Mathematical modelling applied to LiDAR data

Abstract

The aim of this article is to explain the application of several mathematic calculations to LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) data to estimate vegetation parameters and modelling the relief of a forest area in the town of Chiva (Valencia). To represent the surface that describes the topography of the area, firstly, morphological filters were applied iteratively to select LiDAR ground points. From these data, the Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) structure was applied to model the relief of the area. From LiDAR data the canopy height model (CHM) was also calculated. This model allowed obtaining bare soil, shrub and tree vegetation mapping in the study area. In addition, biomass was estimated from measurements taken in the field in 39 circular plots of radius 0.5 m and the 95th percentile of the LiDAR height datanincluded in each plot. The results indicated a high relationship between the two variables (measurednbiomass and 95th percentile) with a coeficient of determination (R2) of 0:73. These results reveal the importance of using mathematical modelling to obtain information of the vegetation and land relief from LiDAR data.

Keywords

• LiDAR
• TIN
• Morphological filter
• DEM
• Interpolation