ArcGIS Desktop: Visualization and Analysis with 3D Analyst

Agenda

• Explore ArcGIS 3D Analyst :– Building 3D visualizations– Performing analysis– Sharing 3D GIS resources

Why 3D?

• Trends– Hardware, entertainment and gaming industry, IT trends making it

more accessible and affordable– Vast global imagery and other datasets more available (affordable)– Emerging on top of web services and web client architectures

• The “wow” factor– More realistic models and maps, e.g. “Virtual Cities”– Takes “the map” to a new dimension (literally)– Visualization is a key component of a GIS

…human beings are wired for 3D

Hydrant?Hydrant!

What is the 3D Analyst Extension?

• Extension to ArcGIS platform– ArcGIS Desktop– ArcGIS Engine– ArcGIS Server

• Sophisticated surface modeling and GIS analysis tools

• Visualize GIS features beyond “2D”

– Realistic landscapes and urban environments, and…

– Sharable and distributable• Desktop• Developer• Web platforms

…Tool for solving many real-world problems

ArcScene

• 3D visualization application– .SXD documents

• Fundamentals:– Provides perspective viewing– Planar display & projections– Geoprocessing (ArcToolbox)– Animations and videos– Great for sub-surface display

• Memory based application– Best for smaller study areas

ArcGlobe

• Desktop Authoring tool– .3DD document files (globe

documents)– Globe display (spherical)– CUBE projection

• Fundamentals:– Unique navigation tools– Geoprocessing (ArcToolbox)– Animations and videos– Publish to ArcGIS Server

• Supports sophisticated memory management

– Ideal for Global datasets– Ideal for large datasets

Key ArcGlobe distinctions (compared to ArcMap)

• Single globe data view– i.e. No layout mode– TOC behaves differently

• Navigation tools– e.g. Fly, Walk, Tilt, …etc.

• Scale is referenced differently– i.e. Distance above surface

• Additional layer properties– But many similarities

(e.g. Join, Definition queries, …etc.)• Supports 3D objects

– For vector layers or graphics

Data and layers in ArcGlobe

• Data does not need to be “3D”– “2D” Vector and raster data sources from your ArcMap maps– Display support for data with z-values

• Layers simply have additional display properties– You can drape, float, or extrude data to give it that 3D feel– Use realistic symbols to display features– Globe display, Elevation, Extrusion, and Cache settings

• Must have a defined spatial reference

Displaying data in ArcGlobe

• Draped– On the globe surface

• Elevation– Defining globe

surface• Floating

– Above or below globe surface

Adding elevation to your globe

• Data sources– TIN (Triangulated Irregular Network), Terrains, Rasters– From a variety of sources (LiDAR, Government, Private, etc.)– Create or interpolate your own from your own survey or input data

What is a 3D Virtual City?

• Realistic feature representations:– Buildings– Other structures– Street furniture– Vegetation– Thematic data

3D Model support

• Place 3D Models as a graphic– Not feature data (no attributes)– No analytical capabilities

• Use the ArcGIS 3D Style files– 100’s of models in the box

• Import your own symbols – COLLADA (.dae), OpenFlight

(.flt), SketchUp 6.0 (.skp), 3ds max (.3ds), or VRML (.wrl), or Billboards (PNG, JPG, BMP, TIF, GIF, etc.).

– Buy or create using 3rd party graphics tools

What is multipatch?

A 3D geometry used to represent the outer surface, or shell, of features that occupy a discrete area or volume in three-dimensional space

• Unique polygon– Geodatabase– Shapefile– With or w/o textures

3D Integration: Working with KML in ArcGIS

• Import and read:– With 3D Analyst in ArcGlobe:

• Direct read with KML Toolbar• Strong support for KML 2.1

– ArcMap:• Data Interoperability Extension• Free ArcScripts user samples to convert to Shapefile

• Exporting to KML (Doesn’t require 3D Analyst extension)– Layer to KML (ArcToolbox)– Map to KML tools (ArcToolbox)

Additional ArcGlobe settings

• Tips– Make newly added visible by

default (disable)– Animation speed– Full extent position– Mouse wheel control

• Globe display settings– “Data frame” properties– Vertical exaggeration– Background colors and effects– Display units

Best practices for ArcGlobe performance

• Keep note of recommended system requirements• Use scale dependency• Manage the use of textures and 3D symbology

