED, Basis-DLM, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, TOP10vector, GSD as well as ZB-GIS. In all mentioned above databases the ‘health, social security complex’ objects are presented. They are similar to the TBD objects. The similar to TBD ‘historical monuments complex’ objects are available in ZABAGED, Basis-DLM, BD TOPO Pays, ZB-GIS. In all described databases there is an information about the churches and cemeteries.

The point and line objects, included into the TBD subgroup ‘nature objects’ are also presented in all analysed databases, except Swedish GSD. Significant part of TBD ‘communication objects’ exists also in almost all databases (except Lithuanian KDB10LT). The signal devices are stored only in TBD, NLS TDB and Superplan Data, while the semaphores – in TBD and Superplan Data only.

Significant part of TBD ‘landmark objects’ is also available in ZABAGED, Basis-DLM, NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, KDB10LT, TOP10vector, ZB-GIS and Superplan Data. The thematic scope of this TBD subgroup is very similar to British Superplan Data. In almost all databases (except of the TOP10DK and GSD) information about the buggy and marshy areas is available. In TBD, the scope of information about the marshes and peat bogs is much more narrow than in Lithuanian KDB10LT.

All databases (except TOP 10v – GIS, TOP10DK, TOP10vector, GSD and Superplan Data) include the information about protected areas. In almost all databases (except of TOP10DK and TOP10vector) the information about administration and evidence units is available. It is worth to mention that in KDB10LT and Superplan Data the frames of topographic map sheets are stored as separate objects. In NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, TOP10DK, KDB10LT, ZB-GIS and Superplan Data the information about the geodetic and photogrammetric control networks is also available.

THE MAIN DIFFERENCES OF THE THEMATIC SCOPE BETWEEN TBD AND EU VECTOR TOPOGRAPHIC DATABASES

The TBD database data structure is very innovative and differs significantly from other EU topographic databases. It can guarantee the topological coherence of data and completeness of description of the analysed area. It also facilitates distinction between the different levels of details of land cover and land use, what can be very useful to generate maps at different scales.

All analysed databases each have their own data scope specificity. In Basis-DLM there is the big number of complex object related to roads and large number of building attributes. In NLS TDB the information about the objects related to sea, hydrography and marshes, as well as roads is very rich. Users of BD TOPO Pays have access to extended 3-D information about the roads and buildings. The KDB10LT includes the extended information about forests, plantations, and peat bogs. In TOP10vector a relatively rich data on roads networks is available. Users of Superplan Data have access to the post code division as well as to the information about tiny landmark objects (e.g. H.M. mailboxes).

The analysis of the thematic scope of EU vector topographic databases have demonstrated that significant part of these databases includes very interesting information, a part of which could be also very useful for the users of the TBD or related departmental databases.

Part of the databases (Basis-DLM, NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, TOP10vector, ZB-GIS) includes complex objects (like airports, ports, industrial plants). This solution facilitates selection of the objects. Some databases use the ‘weight-of-information’ mechanism, based on the rang systems (BD TOPO Pays), description (TOP 10v – GIS) or on the system of quantitative and qualitative attributes (Basis-DLM, ZB-GIS) to facilitate the data generalization and multirepresentation.

In TBD there is no information about the maritime border line, the border of economic sea sector, as well as border of the internal sea zone. This kind of information is available in NLS TDB. This database includes also the information about the limits of the border zone. NLS TDB includes detailed information about waterways (e.g. waterways areas, system of lights, obstacles – wrecks and deep of the waterways), imported from the Finnish Sea Administration Database. It is very interesting example of interdepartmental cooperation, which could be followed. The BD TOPO Pays particularity is encoding of forms of the shoreline, which allows user to select the peninsulas, gulfs, passages etc.

