Prof. Dr. Rafig AzzamRWTH Aachen University, Chair for Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, Lochnerstr. 4-20,52064 Aachen, Germany.

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DatabasesDatabases

• Analogue Data– Maps, reports, borehole logs/files etc.

• Digital Data– Digital equivalents of analogue data image files (tif, jpg etc.)– Borehole data in different formats Access, Excel, dbf etc. – Spatial referenced data GIS

o Shapefiles, Coverages, Grids, Personal Geodatabase etc.o Relational database management systems (RDBMS)

distributed and heterogeneous databases

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DatabasesDatabases

• Analogue Data– Maps, reports, borehole logs/files etc.

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Digital Data– Digital equivalents of analogue data image files (tif, jpg etc.)– Borehole data in different formats Access, Excel, dbf etc. – Spatial referenced data GIS

o Shapefiles, Coverages, Grids, Personal Geodatabase etc.o Relational database management systems (RDBMS)

distributed and heterogeneous databases

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• (Hydro-)geological Information System

• Data mining for knowledge discovery

• Pattern recognition using neuronal networks

Application and NeedsApplication and Needs

• DEM and derived information (slope, aspect, etc)landslide hazard mapping

ProblemProblem

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• Distributed Data– Base data from several mapping agencies,

environmental protection agencies, distributed databases, etc.

• Heterogeneous Data– Vector data Grid data

How to generate homogeneous information out of distributed, heterogeneous data?

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• Utilization of distributive geodata

• Compilation of information from heterogeneous data

• Development of service orientated system architecture

• Rule-based derivation of geoinformation

• Integration of potential users

FrameworkFramework

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SolutionSolution

• Setting up a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI)– OGC web service technology accesses distributed

geodata inventories– Integration of geoprocessing capabilities (e.g.

groundwater vulnerability assessment and mapping)

– Integration of expert‘s knowledge through XML-based business-rules

– Web based user interface allows data and information retrieval

– Extensive use of standard internet technologies (XML, SOAP, WSDL, HTTP, etc.)

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• OpenGeospatial Consortium (OGC)- Conformity– Web Map Service– Web Feature Service– Web Coverage Service– Catalog Service

• World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)- Conformity– XML– SOAP

• International Standardization Organization (ISO)-Conformity– ISO / TC 211 Geographic information / Geomatics

• ISO 19115• ISO 19119

StandardsStandards

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HTTP

HTTP / SOAPBusiness Logic Tier

Presentation Tier

WebApplication

GISApplication

Geo-Services

WebCatalogService

Visualisation-Services

RuleComponent

System-Services

Controller

DBMS A (Vectordata)

Server 1

WebFeatureService

DBMS B(Vectordata)

Server 2

DBMS C(Vectordata)

Server N

WebFeatureService

Server N+1

Web CoverageService

Grid data

WebFeatureService

Data Tier

Distributed, heterogeneous data

Generation of Information

Integration of expert‘s knowledge(based on XML rules)

Visualization on various devices

Architecture of Information System

WebserviceWebservice• Communication beyond system

boundaries and independent from computing languages

• Protocols:– Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP)– Simple Object Access Protocol

(SOAP)

• Advantages of web services: – accessibility due to programmable

interfaces– self-describing due to metadata– self-contained (enclosure)– loosely linked– independent from place and protocol

User

Application

Webservice

PublishPublish –– Find Find -- BindBind

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From From GeodataGeodata to to GeoinformationGeoinformation

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• Basic services– Scale variation: rule-based derivation of input parameters– Groundwater: vulnerability mapping according HÖLTING et

al. 1995– Allocation of vector data– Allocation of raster data

• Controlling services– Authentication and Authorization– Session-management– etc.

• Integrated geo-service „Schutzfunktion derGrundwasserüberdeckung [Vulnerability mapping]“

ExampleExample: : GroundwaterGroundwater VulnerabilityVulnerability

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geology and thickness

percolation water

perched aquifers

artesian pressure

soil

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DQWMgBSn

iii ++⋅⎥⎦

⎤⎢⎣

⎡+= ∑

=1

After Hölting et al. 1995:

Mean Input Parameters

Global Supplements

Point Value Soil (B)

Point Value Rock Type of the

Individual Strata and Depth to Groundwater Table (gM)

Suspended Groundwater Layers

(Q)

Artesian Pressure Situations (D)

+

+

+

*

Point Value of the Groundwater Vulnerability Function (S)

Factor Leachate Rale

(W)

ExampleExample: : GroundwaterGroundwater VulnerabilityVulnerability

ExampleExample: : GroundwaterGroundwater VulnerabilityVulnerability

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Präsentation

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Further ApplicationsFurther Applications

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Geological Survey

Environmental state office NRW

Regional authorities

Local authorities

Water supplier

Vulnerability mapping, e.g. preemptivegroundwater protection, EU-WFD

Evaluation of measures for the reduction of diffuse contamination and their effectivity in time and space

Claim (e.g. accidental spill of contaminants): support by evaluating the consequences and measures

......

Providing information on vulnerability in conjunction with the delineation of planned activities (e.g. infrastructural development)

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OutlookOutlook

• Sensor Networks– recently research on the integration of real time sensors using e.g.

SensorML or SOS for early warning systems

• Borehole and geotechnical Data– In GB initiative to establish an XML based standard for borehole

data integrating also geotechnical data

• Cross Border Water Management Iniative (CWMI)– Using thesaurus and semantic web to identify and match geological

strata from different data bases using different stratigrafic records or names

Contact:

Prof. Dr. Rafig AzzamRWTH Aachen UniversityDepartment of Engineering Geology and HydrogeologyLochnerstr. 4-2052064 AachenGermany

azzam@lih.rwth-aachen.dewww.lih.rwth-aachen.de