Modeling geospatial barriers

Abstract

This paper discusses geospatial barriers modeled as a specialized class of boundaries. This work shows how these concepts contribute to a broader ontology of boundaries. Barriers are modeled as subclasses of the DOLCE class endurant. Other endurants include the objects a barrier protects, i.e., target objects, and the objects that a barrier hinders, i.e., active objects. Two classes related to barriers, active objects, and target objects -- enclose and block - are modeled as perdurants. The distance measurements necessary for determining these endurant and perdurant classes are modeled as qualities. Different combinations of these classes are examined in order to model how barriers can be strengthened, as well as illustrate additional cases involving boundaries as barriers.