Mobile Augmented Reality Application to Evaluate the River Flooding Impact in Coimbra

Abstract

The downtown area of the city of Coimbra, Portugal, is at low altitude and has historically suffered floods that have caused serious economic losses. The present research proposes a mobile augmented reality (MAR) application aimed at visualising the effect of possible scenarios of flooding in an area of higher risk in the city. A realistic 3D model of the city was created, using data extracted with BLosm and processed through Blender, followed by its integration into Unity with Vuforia for AR visualisation. The methodology encompasses the extraction and simplification of 3D models, mapping real-world coordinates in Unity, analysing several datasets, obtaining a model through regression and implementing a workflow to manage interactions between various Unity objects. The MAR application enables users to visualise potential flood impacts on buildings, utilising colour-coded indicators to represent different levels of water contact. The system’s efficacy was evaluated by simulating various use-case scenarios, demonstrating the application’s capability to provide real-time, interactive flood risk assessments. The results underline the potential of integrating AR and machine learning for enhancing urban flood management and prevention.

Keywords

• mobile augmented reality
• flooding visualisation
• regression analysis
• Coimbra