Chapter 62
AABB Tree

Pierre Alliez, Stéphane Tayeb, Camille Wormser

Table of Contents

62.1   Introduction

Figure 62.1:  AABB tree. Left: surface triangle mesh of a mechanical part. Right: AABB tree constructed.

62.2   Interface

• Function do_intersect tests if the input primitives are intersected by the query. This function is fast as it involves only predicates and stops after the first encountered intersection.
• Function number_of_intersected_primitives counts all intersected primitives.
• Function all_intersected_primitives enumerates all intersected primitives ids without constructing the corresponding intersection objects.
• Function any_intersected_primitive returns the first encountered intersecting primitive id (if any) without constructing the corresponding intersection object, and stops after the first encountered intersection. Note that the traversal order of the tree is such that first herein does not refer to any particular ordering of the intersections with respect to the query.

• Function all_intersections detects and constructs all intersection objects with the input primitives.
• Function any_intersection detects and constructs the first encountered intersection and constructs the corresponding object. This function is fast as it stops after the first encountered intersection.

62.3   Examples

62.3.1   Tree of Triangles, for Intersection and Distance Queries

File: examples/AABB_tree/AABB_triangle_3_example.cpp

#include <iostream>
#include <list>

#include <CGAL/AABB_tree.h> // must be inserted before kernel
#include <CGAL/AABB_traits.h>
#include <CGAL/AABB_triangle_primitive.h>

#include <CGAL/Simple_cartesian.h>

typedef CGAL::Simple_cartesian<double> K;

typedef K::FT FT;
typedef K::Ray_3 Ray;
typedef K::Line_3 Line;
typedef K::Point_3 Point;
typedef K::Triangle_3 Triangle;

typedef std::list<Triangle>::iterator Iterator;
typedef CGAL::AABB_triangle_primitive<K,Iterator> Primitive;
typedef CGAL::AABB_traits<K, Primitive> AABB_triangle_traits;
typedef CGAL::AABB_tree<AABB_triangle_traits> Tree;

int main()
{
    Point a(1.0, 0.0, 0.0);
    Point b(0.0, 1.0, 0.0);
    Point c(0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
    Point d(0.0, 0.0, 0.0);

    std::list<Triangle> triangles;
    triangles.push_back(Triangle(a,b,c));
    triangles.push_back(Triangle(a,b,d));
    triangles.push_back(Triangle(a,d,c));

    // constructs AABB tree
    Tree tree(triangles.begin(),triangles.end());

    // counts #intersections
    Ray ray_query(a,b);
    std::cout << tree.number_of_intersected_primitives(ray_query)
        << " intersections(s) with ray query" << std::endl;

    // compute closest point and squared distance
    Point point_query(2.0, 2.0, 2.0);
    Point closest_point = tree.closest_point(point_query);
    FT sqd = tree.squared_distance(point_query);
    std::cout << "squared distance: " << sqd << std::endl;

    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

62.3.2   Tree of Polyhedron Triangle Facets for Intersection Queries

File: examples/AABB_tree/AABB_polyhedron_facet_intersection_example.cpp

#include <iostream>

#include <CGAL/AABB_tree.h> // must be inserted before kernel
#include <CGAL/AABB_traits.h>
#include <CGAL/Polyhedron_3.h>
#include <CGAL/AABB_polyhedron_triangle_primitive.h>

#include <CGAL/Simple_cartesian.h>

typedef CGAL::Simple_cartesian<double> K;
typedef K::Point_3 Point;
typedef K::Plane_3 Plane;
typedef K::Vector_3 Vector;
typedef K::Segment_3 Segment;
typedef CGAL::Polyhedron_3<K> Polyhedron;
typedef CGAL::AABB_polyhedron_triangle_primitive<K,Polyhedron> Primitive;
typedef CGAL::AABB_traits<K, Primitive> Traits;
typedef CGAL::AABB_tree<Traits> Tree;
typedef Tree::Object_and_primitive_id Object_and_primitive_id;
typedef Tree::Primitive_id Primitive_id;

int main()
{
    Point p(1.0, 0.0, 0.0);
    Point q(0.0, 1.0, 0.0);
    Point r(0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
    Point s(0.0, 0.0, 0.0);
    Polyhedron polyhedron;
    polyhedron.make_tetrahedron(p, q, r, s);

    // constructs AABB tree
    Tree tree(polyhedron.facets_begin(),polyhedron.facets_end());

    // constructs segment query
    Point a(-0.2, 0.2, -0.2);
    Point b(1.3, 0.2, 1.3);
    Segment segment_query(a,b);

