Line Generalization Based on Analysis of Shape Characteristics

Many solutions for line generalizations have already been proposed. Most of them, however, are geometric solutions, not cartographic ones. The position we take in this paper is to observe school-case solutions available in standard cartographic books and try to replicate those automatically. A central criterion guiding the process of cartographic generalization is line structure, which itself can be decomposed into a series of line bends. Hence our solution is to preserve the overall structure with line bends which are mathematically defined according to size, shape, and context. Rules are subsequently applied using operators such as elimination, combination, and exaggeration. The algorithms that were used are both procedural and knowledge based. Various experiments were conducted on physical and political geographic lines, and we show the graphical results so that readers may visually assess them. Further research to improve the present solutions is discussed, particularly options for avoiding conflicts in large-scale reductions.