In the analysed databases there are many interesting objects, which could be included in the TBD ‘roads and railways networks’ class. In Belgian Top10v – GIS the information about the toll roads, restricted access, and closed roads is stored, while in the French BD TOPO Pays the data about the toll points is available. The users of NLS TDB have the access to the information about the maximal allowed dimensions of the vehicles in the roads and streets, and users of the Top10v – GIS – to the information about the permanent road obstacles and road narrowing. In French BD TOPO Pays for each section of the road the code of road owner and administrator is available. In ZABAGED, Basis-DLM, TOP10vector, and ZB-GIS there is a object of unpaved field road created by frequent passages.

Both in BD TOPO Pays and NLS TDB the information about the railways status (active, closed, in construction) is stored. In Basis-DLM and BD TOPO Pays there is information about the museum railways.

In all analysed databases there are also some objects, which could be added in the TBD ‘land cover complexes’ class. In all analysed databases the classification of forests is more detailed, than in the TBD. Generally the types of forests (coniferous, broad leaved, mixed) are topographic objects. In NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, KDB10LT, TOP10vector and ZB-GIS the information about the forest nurseries and young growth areas is also available. In NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays and KDB10LT the data about the protected forests is stored. Both in NLS TDB and BD TOPO Pays the wild natural forest object exists. The KDB10LT includes information about the deciduous forests (concerning also the groups, the lines, and isolated trees). The TOP 10v – GIS includes the information about the ruderal vegetation, while in Basis-DLM, NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS data about the fallows is available. Basis-DLM, BD TOPO Pays and ZB-GIS store as a separate object fair & exposition areas.

Although the TBD level 1 ‘buildings and structures’ class is relatively broad, it is worth to mention, that others EU databases include many other objects. Part of them could be implemented into TBD. In BD TOPO Pays the information about active and inactive industrial buildings is available. In ZABAGED and BD TOPO Pays the information about tower superstructure at the roof of the building is stored. The mobile phone network masts object exists in TOP 10v – GIS and TOP10DK. In Basis-DLM, NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS and TOP10DK the objects of air navigation radio facility masts (NDB, VOR and DME), which have a fundamental significance for the organization of air transport networks were included. The users of Basis-DLM have access to the information about the ‘earth structures’ (causeways, embankments, digs and dry moat) suitability for driving, which is fundamental for emergency planning. In the TBD the information about the cableways and T-bars is less diversified than in others databases. This kind of objects is very well distinguished in ZABAGED, Basis-DLM, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, and ZB-GIS. In the TBD level 2 ‘other technical facilities and structures’ object class the information about the water intakes is available. It is worth to mention, that in ZABAGED there is also an information about the mineral water intakes.

Analysed databases include also some interesting objects, which could be included into the TBD ‘land use complex’ class. In Basis-DLM, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, TOP10DK and ZB-GIS there is information about heliports. The classification of airports and the scope of the information about these objects in ZABAGED and in Basis-DLM are the same, as in the official AIP documentation. In Basis-DLM, NLS TDB and BD TOPO Pays the information about airport light systems is also available. In TBD there is no objects like golf areas and car cinemas (which are available in Basis-DLM, NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS and ZB-GIS). In ZB-GIS military polygons are stored. In German Basis-DLM there is a group so called ‘dangerous areas’, which includes the objects of military training ground, military barracks, testing grounds, polders, flood lands, and mine areas. Basis-DLM, NLS TDB, BD TOPO Pays, TOP 10v – GIS, KDB10LT and ZB-GIS store information about the peat bogs. In these databases the classification of marshes is more detailed than in Polish TBD. The access to more detailed information about peat bogs and mashes seems to be justified in Poland, as we have one of the biggest area of such a type in Europe.