    // tests intersections with segment query
    if(tree.do_intersect(segment_query))
        std::cout << "intersection(s)" << std::endl;
    else
        std::cout << "no intersection" << std::endl;

    // computes #intersections with segment query
    std::cout << tree.number_of_intersected_primitives(segment_query)
        << " intersection(s)" << std::endl;

    // computes first encountered intersection with segment query
    // (generally a point)
    boost::optional<Object_and_primitive_id> intersection =
        tree.any_intersection(segment_query);
    if(intersection)
    {
        // gets intersection object
        Object_and_primitive_id op = *intersection;
        CGAL::Object object = op.first;
        Point point;
        if(CGAL::assign(point,object))
            std::cout << "intersection object is a point" << std::endl;
    }

    // computes all intersections with segment query (as pairs object - primitive_id)
    std::list<Object_and_primitive_id> intersections;
    tree.all_intersections(segment_query, std::back_inserter(intersections));

    // computes all intersected primitives with segment query as primitive ids
    std::list<Primitive_id> primitives;
    tree.all_intersected_primitives(segment_query, std::back_inserter(primitives));

    // constructs plane query
    Vector vec(0.0,0.0,1.0);
    Plane plane_query(a,vec);

    // computes first encountered intersection with plane query
    // (generally a segment)
    intersection = tree.any_intersection(plane_query);
    if(intersection)
    {
        // gets intersection object
        Object_and_primitive_id op = *intersection;
        CGAL::Object object = op.first;
        Segment segment;
        if(CGAL::assign(segment,object))
            std::cout << "intersection object is a segment" << std::endl;
    }

    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

62.3.3   Tree of Polyhedron Triangle Facets for Distance Queries

File: examples/AABB_tree/AABB_polyhedron_facet_distance_example.cpp

#include <iostream>

#include <CGAL/AABB_tree.h> // must be inserted before kernel
#include <CGAL/AABB_traits.h>
#include <CGAL/Polyhedron_3.h>
#include <CGAL/AABB_polyhedron_triangle_primitive.h>

#include <CGAL/Simple_cartesian.h>

typedef CGAL::Simple_cartesian<double> K;
typedef K::FT FT;
typedef K::Point_3 Point;
typedef K::Segment_3 Segment;
typedef CGAL::Polyhedron_3<K> Polyhedron;
typedef CGAL::AABB_polyhedron_triangle_primitive<K,Polyhedron> Primitive;
typedef CGAL::AABB_traits<K, Primitive> Traits;
typedef CGAL::AABB_tree<Traits> Tree;
typedef Tree::Object_and_primitive_id Object_and_primitive_id;
typedef Tree::Point_and_primitive_id Point_and_primitive_id;

int main()
{
    Point p(1.0, 0.0, 0.0);
    Point q(0.0, 1.0, 0.0);
    Point r(0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
    Point s(0.0, 0.0, 0.0);
    Polyhedron polyhedron;
    polyhedron.make_tetrahedron(p, q, r, s);

    // constructs AABB tree and computes internal KD-tree 
    // data structure to accelerate distance queries
    Tree tree(polyhedron.facets_begin(),polyhedron.facets_end());
    tree.accelerate_distance_queries();

    // query point
    Point query(0.0, 0.0, 3.0);

    // computes squared distance from query
    FT sqd = tree.squared_distance(query);
    std::cout << "squared distance: " << sqd << std::endl;

    // computes closest point
    Point closest = tree.closest_point(query);
    std::cout << "closest point: " << closest << std::endl;

    // computes closest point and primitive id
    Point_and_primitive_id pp = tree.closest_point_and_primitive(query);
    std::cout << "closest point: " << pp.first << std::endl;
    Polyhedron::Face_handle f = pp.second; // closest primitive id
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

62.3.4   Tree of Segments for Intersection and Distance Queries

File: examples/AABB_tree/AABB_segment_3_example.cpp

#include <iostream>
#include <list>

#include <CGAL/AABB_tree.h> // must be inserted before kernel
#include <CGAL/AABB_traits.h>
#include <CGAL/AABB_segment_primitive.h>

#include <CGAL/Simple_cartesian.h>

typedef CGAL::Simple_cartesian<double> K;

typedef K::FT FT;
typedef K::Point_3 Point;
typedef K::Plane_3 Plane;
typedef K::Segment_3 Segment;
typedef K::Triangle_3 Triangle;

typedef std::list<Segment>::iterator Iterator;
typedef CGAL::AABB_segment_primitive<K,Iterator> Primitive;
typedef CGAL::AABB_traits<K, Primitive> Traits;
typedef CGAL::AABB_tree<Traits> Tree;

int main()
{
    Point a(1.0, 0.0, 0.0);
    Point b(0.0, 1.0, 0.0);
    Point c(0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
    Point d(0.0, 0.0, 0.0);

    std::list<Segment> segments;
    segments.push_back(Segment(a,b));
    segments.push_back(Segment(a,c));
    segments.push_back(Segment(c,d));

