72741 - Cartography and Spatial Data Management

Learning outcomes

The course aims to examine in depth the aspects of classical and digital cartography and provides elements related to the modern geomatic techniques for the monitoring, representation and analysis of the territory. The Geographic Information Systems are introduced and the current techniques for surveying and processing data for cadastral purposes are described.

Course contents

The Topography and Cartography course provides the basic elements of Geomatics, treating in a modern way the techniques of terrestrial and spatial positioning, photogrammetry, laser scanning and numerical cartography. In integration with the theoretical lessons, practical exercises are organized, to make the student able to perform topographic-photogrammetric surveying operations using the latest generation instruments and to process the acquired data in the lab.

Contents:

Theoretical bases of cartography: the general problem of cartographic projection; types of projections; classification of maps; deformations in a cartographic map; the concept of scale and error in a map; Gauss conformal projection and correspondence formulas; Italian cartography; The UTM-UPS system; The Gauss Boaga system.

Introduction to laser scanner: classification of laser systems; the LIDAR system; the mobile laser scanner; fields of application of laser systems.

Introduction to photogrammetry: historical information and the transition from analogue to digital photogrammetry; the central projection and the equations of collinearity; the design of an aerial and terrestrial photogrammetric survey; examples of final products obtainable by photogrammetry. The photogrammetric process: classical phases; distortions in a frame; the internal orientation with the correction of the image coordinates. The external orientation of a photogrammetric block; precision in the photogrammetric restitution in the normal case.

Digital photogrammetry. Digital images: radiometric and geometric resolution. Methods for Stereoscopic Digital Vision. The Image Matching. The digital orthophoto. Errors in a frame. Photoplans and Orthophotos. Resampling of a digital image.

Numerical cartography: methods for the production of numerical cartography; restitution and vectorization; vector files and raster files: formats and types; georeferencing a digital image.

The Geographic Information Systems.

The theoretical lessons are integrated with practical exercises on the internal and external orientation of a stereo-pair of aerial images using free software and with Quantum GIS software.

Readings/Bibliography

Scientific publications, lectures notes and slides in digital form.

Bibliographic references for home study and further reading materials:

Kraus, K., 1998. Fotogrammetria vol.1 Teoria e applicazioni. Editore: Levrotto e Bella. ISBN: 888218028X.

Folloni, G., 1982. Principi di Topografia.

Migliaccio, F., Carrion, D., 2016. Sistemi Informativi Territoriali. Principi e applicazioni. UTET Università Editore. EAN: 9788860084750.

Teaching methods

Lectures and exercises in Laboratory and on the field.

Analysis and discussion using examples of real cases study.

Assessment methods

The examination at the end of the course is in written form with eventual oral integration, and aims to assess the achievement of learning objectives. To obtain a passing grade, students are required to demonstrate a knowledge of the key concepts of the subject, some ability for critical application, and a comprehensible use of technical language.

Teaching tools

A significant part of the course is organized by practical activities on the field and in the laboratory, by means of commercial, scientific and open source software.

Office hours

See the website of Valentina Alena Girelli