A plastic, dynamic and reducible 3D geometric model for simulating gramineous leaves

Abstract

Unlike trees, the 3D architecture of gramineous plants is much more related to the shapes of its leaves than the arrangement of its branches. Many modelling efforts have thus concentrated on correctly capturing its complex shape at different stages and use them as scalable geometric primitives. Still, additional control of such objects is needed in the context of Functional Structural Modelling. The objective of this work is to propose a plastic and dynamic 3D leaf model that is well suited for such uses, still able to capture a variety of observed static shapes. Leaf shape is modeled by a parametric surface describing leaf midrib curvature, leaf width variation, undulation of leaf margins and twist along the midrib. Meshes can be generated from these surfaces, and reduced using a decimation algorithm. The model can be fitted with data or with curves drawn by user interaction. Morphological operators are defined and allows for plastic deformation of the control curves. The dynamics of shape acquisition can also be specified, and combined with morphological operators to simulate various scenarios of evolution and responses to stresses. The capabilities of the model are demonstrated through several cases of use. Future directions of research are thought to be a better integration of mechanical or physiological constraints that would reduce the model plasticity but avoid user-induced unrealistic simulation.