    // constructs the AABB tree and the internal search tree for 
    // efficient distance computations.
    Tree tree(segments.begin(),segments.end());
    tree.accelerate_distance_queries();

    // counts #intersections with a plane query
    Plane plane_query(a,b,d);
    std::cout << tree.number_of_intersected_primitives(plane_query)
        << " intersections(s) with plane" << std::endl;

    // counts #intersections with a triangle query
    Triangle triangle_query(a,b,c);
    std::cout << tree.number_of_intersected_primitives(triangle_query)
        << " intersections(s) with triangle" << std::endl;

    // computes the closest point from a point query 
    Point point_query(2.0, 2.0, 2.0);
    Point closest = tree.closest_point(point_query);

    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

62.3.5   Tree of Polyhedron Edge Segments for Intersection and Distance Queries

File: examples/AABB_tree/AABB_polyhedron_edge_example.cpp

#include <iostream>

#include <CGAL/AABB_tree.h> // must be inserted before kernel
#include <CGAL/AABB_traits.h>
#include <CGAL/Polyhedron_3.h>
#include <CGAL/AABB_polyhedron_segment_primitive.h>
#include <CGAL/Simple_cartesian.h>

typedef CGAL::Simple_cartesian<double> K;
typedef K::FT FT;
typedef K::Point_3 Point;
typedef K::Triangle_3 Triangle;
typedef CGAL::Polyhedron_3<K> Polyhedron;
typedef CGAL::AABB_polyhedron_segment_primitive<K,Polyhedron> Primitive;
typedef CGAL::AABB_traits<K, Primitive> Traits;
typedef CGAL::AABB_tree<Traits> Tree;

int main()
{
    Point p(1.0, 0.0, 0.0);
    Point q(0.0, 1.0, 0.0);
    Point r(0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
    Point s(0.0, 0.0, 0.0);
    Polyhedron polyhedron;
    polyhedron.make_tetrahedron(p, q, r, s);

    // constructs the AABB tree and the internal search tree for 
    // efficient distance queries.
    Tree tree(polyhedron.edges_begin(),polyhedron.edges_end());
    tree.accelerate_distance_queries();

    // counts #intersections with a triangle query
    Triangle triangle_query(p,q,r);
    std::cout << tree.number_of_intersected_primitives(triangle_query)
        << " intersections(s) with triangle" << std::endl;

    // computes the closest point from a query point
    Point point_query(2.0, 2.0, 2.0);
    Point closest = tree.closest_point(point_query);

    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

62.3.6   Trees of Custom Primitives

62.4   Performances

We provide some performance numbers for the case where the AABB tree contains a set of polyhedron triangle facets. We measure the tree construction time, the memory occupancy and the number of queries per second for a variety of intersection and distance queries. The machine used is a PC running Windows XP64 with an Intel CPU Core2 Extreme clocked at 3.06 GHz with 4GB of RAM. By default the kernel used is Simple_cartesian<double> (the fastest in our experiments). The program has been compiled with Visual C++ 2005 compiler with the O2 option which maximizes speed.

62.4.1   Construction

The surface triangle mesh chosen for benchmarking the tree construction is the knot model (14,400 triangles) depicted by Figure 62.4.3. We measure the tree construction time (both AABB tree alone and AABB tree with internal KD-tree) for this model as well as for three denser versions subdivided through the Loop subdivision scheme which multiplies the number of triangles by four.

62.4.2   Memory

When using the polyhedron triangle facet primitive (defined in AABB_polyhedron_triangle_primitive.h) the AABB tree occupies approximately 61 bytes per primitive (without constructing the internal KD-tree). It increases to approximately 150 bytes per primitive when constructing the internal KD-tree with one reference point per primitive (the default mode when calling the function tree.accelerate_distance_queries()). Note that the polyhedron facet primitive primitive stores only one facet handle as primitive id and computes on the fly a 3D triangle from the facet handle stored internally. When explicitly storing a 3D triangle in the primitive the tree occupies approximately 140 bytes per primitive instead of 60 (without constructing the internal KD-tree).

The following table provides orders of memory occupancy in MBytes for an increasing number of triangles. As the internal KD-tree used to accelerate the distance queries dominates the memory occupancy, we recommend to specify for large models a lower number of reference point (evenly distributed) to construct the internal KD-tree through the function tree.accelerate_distance_queries(begin,end) which takes an iterator range as input.

