3D Modeling of the Cadastre and the Spatial Representation of Property

An emerging technology, three-dimensional (3D) cadastres as extensions to the current parcel-based or two-dimensional (2D) cadastre, has been developed to meet the management of 3D urban land use and 3D properties. This chapter provides a brief review of the key issues of 3D cadastre and the spatial representation of ownership. In order to understand the importance of legislation for developing modeling technology for 3D property, the legislative context of ownership is addressed in specific reference to China. In light of spatial rights of land-use space, a 3D spatial model of property is presented in terms of polyhedra with four-layer structures. Being compatible with the existing 2D cadastre, this 3D spatial data structure is suitable as a hybrid cadastral system for 2D and 3D property and provides an available means to spatially represent 3D property with integrity. By analyzing the heterogeneity of the land space used for property, the ownership of condominiums with internal structure is addressed and spatial representation of ownership is presented by instantiation in a case study in China.