Geo-data acquisition through mobile GIS and digital video: an urban disaster management perspective

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Abstract

For the management of urban disaster risk, periodic updating of building and lifeline geo- databases is crucial, particularly in developing countries where urbanisation rates are very high. However, collecting information on the characteristics of buildings and lifelines through full ground surveys can be very costly and time-consuming. Research into more cost-effective surveying alternatives should be therefore high on the agenda.

This paper explores the use of an off-the-shelf low-cost and rapid method of data collection for the development of a building inventory based on the combination of remote sensing (RS), global positioning systems (GPS), digital video (DV) and geographic information systems (GIS). The method developed consists of a sequence of stages, the first stage involves the use of RS and GIS for stratification and mission planning purposes. The second stage consists of using GPS and DV for the creation of spatially referenced images and the third stage involves the use of GIS for display and analysis. The methodology developed was tested on the Costa Rican city of Cartago and its advantages and disadvantages identified.

Section snippets

Software availability

Two different types of software packages were tested. One group was tested with the objective of analysing the capacity to import points internally tracked by the GPS and export them into a GIS. The second group was tested with the objective of analysing the capture of still images from digital video. ArcPad proved the most adequate software for handling GPS data; it is user-friendly and it allows to virtually skip several steps since it constitutes a mini or light version of ArcView that has

Geo-information for strategy formulation

Informed decisions are a prerequisite for the formulation of successful mitigation, response, preparedness and recovery strategies. To a large extent, however, successful strategies depend on the availability of accurate information presented in an appropriate and timely manner. Information is also important as it increases the transparency and accountability of the decision-making process and it can therefore contribute to good governance. Initiatives such as the global disaster information

GIS and remote sensing

Problems associated with hazard identification, risk assessment, and developing mitigation solutions are inherently spatial in nature. New and emerging technologies make it feasible to automate labour-intensive tasks and to change dramatically the way emergency management is conducted (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1997). Important emerging technologies include mobile geographic information systems (Mobile GIS), high-resolution digital remote sensing (RS) imagery, global positioning

Methodology for ground data capture

During the last decade, there has been a trend towards a decrease in the amount of research into field data collection. In the developing world, however, one of the biggest bottlenecks relates to the availability of spatial and attribute data. This problem is sometimes caused by the lack of a geo-spatial data infrastructure policy, but also by the high cost of conventional data collection and data processing methods. There is no doubt that remotely sensed imagery is useful in raising the

Conclusions

The city of Cartago provided an interesting case study; it represents a typical example of a medium-sized (e.g. 150 000 inhabitants) Costa Rican city that is located in a highly hazard-prone area and which has been devastated by earthquakes and lahars (mudflows of volcanic origin) on a number of occasions. The municipal government is severely financially constrained and there are very limited data available for the purpose of building loss forecasting of natural disasters. The method developed

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This paper is based on a PhD research project carried at the International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) and the University of Utrecht (UU).

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