62.4.3   Intersections

The following table measures the number of intersection queries per second on the 14,400 triangle version of the knot mesh model for ray, line, segment and plane queries. Each ray query is generated by choosing a random source point within the mesh bounding box and a random vector. A line or segment query is generated by choosing two random points inside the bounding box. A plane query is generated by picking a random point inside the bounding box and a random normal vector. Note that a plane query generally intersects many triangles of the input surface mesh. This explains the low performance numbers for the intersection functions which enumerate all intersections.

Curve 62.4.3 plots the number of queries per second (here the all_intersections function with random segment queries) against the number of input triangles for the knot triangle surface mesh.

Figure 62.2:  Number of queries per second against number of triangles for the knot model with 14K (shown), 57K, 230K and 921K triangles. We call the all_intersections function with segment queries randomly chosen within the bounding box.

The following table measures the number of all_intersections() queries per second against several kernels. We use the 14,400 triangle version of the knot mesh model for random segment queries. Note how the Simple_cartesian kernel is substantially faster than the Cartesian kernel.

62.4.4   Distances

The surface triangle mesh chosen for benchmarking distances is again the knot model in four increasing resolutions obtained through Loop subdivision. In the following table we first measure the tree construction time (which includes the construction of the internal KD-tree data structure used to accelerate the distance queries by up to one order of magnitude in our experiments). We then measure the number of queries per second for the three types distance queries (closest_point, squared_distance and closest_point_and_primitive) from point queries randomly chosen inside the bounding box.

62.4.5   Summary

The experiments described above are neither exhaustive nor conclusive as we have chosen one specific case where the input primitives are the facets of a triangle surface polyhedron. Nevertheless we now provide some general observations and advices about how to put the AABB tree to use with satisfactory performances. While the tree construction times and memory occupancy do not fluctuate much in our experiments depending on the input surface triangle mesh, the performance expressed in number of queries varies greatly depending on a complex combination of criteria: type of kernel, number of input primitives, distribution of primitives in space, type of function queried, type of query and location of query in space.

• Kernel: The type of CGAL kernel turns out to dominate the final execution times, the maximum performances being obtained with the simple Cartesian kernel parameterized with the double precision number type. In applications where the intersection and distance execution times are crucial it is possible to use this kernel for the AABB tree in combination with a more robust kernel for the main data structure.

• Primitives: Although the number of input primitives plays an obvious role in the final performance, their distribution in space is at least equally important in order to obtain a well-balanced AABB tree. Ideally the primitives must be evenly distributed in space and the long primitives spanning the bounding box of the tree root node must be avoided as much as possible. It is often beneficial to split these long primitives into smaller ones before constructing the tree, e.g., through recursive longest edge bisection for triangle surface meshes.

• Function: The type of function queried plays another important role. Obviously the ``exhaustive'' functions, which list all intersections, are slower than the ones stopping after the first intersection. Within each of these functions the ones which call only intersection tests (do_intersect(), number_of_intersected_primitives(), any_intersected_primitive(), all_intersected_primitives()) are faster than the ones which explicitly construct the intersections (any_intersection() and all_intersections()).

• Query: The type of query (e.g., line, ray, segment or plane used above) plays another role, strongly correlated with the type of function (exhaustive or not, and whether or not it constructs the intersections). When all intersection constructions are needed, the final execution times highly depend on the complexity of the general intersection object. For example a plane query generally intersects a surface triangle mesh into many segments while a segment query generally intersects a surface triangle mesh into few points. Finally, the location of the query in space also plays an obvious role in the performances, especially for the distance queries. Assuming the internal KD-tree constructed through the function tree.accelerate_distance_queries(), it is preferable to specify a query point already close to the surface triangle mesh so that the query traverses only few AABBs of the tree. For a large number of primitive data (greater than 2M faces in our experiments) however we noticed that it is not necessary (and sometimes even slower) to use all reference points when constructing the KD-tree. In these cases we recommend to specify trough the function tree.accelerate_distance_queries(begin,end) fewer reference points (typically not more than 100K) evenly distributed over the input primitives.

62.5   Implementation Details

62.6   Design and Implementation History

Camille Wormser and Pierre Alliez started working on a data structure for efficient collision detection in 2007. The generic design for implementing both intersection and distance queries, and for generic queries and primitives was developed by Camille Wormser. In 2009, Pierre Alliez, Stéphane Tayeb and Camille Wormser made the implementation CGAL-compliant, with the help of Laurent Rineau for optimizing the tree construction. The authors wish to thank Andreas Fabri, Jane Tournois, Mariette Yvinec and Sylvain Lefèbvre for helpful comments and discussions.