A Vector Line Simplification Algorithm Based on the Douglas–Peucker Algorithm, Monotonic Chains and Dichotomy

• Main Authors: Bo Liu, Xuechao Liu, Dajun Li, Yu Shi, Gabriela Fernandez, Yandong Wang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-04-01
• Series: ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information
• Subjects: line simplification; Douglas-Peucker algorithm; monotonic chain; dichotomy
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/9/4/251

When using the traditional Douglas–Peucker (D–P) algorithm to simplify linear objects, it is easy to generate results containing self-intersecting errors, thus affecting the application of the D–P algorithm. To solve the problem of self-intersection, a new vector line simplification algorithm based on the D–P algorithm, monotonic chains and dichotomy, is proposed in this paper. First, the traditional D–P algorithm is used to simplify the original lines, and then the simplified lines are divided into several monotonic chains. Second, the dichotomy is used to search the intersection positions of monotonic chains effectively, and intersecting monotonic chains are processed, thus solving the self-intersection problems. Two groups of experimental data are selected based on large data sets. Results demonstrate that the proposed experimental method has advantages in algorithmic efficiency and accuracy when compared to the D–P algorithm and the Star-shaped algorithm.