3D Convex Hulls Reference

Susan Hert and Stefan Schirra

This package provides functions for computing convex hulls in three dimensions as well as functions for checking if sets of points are strongly convex or not. One can compute the convex hull of a set of points in three dimensions in two ways: using a static algorithm or using a triangulation to get a fully dynamic computation.

Introduced in: CGAL 1.1
Depends on: The dynamic algorithms depend on 3D Triangulations.
BibTeX: cgal:hs-ch3-24a
License: GPL
Windows Demo: CGAL Lab

A subset \(S \subseteq \mathbb{R}^3 \) is convex if for any two points p and q in the set the line segment with endpoints p and q is contained in \(S\). The convex hull of a set \( S \) is the smallest convex set containing \( S \). The convex hull of a set of points P is a convex polytope with vertices in P. A point in P is an extreme point (with respect to P) if it is a vertex of the convex hull of P.

CGAL provides functions for computing convex hulls in two, three and arbitrary dimensions as well as functions for testing if a given set of points in is strongly convex or not. This chapter describes the functions available for three dimensions.

Assertions

For the convex hull algorithms, the postcondition check tests only convexity (if not disabled), but not containment of the input points in the polygon or polyhedron defined by the output points. The latter is considered an expensive checking and can be enabled by defining CGAL_CHECK_EXPENSIVE.

Classified Reference Pages

Concepts

• ConvexHullTraits_3
• IsStronglyConvexTraits_3

Traits Classes

• CGAL::Convex_hull_traits_3<R>
• CGAL::Extreme_points_traits_adapter_3

Convex Hull Functions

• CGAL::convex_hull_3
• CGAL::extreme_points_3
• CGAL::make_extreme_points_traits_adapter

Convexity Checking Function

• CGAL::is_strongly_convex_3

Halfspace Intersection Functions

• CGAL::halfspace_intersection_3()
• CGAL::halfspace_intersection_with_constructions_3()
• CGAL::halfspace_intersection_interior_point_3()

Modules
	Concepts
	Traits Classes
	Convex Hull Functions
	The function convex_hull_3() computes the convex hull of a given set of three-dimensional points.
	Convexity Checking