Shannon Graup

47 Notley Place Toronto Ontario M4B 2M7

647-921-4930 shannon.graup@gmail.com



GISC9312 Deliverable
1 3D Analysis in
ArcGIS 1
Shannon Graup

4/17/2014
Shannon Graup
47 Notley Place Toronto Ontario M4B 2M7
647-921-4930 shannon.graup@gmail.com


April 17
th
, 2014
GISC 9312-D1
Janet Finlay
Program Coordinator
Niagara College
135 Taylor Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
L0S 1J0




Dear Ms. Finlay,

Re: GISC9312-D1 3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1


Please accept this letter as my formal submission of deliverable 1, 3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1 for
GISC9312 Geospatial Visualization.

During this deliverable various three dimensional surfaces were created using ArcGIS Desktop
Software, primarily ArcMap 10.1 and ArcScene 10.1. The surfaces were created in the study
area of the Niagara Region. The surfaces were created using the 3D analyst extension in
ArcMap 10.1. A variety of surfaces were created including a TIN surface, slope, aspect,
hillshade, viewshed, and a line of sight.
After analyzing the created three dimensional surfaces two specific areas located in the Niagara
Region were analyzed; the QEW Glendale interchange slope and the Niagara escarpment slope
located to the southeast of the Niagara College Glendale campus. It was identified that the
Niagara escarpment slope had a much steeper gradient that the QEW Glendale interchange
slope. Other three dimensional surfaces that were evaluated throughout the study area were
aspect and hillshade surfaces.

If there are any technical issues regarding the deliverable files or you have any questions
regarding the assignment submission please feel free to contact me by phone (647-921-4930)
or e-mail (shannon.graup@gmail.com) at your convenience. I look forward to receiving your
feedback and suggestions.

Sincerely,

Shannon Graup BAH
GIS GM Candidate
SG\

Enclosures
1) GISC9312 Deliverable 1 3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1
3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1
Shannon Graup
shannon.graup@gmail.com
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Table of Contents
List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. i
List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... i
1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Goal ............................................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Study Area ................................................................................................................... 1
2.0 Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 3
3.0 Three-Dimensional Data Analysis ........................................................................................ 4
3.1 Queen Elizabeth Way Glendale Avenue Interchange ....................................................... 5
3.2 Niagara Escarpment Slope facing Niagara College Glendale Campus ............................. 6
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................11
Bibliography ..............................................................................................................................11

List of Figures
Figure 1: Project Study Area; Niagara College Glendale Campus and surrounding area ........................... 2
Figure 2: Sun Position Calculator, Hillshade Altitude & Azimuth Numbers (Honsberg & Bowden). ............. 4
Figure 3: Slope & Aspect of the QEW Glendale Interchange East Facing Slope......................................... 5
Figure 4: Slope in Percent of the Niagara Escarpment facing Glendale Campus ........................................ 6
Figure 5: Line of Sight from Niagara Escarpment to Niagara College Glendale Campus ............................ 7
Figure 6: Viewshed and Line of Sight from Niagara Escarpment to Niagara College Glendale Campus .... 8
Figure 7: TIN Surface & Hillshade of Niagara College Glendale Campus & surrounding area .................... 9
Figure 8: Areas of Full shade on the Niagara College Glendale Campus and Surrounding Area ............. 10

List of Tables
Table 1: Aspect Direction and Corresponding Degree Ranges .................................................................... 3






