Research On Battlefield Environment Modeling And Visualization Based On Voxel Model

In this paper we studied the theories and technologies of the battlefield environment modeling and visualization based on the voxel model, and placed extra emphasis on the issues of multiresolution terrain modeling with the voxel model and the rendering with the indirect volume rendering method. Based on the voxel model, we focused on the modeling method of the battlefield environment and the volume rendering method. We also focused on the terrain representation based on the voxel model and the multi-resolution voxel-based terrain rendering with the specific point Dual Marching Cubes algorithm. Even the dynamic simulation of the battlefield environment(such as the crater formation) based on the voxel model was studied Main works were as follows:1. The main problems existed in the current battlefield environment modeling were proposed. It was difficult to reveal the internal nature of the associated elements in the battlefield environment based on surface model. The current 3D battlefield environment is difficult to reflect the multidimensional nature of battlefield environment, dynamic, which is hard to describe the influence and contact between elements. On the basis of systematic analysis of the current study on 3D data model and the technologies of volume rendering and the battlefield environment modeling at home and in abroad, the feasibility whether the battlefield environment modeling could be achieved based on the voxel model was discussed.2. The notions about volume rendering and voxel model were discussed in detail. Their differences existed in the computer graphics and in the battlefield environment simulation were distinguished. We also discussed the algorithms of volume rendering and the concept of the battlefield environment modeling. The applications of voxel model in the battlefield environment modeling and the 3D battlefield situation expression were also been analyzed and prospected.3. The volume data model of the battlefield environment was discussed and analyzed in this paper. We discussed the cognition and abstraction of the battlefield environment based on the volume model, then put forward the concept of “essential-volume” of the battlefield environment space. Several volume data structures were given and their topological relationships were described. Whether the different patterns of the elements of the battlefield environment were fit for the volume modeling and volume rendering method was analyzed deeply. Based on this, we discussed the volume element’s classification of the battlefield environment. We also explored the modeling method of the battlefield environment based on the voxel model, and achieved the modeling of the voxel terrain with the meta-volume.4. We analyzed the characteristics and expression method of the 3D battlefield terrain features expression in the basis of voxel model. The result showed that the voxel model could be used to represent complex terrain(overhangs, cliffs, and caves etc.) and to simulate the dynamic change process of battlefield environment. We also analyzed the original Marching Cubes algorithm. Taking advantages of the improved Feature Points Dual Marching Cubes algorithm, we realized the extraction of the multi-resolution voxel-based terrain surface and proposed a “Skirts Girdle” algorithm to eliminate the grid cracks. Then the trilinear texture mapping method was used to enhance the realistic effect of voxel-based terrain rendering.5. The prototype system of the multi-resolution terrain visualization based on the voxel model was built. We did some experiments on the Dual MC algorithm, and considered that the parameters of the algorithm make a big impact of the multi-resolution voxel-based terrain rendering which are the number of LOD layers, the length of the ’skirt”, the error of the screen width, and the geometric error. We also did some experiments on the different sizes and types of complex voxel-based terrain rendering. The experiments on the comparison of the improved Dual MC algorithm and the C4 Engine’s algorithm were also been implemented, which showed that the former algorithm had the evident advantages in the memory occupancy and the frame rendering. We analyzed and discussed the real-time building principle of the voxel model. Based on the improved Dual MC algorithm we achieved the real-time modeling of multi-resolution voxel-based terrain. On this basis, the explosion damage model was discussed. We also simplified bomb-damage model and achieved the simulation of the crater formation process in the terrain environment platform based on the voxel model.