Generating Contours Generating Contours

f omLiDAR Data f omLiDAR Data from LiDAR Data from LiDAR Data
Marvin H. Treu Marvin H. Treu
University of Nebraska University of Nebraska -- Omaha Omaha University of Nebraska University of Nebraska Omaha Omaha
Objective Objective Objective Objective
Identify the procedures required to produce Identify the procedures required to produce Identify the procedures required to produce Identify the procedures required to produce
two two--foot interval contours across Sarpy foot interval contours across Sarpy
County Nebraska County Nebraska County, Nebraska County, Nebraska
The final product is planned as a submission The final product is planned as a submission
to the ESRI Community Maps Program to the ESRI Community Maps Program to the ESRI Community Maps Program to the ESRI Community Maps Program
Data Data Data Data
Acquired by Nebraska Iowa Regional Acquired by Nebraska Iowa Regional Acquired by Nebraska Iowa Regional Acquired by Nebraska Iowa Regional
Orthophotography Consortium (NIROC) Orthophotography Consortium (NIROC)
Purpose: provide highly accurate high Purpose: provide highly accurate high Purpose: provide highly accurate high Purpose: provide highly accurate high--
resolution data for planning, design, resolution data for planning, design,
research research research research
Collected by Merrick & Co. Collected by Merrick & Co. April 2010 April 2010
GSD: 1.36 meters (4.46 feet) GSD: 1.36 meters (4.46 feet)
RMSEz: meet/exceed 0.3 feet RMSEz: meet/exceed 0.3 feet
Diagrams from ASPRS as cited in: Schuckman, Karen. 2011. GEOG 497D: LIDAR
Technology and Applications. Penn State J ohn A. Dutton e-Education Institute.
Methods Methods Methods Methods
ArcGIS 10 ArcGIS 10 -- 3DAnalyst Surface Contour 3DAnalyst Surface Contour ArcGIS 10 ArcGIS 10 3D Analyst Surface Contour 3D Analyst Surface Contour
Tool processing a geodatabase terrain Tool processing a geodatabase terrain
Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS) Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS) Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS) Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS)
processing of LAS binary file format LiDAR processing of LAS binary file format LiDAR
point data point data point data point data
ArcGIS 10 processing of Merrick ArcGIS 10 processing of Merrick- -generated generated
Di it l T i M d l (DTM) til i ESRI Di it l T i M d l (DTM) til i ESRI Digital Terrain Model (DTM) tiles using ESRI Digital Terrain Model (DTM) tiles using ESRI
Contour Harvester python script Contour Harvester python script
Methods Methods Methods Methods
ArcGIS 10 ArcGIS 10 -- 3DAnalyst Surface Contour 3DAnalyst Surface Contour ArcGIS 10 ArcGIS 10 3D Analyst Surface Contour 3D Analyst Surface Contour
Tool processing a geodatabase terrain Tool processing a geodatabase terrain
Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS) Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS) Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS) Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS)
processing of LAS binary file format LiDAR processing of LAS binary file format LiDAR
point data point data point data point data
ArcGIS 10 processing of Merrick ArcGIS 10 processing of Merrick- -generated generated
Di it l T i M d l (DTM) til i ESRI Di it l T i M d l (DTM) til i ESRI Digital Terrain Model (DTM) tiles using ESRI Digital Terrain Model (DTM) tiles using ESRI
Contour Harvester python script Contour Harvester python script
Methods Methods Methods Methods
ArcGIS 10 ArcGIS 10 -- 3DAnalyst Surface Contour 3DAnalyst Surface Contour ArcGIS 10 ArcGIS 10 3D Analyst Surface Contour 3D Analyst Surface Contour
Tool processing a geodatabase terrain Tool processing a geodatabase terrain
Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS) Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS) Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS) Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS)
processing of LAS binary file format LiDAR processing of LAS binary file format LiDAR
point data point data point data point data
ArcGIS 10 processing of Merrick ArcGIS 10 processing of Merrick- -generated generated
Di it l T i M d l (DTM) til i ESRI Di it l T i M d l (DTM) til i ESRI Digital Terrain Model (DTM) tiles using ESRI Digital Terrain Model (DTM) tiles using ESRI