3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1
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1.0 Introduction
Three-dimensional visualization of geospatial data is an important application that can be used
in data analysis for various projects. Three dimensional surfaces can be used to determine
different aspects of a land surface. Three dimensional surfaces were created during this project
to analyze an area located in the Niagara Region. A TIN surface, slope and aspect surfaces,
hillshade visualization and viewshed analysis were created for this project.
1.1 Goal
The goal in completing this project is to create and analyze three-dimensional data using
ArcGIS Desktop Software. The main ArcGIS Desktop software used during the project is
ArcMap 10.1 and ArcScene 10.1. Three-dimensional data is created using the ArcMap 10.1 3D
Analyst extension. The project is guided by the project terms of reference (Finlay, 2014).
1.2 Study Area
The primary study area for this project is the Niagara College Glendale Campus and the
surrounding area including the Niagara Escarpment and QEW Glendale Interchange. Different
three dimensional aspects of the study area are analyzed throughout the project in the Niagara
escarpment area and the QEW Glendale interchange area. The primary project study areas can
be seen circled in red on the following page in Figure 1.
3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1
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Figure 1: Project Study Area; Niagara College Glendale Campus and surrounding area
3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1
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2.0 Methodology
In order to complete data analysis for this project a number of three-dimensional surfaces were
created in ArcGIS Desktop Software, ArcMap 10.1. The project began with a TIN (triangular
irregular network) surface. The TIN surface was then transformed into a raster surface and from
this surface, slope, aspect, hillshade, and viewshed surfaces were created in ArcMap 10.1 using
the 3D Analyst extension.
To create the TIN surface the 3D analyst tool create TIN was used. Contours and spot
elevation points were used, with their Z (elevation) values. Once the TIN was created it was
transformed into a raster surface using the 3D analyst TIN to raster tool. Finally all of the
remaining surfaces were created using the various 3D analyst tools including slope, aspect,
hillshade, viewshed and line of sight.
One of the three-dimensional surfaces created during the project was aspect. Aspect is the
direction that a slope is facing (ESRI, 2013), it can be measured in degrees and each degree
range corresponds to a direction. There is also a value for flat areas in the surface. Table 1
below shows the possible aspect slope directions and their corresponding degree ranges (ESRI,
2013).
Table 1: Aspect Direction and Corresponding Degree Ranges
Direction Degrees
Flat -1
North 0 22.5
Northeast 22.5 67.5
East 67.5 112.5
Southeast 112.5 157.5
South 157.5 202.5
Southwest 202.5 247.5
West 247.5 292.5
Northwest 292.5 337.5
North 337.5 360

It can be seen in Table 1 that an Aspect of 0 corresponds to a slope facing north.

3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1
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Other three-dimensional surfaces created are slope, hillshade, and viewshed. Slope surfaces
can be created showing the gradient of a slope in either degrees or percentage. A hillshade
surface can be created in the 3D Analyst extension modelling the altitude and azimuth of a
certain area at a certain time. For this project the date of March 21
st
, at 12 noon was modelled.
The corresponding altitude and azimuth for this date was gathered from the PVEducation
website (Honsberg & Bowden). Figure 2 below identifies the altitude and azimuth used to
generate the hillshade surface.

Figure 2: Sun Position Calculator, Hillshade Altitude & Azimuth Numbers (Honsberg & Bowden).
The last three-dimensional surface created for analysis is viewshed. To create a viewshed
surface, an observer location is chosen. The extension then determines what locations in the
three-dimensional surface can be seen from the observer location.
The three-dimensional surfaces created will be shown and analyzed in the data analysis section
of this project summary.
3.0 Three-Dimensional Data Analysis
The three-dimensional surfaces of slope, aspect, hillshade, viewshed are analyzed below. An
additional analysis is completed using a line of sight from the 3D Analyst extension.

3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1
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3.1 Queen Elizabeth Way Glendale Avenue Interchange
The east facing slope located at the Glendale Avenue interchange of the QEW can be seen
circled in Figure 1. The slope and aspect surfaces created of the QEW Glendale Interchange
can be seen below in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Slope & Aspect of the QEW Glendale Interchange East Facing Slope
3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1
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The slope of the east facing hill by the QEW Glendale Interchange varies from 0.4 to
approximately 8. The slope gradient of the hill is not very significant. The aspect of the east
facing QEW Glendale interchange hill varies from East, to Southeast direction. The aspect
values of the slope are approximately 67.5 157.5.
3.2 Niagara Escarpment Slope facing Niagara College Glendale Campus
The Niagara escarpment is located southeast of the Niagara College Glendale Campus. The
slope surface of the Niagara Escarpment can be seen below in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Slope in Percent of the Niagara Escarpment facing Glendale Campus
The slope of the Niagara escarpment has a very steep gradient varying from 20% - 70%. This is
the highest slope that is located in the project study area. This slope is located to the southeast
of the Niagara College Glendale Campus.

