Automated Urban Analysis Based on LiDAR-Derived Building Models

Building density information plays an essential role in the design, planning, and management of modern cities. This paper presents an automated approach to urban analysis using airborne laser scanner data to derive geometric information (heights, areas, and volumes) and urban density attributes (building coverage ratio and floor area ratio) of buildings, land lots, and urban units. In particular, four urban units are analyzed in the city of Avila, Spain, which has experienced considerable growth in recent years. The urban map and building density results are used to validate the utility of the automated method with respect to cadastral data and applicable regulations (Urban Land Law, 2008, and Urban Regulation General Plan, 2005). The algorithms for these operations are implemented in the Spatial Analyst ArcGIS extension module.