Contour Harvester python script Contour Harvester python script
Methods Methods Methods Methods
ArcGIS 10 ArcGIS 10 -- 3DAnalyst Surface Contour 3DAnalyst Surface Contour ArcGIS 10 ArcGIS 10 3D Analyst Surface Contour 3D Analyst Surface Contour
Tool processing a geodatabase terrain Tool processing a geodatabase terrain
Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS) Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS) Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS) Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS)
processing of LAS binary file format LiDAR processing of LAS binary file format LiDAR
point data point data point data point data
ArcGIS 10 processing of Merrick ArcGIS 10 processing of Merrick- -generated generated
Di it l T i M d l (DTM) til i ESRI Di it l T i M d l (DTM) til i ESRI Digital Terrain Model (DTM) tiles using ESRI Digital Terrain Model (DTM) tiles using ESRI
Contour Harvester python script Contour Harvester python script
Results Results ArcGIS/Geo ArcGIS/Geo--DB Terrain DB Terrain Results Results ArcGIS/Geo ArcGIS/Geo DB Terrain DB Terrain
Produces contours with sharp bends; Lines Produces contours with sharp bends; Lines Produces contours with sharp bends; Lines Produces contours with sharp bends; Lines
not bound by breaklines which contributes not bound by breaklines which contributes
to frequent anomalies to frequent anomalies qq
Point File Information Tool Point File Information Tool
Valuable statistical information about the LiDAR Valuable statistical information about the LiDAR
data field data field
Useful for quality control Useful for quality control
Quickest method of the three for contour Quickest method of the three for contour
generation generation
Results Results MARS/LiDAR LAS points MARS/LiDAR LAS points Results Results MARS/LiDAR LAS points MARS/LiDAR LAS points
Smoother contours (than method 1) Smoother contours (than method 1) S oo o ou s ( a od ) S oo o ou s ( a od )
Respects breakline boundaries Respects breakline boundaries
Can adjust many parameters (amount of Can adjust many parameters (amount of j y p ( j y p (
smoothing, min. contour length) smoothing, min. contour length)
Can edit point cloud (maintain original files) Can edit point cloud (maintain original files)
Edge Edge--tying of contours required in post tying of contours required in post- -
processing processing
C t i t i C b l b C t i t i C b l b Computer processor intensive; Can be labor Computer processor intensive; Can be labor
intensive intensive
Can be time consuming but provides Can be time consuming but provides Can be time consuming, but provides Can be time consuming, but provides
excellent results excellent results
Results Results -- ArcGIS/LiDAR DTMtiles ArcGIS/LiDAR DTMtiles Results Results ArcGIS/LiDAR DTM tiles ArcGIS/LiDAR DTM tiles
Produces cartographically pleasing contours Produces cartographically pleasing contours Produces cartographically pleasing contours, Produces cartographically pleasing contours,
but at the expense of some accuracy but at the expense of some accuracy
Edge Edge tying of contours required tying of contours required Edge Edge--tying of contours required tying of contours required
Contours respect breaklines built Contours respect breaklines built--in to DTM in to DTM
til til tiles tiles
Contour script takes hours to run, but Contour script takes hours to run, but
produces excellent results produces excellent results
Conclusions Conclusions Conclusions Conclusions
Contouring a geodatabase terrain? Contouring a geodatabase terrain? Contouring a geodatabase terrain? Contouring a geodatabase terrain?
PPerform a terrain erform a terrain--to to--raster conversion raster conversion
before contouring before contouring before contouring before contouring
Contouring a large area? Want Contouring a large area? Want
cartographically pleasing contours? cartographically pleasing contours? UUse se cartographically pleasing contours? cartographically pleasing contours? UUse se
ESRIs Contour Harvester script ESRIs Contour Harvester script
E i i i i i d? E i i i i i d? UU Engineering precision required? Engineering precision required? Use Use
Merricks Merricks MARS MARS software software
Note: Based on preliminary, qualitative analysis on a single dataset Note: Based on preliminary, qualitative analysis on a single dataset
The Changing Landscape The Changing Landscape