DISCUSSION

The comparison of the thematic scope of TBD and the other databases has proved, that almost all types of TBD objects are also stored in the most of EU topographic databases. However, there are some TBD objects, which do not exist in these databases (e.g. captivate (arterial) roads and streets, housing estate, group of properties). However, it is worth to mention, that two last objects are very useful in TBD. There are also some TBD objects, which occur in part of the EU topographic databases (e.g. power lines on the girdors, power lines on the pylons). These objects were identified only in Finnish NLS TDB and French BD TOPO Pays. In these databases and TBD the object of boat crossing also occurs. The differentiation between the paved and unpaved yards is relatively rare solution (applied in 3 of 11 databases). It is also very rare to describe the construction material of the bridge structures. In most of databases, there exists the distinction between the outdoor and indoor swimming pools at the same level (using the objects or object attributes). In the TBD instead of this last type of object, there exists ‘indoor swimming pool under the plastic roof’. Such a type of object exists in BD TOPO Pays and TOP 10v – GIS only. The artificial ski slope was identified only in TBD and in BD TOPO Pays. The semaphore was identified only in TBD and Superplan Data. In the past, this kind of installation served as a very good landmark object. Currently almost 95 % of the semaphores in Poland have been replaced by light signals and this process is still proceeding.

It is very difficult to propose the list of obligatory or optional objects in TBD. More than two hundred years of detailed topographic mapping in Poland have resulted in the list of topographic objects. These objects are wholly recognized and commonly used. The reduction of considerable part of the objects, or even temporal limitation of an access to the part of the objects, could provoke lack of approval of such a database as a complete, useful tool. The solution could lie in the generalization of a small group of less frequently used objects (mentioned above), as well as quantitative generalization of its attributes.

Another possibility, which could make the completion of the TBD database faster, easier, and cheaper is to utilize the experiences of other EU countries. It is possible to identify at least three scenarios, which have been used to reduce the amount of effort and expenditure put into the creation of the topographic database:

Scenario 1. Creation of the ‘core reference topographical database’, including the objects which can be directly identified by survey agency, it delivery to the thematic departmental or specialized services databases, and integration of the data from these regularly updated specialised databases into topographic database. This kind of solution is used in Finnish Maastotietokanta – NLS TDB [18]. It needs the interministerial cooperation procedures, concerning the share of data, but it can guarantee, that the topographic database is generated and updated only by one eligible and competent institution, and that it contains the fully coherent information, based on credible and up-to-date data.

Scenario 2. Reduction of the thematic scope of the reference topographical database, like in the case of TOP10DK [10] to the data which the survey agency is obligated to collect. In the case, it is necessary to generate the topographic map using several thematic databases.

Scenario 3. Creation of the complete topographic database, using the data available in other thematic / specialised databases, like in the case BD TOPO Pays of IGN, which can use also the data from the General Tax Office of the Ministry of Finance [20]. This solution needs the interministerial agreements.

CONCLUSIONS

1. The comparative analysis of the thematic scope of EU civil vector topographic databases brings us to the conclusion, that despite the particularities (concerning e.g. the LUCAS inspired complexes of land cover and land use), the thematic scope of TDB is very similar to the databases like Czech ZABAGED, Belgian TOP 10v – GIS, Lithuanian KDB10LT midi level, and Dutch TOP10vector. The scope of information available in this database seems to be not excessive, but rather average (comparing the TBD object and object attribute with our knowledge on topographic objects in Poland, and regarding the information which is available at topographic maps in analogue form). The French BD TOPO Pays, German Basis-DLM, Slovak ZB – GIS, Finnish Maastotietokanta – NLS TDB, Belgian TOP 10v – GIS and Lithuanian KDB10LT midi level are more rich in thematic information than TBD. The number topographic objects and object attributes in theses databases is much bigger, than in Polish topographic database. There are only a few objects, which are available in the TBD and doesn’t exist in the analysed databases.

2. It is very difficult to propose the list of obligatory or facultative objects in TBD, because of the needs of users and necessity to assure the completeness of spatial information of the database. However, it is possible to generalise the part of proposed TBD objects mentioned above, as well as to consider the generalization of its object attributes.

3. To reduce the amount of effort and expenditure put into creation of the TBD it is possible to consider solutions applied in other EU countries, such as Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and France. It seems to be a good idea to ponder the problem of the completion of TBD using data collected in other specialized databases.

REFERENCES

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