an algorithm of building extraction in urban area based on improved top-hat transformations and lbp elevation texture

Classification of building and vegetation is difficult solely by LiDAR data and vegetation in shadows can't be eliminated only by aerial images. The improved top-hat transformations and local binary patterns (LBP) elevation texture analysis for building extraction are proposed based on the fusion of aerial images and LiDAR data. Firstly, LiDAR data is reorganized into grid cell, the algorithm removes ground points through top-hat transform. Then, the vegetation points are extracted by normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Thirdly, according to the elevation information of LiDAR points, LBP elevation texture is calculated and achieving precise elimination of vegetation in shadows or surrounding to the buildings. At last, morphological operations are used to fill the holes of building roofs, and region growing for complete building edges. The simulation is based on the complex urban area in Vaihingen benchmark provided by ISPRS, the results show that the algorithm affording higher classification accuracy.