– Layer property settings• Practice good cache and memory management• White paper:

– http://support.esri.com/index.cfm?fa=knowledgebase.documentation.viewDoc&PID=54&MetaID=1298

• ArcGIS Desktop system requirements: http://wikis.esri.com/wiki/display/ag93bsr/ArcGIS+Desktop

Globe data caching

• Provides the performance framework required for large datasets and comprehensive 3D visualization

– Improves display performance– Differentiates ArcGlobe from ArcScene

• Two types of caches– Memory Cache

• Assign an amount of the computer's RAM for use by ArcGlobe– Disk Cache

• Tiles are stored on disk for fast retrieval

Tip: For best performance generate full caches for your 3D objects (i.e. textured, multipatch buildings)

3D GIS Analysis

• Geoprocessing framework– Models and scripting support for your workflows– Some overlap with ArcGIS Spatial Analyst extension tools

• Surface Tools– Analysis (Viewshed, Slope, etc)– Creation– Editing

• Data Conversion Tools– Between surface models– From surface models to features– Import 3D models

Surface Analysis

• Real world problem solving– Site selection and suitability modeling

• We cannot build on steep slopes• What if we put this sign here, who can see it?

– Impact studies and analysis• We need to know the amount of dirt to move• We want to calculate sun exposure

• Often used as a sub-model or process in a larger workflow

SlopeMaximum rate of change in elevation or “steepness”

AspectDirection of steepest slope

HillshadeSteepness and direction relative to light source

Surface derivatives

Line of Sight and Viewshed

• Line of sight:– 3D Analyst toolbar tool– Creates a graphic

• Viewshed– ArcToolbox tool– Creates a raster output– 1 = visible; 0 = not visible– Often used as an input in suitability/site selection models

Observer Target

Volumetrics

• Cut Fill– Raster/cell based

• Surface Volume– Both raster and TIN

• TIN specific– TINPolygonVolume– TINDifference– ExtrudeBetween

Sharing 3D visualizations with anyone

• People share maps (3D visualizations are maps)– Results of analysis projects, studies, and problem solving– Globes are eye-catching and interesting– 3D maps feel simpler and more intuitive to use

• How can you build 3D content that can be shared across or outside your organization?

– What if those people are not GIS professionals?– What about sharing content with web based clients?– What if they prefer ArcGIS Explorer or other clients like Virtual Earth or

Google Earth?

Animation in ArcGISVisualizing Change Over Space & Time

• ArcMap– Graphs

• ArcScene• ArcGlobe

. . . Communicating Patterns, Relationships & Processes

Example 1Example 2

Sharing globes to ArcReader

• ArcGlobe documents can be published to ArcReader– Disseminate globes across or outside the network– ArcReader has simplified GIS functionality

• Print, Identify, Play-back animations, Globe navigation tools– ArcGIS Publisher Extension

ArcGIS Server Making GIS Knowledge Available To Anyone

• Publish 3D GIS resources to the web– Globe services

• Authored using ArcGlobe• Accessible to ESRI 3D Clients• GIS Server does not require

3D Analyst license– Geoprocessing services

• Authored using Desktop• Publish models or scripts

(e.g. Viewshed model)• May require Server extension

licensing• Accessible to all clients

Authors

GISServers

ArcGIS Explorer

Web GIS

WebClients

ArcGlobeClients

ArcGIS Explorer Expanding GIS for Everyone

• Free• “Webcentric”• GIS tasks

…Integrating, Visualizing and Analyzing Geographic Information

ArcGIS Online ArcGIS Server

Accessing Maps,Models and Globe Services

3D GIS Summary

• Provides tools for analyzing patterns and trends related to the earth’s surface

– Make decisions– Solve problems

• Evolution of the map– Visualization is a powerful form of communication– Especially to non-GIS professionals

Resources

• ArcGIS Resource Centers– How to’s, Blogs, Documentation, etc…

• ArcGIS Online:– Globe layers and Documents

• Virtual Classroom Training– An Introduction to ArcGIS Explorerhttp://training.esri.com/acb2000/showdetl.cfm?DID=6&Product_ID=937– Learning ArcGIS 3D Analysthttp://training.esri.com/acb2000/showdetl.cfm?DID=6&Product_ID=894