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The line of sight can be created using the 3D analyst toolbar. For this analysis a line of sight
was created approximately from an observer point located on the Niagara escarpment towards
the Niagara College Glendale Campus. The line of sight can be seen below in Figure 5 as the
green and red line extending across the map from the escarpment to the Niagara College
Glendale Campus.

Figure 5: Line of Sight from Niagara Escarpment to Niagara College Glendale Campus
The line of sight is overlaid on top of the TIN surface that was created earlier during the project.
The green portion of the line of sight can be seen from the starting location while the red parts of
the line are not viewable. The reason that the red portion is not viewable is because the
observer is located at the top of a steep hill. The red area is much higher up so the observer
cannot seen the land area that is located directly below the slope.

3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1
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A viewshed three dimensional surface was created using the 3D analyst extension. To create a
viewshed an observer point is needed. From this point the extension determines what areas can
be seen and what areas cannot be seen. The viewshed was created at a height of 1.7 meters
high. This height is equivalent to a person approximately 56 tall. The green areas in the
viewshed surface are visible while the pink are not visible. The viewshed surface and the
observer point can be seen below in Figure 6.

Figure 6: Viewshed and Line of Sight from Niagara Escarpment to Niagara College Glendale Campus
The line of sight that was created previous and seen in Figure 5 is overlaid on top of the
viewshed surface created. The line of sight and viewshed surfaces almost perfectly resemble
one another. The red and pink areas overlay each other perfectly, identifying the areas that
cannot be seen from the observer locations. The green areas that are visible also overlay one
another perfectly, identifying what areas can be seen from the observer locations.

3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1
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A three dimensional surface was created in ArcScene 10.1 and exported and inserted into a
formal map layout, located below in Figure 7.


Figure 7: TIN Surface & Hillshade of Niagara College Glendale Campus & surrounding area
The hillshade surface created used the altitude and azimuth values from March 21, 2014,
12:00pm. The altitude and azimuth values used were 46.27 and 171.36 respectively. These
values can be seen located in Figure 2. The hillshade surface is located in the 3D map from
ArcScene. The values in the hillshade vary from 68 to 219. These values were reclassified to
show only the areas that experience full shade. Hillshade values can vary from 0 to 255, where
0 is complete shade and 255 is complete sunlight. The midpoint of the hillshade values is 127.5.
The values were reclassified in ArcMap 10.1 using the reclassify tool. All values that were from
0 to 127.5 were classified as full shade, as they only experience half of full sunlight. Any other
values were classified as no data, causing them to not be viewable on the surface. The map
layout showing the full shade values located directly southeast of the Niagara College Glendale
campus can be seen on the following page in Figure 8.
3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1
Shannon Graup
shannon.graup@gmail.com
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Figure 8: Areas of Full shade on the Niagara College Glendale Campus and Surrounding Area
3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1
Shannon Graup
shannon.graup@gmail.com
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Conclusion
During this project a number of different three dimensional surfaces were created in ArcGIS
Desktop software. The project began with a TIN (triangular irregular network) surface, and from
that a number of different raster surfaces were created including slope, aspect, hillshade and
viewshed.
After the three dimensional surfaces were created some analysis was completed. The slope
gradient of the Niagara Escarpment located to the southeast of the Niagara College Glendale
campus was identified as being very steep. The slope and aspect of the east facing hill located
at the QEW Glendale Interchange was also identified.

Bibliography
ESRI. (2013). ArcGIS Help 10.1. Retrieved February 2014, from ArcGIS Resources:
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/
Finlay, J. (2014). GISC9312 - Geospatial Visualization Assignment #1, 3D Analysis in ArcGIS 1.
Niagara-on-the-Lake: Niagara College.
Honsberg, C., & Bowden, S. (n.d.). Sun Position Calculator. Retrieved April 07, 2014, from
PVEDUCATION.ORG: http://pveducation.org/pvcdrom/properties-of-sunlight/sun-
position-calculator