An Automated and Efficient Slope Unit Division Method Coupled with Computer Graphics and Hydrological Principles
Slope units serve as fundamental spatial units for surface morphology modeling and multidisciplinary coupling analysis, holding significant theoretical value and practical implications in regional stability assessments, surface process simulations, and quantitative geological engineering research. T...
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2025-04-01
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| author | Ting Xiao Li Zhu Lichang Wang Beibei Yang Can Wang Haipeng Yao |
| author_facet | Ting Xiao Li Zhu Lichang Wang Beibei Yang Can Wang Haipeng Yao |
| author_sort | Ting Xiao |
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| description | Slope units serve as fundamental spatial units for surface morphology modeling and multidisciplinary coupling analysis, holding significant theoretical value and practical implications in regional stability assessments, surface process simulations, and quantitative geological engineering research. The scientific delineation of slope units must simultaneously satisfy engineering implementation requirements and adhere to the unit homogeneity principle. However, conventional delineation like the hydrological process analysis method (HPAM) exhibits critical limitations, including strong threshold dependency, a low automation level, and single-attribute optimization, thereby restricting its applicability in complex scenarios. Based on the principles of unit consistency and hydrological processes, this study integrates computer graphics algorithms with hydrological process simulation techniques to propose an automated slope unit division method coupled with computer graphics and hydrological principles (SUD-CGHP). The method employs digital elevation model (DEM) input data to construct a three-stage hierarchical framework comprising (1) terrain skeleton extraction through a morphological erosion algorithm, (2) topological relationship iteration optimization, and (3) multisource parameter coupling constraints. This framework achieves automated slope unit delineation without thresholds while enabling multi-attribute fusion optimization, effectively addressing the shortcomings of HPAM. Field validation in Yanglousi Town, Hunan Province, demonstrates that SUD-CGHP-generated slope units exhibit superior internal homogeneity in flow direction, slope aspect, and gradient compared to HPAM while maintaining complete topographic–hydrological connectivity. The research findings indicate that this method significantly enhances the scientific validity and practical applicability of slope unit delineation, providing reliable spatial analysis units for multidisciplinary surface process modeling. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0e994ae9474b46f097c211a7dc4b1bfa |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-0e994ae9474b46f097c211a7dc4b1bfa2025-08-20T03:49:22ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-04-01159464710.3390/app15094647An Automated and Efficient Slope Unit Division Method Coupled with Computer Graphics and Hydrological PrinciplesTing Xiao0Li Zhu1Lichang Wang2Beibei Yang3Can Wang4Haipeng Yao5School of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, 932 Lushan South Road, Changsha 410083, ChinaSchool of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, 932 Lushan South Road, Changsha 410083, ChinaSchool of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, 932 Lushan South Road, Changsha 410083, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, ChinaHunan Province Geological Disaster Survey and Monitoring Institute, Changsha 410029, ChinaGeological Survey Institute of Hunan Province, Changsha 410083, ChinaSlope units serve as fundamental spatial units for surface morphology modeling and multidisciplinary coupling analysis, holding significant theoretical value and practical implications in regional stability assessments, surface process simulations, and quantitative geological engineering research. The scientific delineation of slope units must simultaneously satisfy engineering implementation requirements and adhere to the unit homogeneity principle. However, conventional delineation like the hydrological process analysis method (HPAM) exhibits critical limitations, including strong threshold dependency, a low automation level, and single-attribute optimization, thereby restricting its applicability in complex scenarios. Based on the principles of unit consistency and hydrological processes, this study integrates computer graphics algorithms with hydrological process simulation techniques to propose an automated slope unit division method coupled with computer graphics and hydrological principles (SUD-CGHP). The method employs digital elevation model (DEM) input data to construct a three-stage hierarchical framework comprising (1) terrain skeleton extraction through a morphological erosion algorithm, (2) topological relationship iteration optimization, and (3) multisource parameter coupling constraints. This framework achieves automated slope unit delineation without thresholds while enabling multi-attribute fusion optimization, effectively addressing the shortcomings of HPAM. Field validation in Yanglousi Town, Hunan Province, demonstrates that SUD-CGHP-generated slope units exhibit superior internal homogeneity in flow direction, slope aspect, and gradient compared to HPAM while maintaining complete topographic–hydrological connectivity. The research findings indicate that this method significantly enhances the scientific validity and practical applicability of slope unit delineation, providing reliable spatial analysis units for multidisciplinary surface process modeling.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/9/4647slope unitcomputer graphicshydrological analysisdigital elevation modelmultidisciplinary coupling |
| spellingShingle | Ting Xiao Li Zhu Lichang Wang Beibei Yang Can Wang Haipeng Yao An Automated and Efficient Slope Unit Division Method Coupled with Computer Graphics and Hydrological Principles Applied Sciences slope unit computer graphics hydrological analysis digital elevation model multidisciplinary coupling |
| title | An Automated and Efficient Slope Unit Division Method Coupled with Computer Graphics and Hydrological Principles |
| title_full | An Automated and Efficient Slope Unit Division Method Coupled with Computer Graphics and Hydrological Principles |
| title_fullStr | An Automated and Efficient Slope Unit Division Method Coupled with Computer Graphics and Hydrological Principles |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Automated and Efficient Slope Unit Division Method Coupled with Computer Graphics and Hydrological Principles |
| title_short | An Automated and Efficient Slope Unit Division Method Coupled with Computer Graphics and Hydrological Principles |
| title_sort | automated and efficient slope unit division method coupled with computer graphics and hydrological principles |
| topic | slope unit computer graphics hydrological analysis digital elevation model multidisciplinary coupling |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/9/4647 |
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