Exercise 3.

1: Surface Analysis

In this exercise, explore advanced techniques for surface analysis in

GIS, focusing on elevation data and its applications. Practice methods
such as slope analysis, and viewshed analysis to gain insights into
terrain characteristics and visibility patterns.
Contents

•Surface analysis
o Creating Contours from a DEM
o Creating Slope from a DEM
o Creating Aspect from a DEM
o Creating TIN from Contours
o Creating DEM from TIN
o Creating a Hillshade from a DEM
o Creating View shade from DEM
Surface Analysis Exercises Overview:
Creating Contours from a DEM:
Learn how to generate contour lines, representing elevation levels, from a Digital
Elevation Model (DEM). Contours provide a clear visualization of the terrain's
shape and elevation differences.
Creating Slope from a DEM:
Understand how to calculate slope values from a DEM. Slope analysis helps
identify steep and gentle areas of the terrain, valuable for various applications like
land suitability assessments.
Creating Aspect from a DEM:
Explore how to determine aspect, representing the slope's orientation (e.g., north-
facing, south-facing), from a DEM. Aspect analysis aids in understanding sunlight
exposure and ecological assessments.
Creating TIN from Contours:
Practice creating a Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) from contour lines. TIN
models provide a detailed representation of the terrain's surface, beneficial for
terrain visualization and analysis.
Creating DEM from TIN:
Master the process of converting a TIN model back into a Digital Elevation Model
(DEM). DEMs are commonly used for various GIS applications and can be derived
from TIN data.
Creating a Hillshade from a DEM:
Learn how to generate a Hillshade, a shaded relief representation of the terrain,
from a DEM. Hillshading enhances the visualization of the terrain, highlighting its
features using simulated illumination.
Creating Viewshed from DEM:
Surface Analysis Using DEM Data In ArcGIS
A digital elevation model (DEM) is a digital file consisting
of terrain elevations. It is a raster (grid) representation
of a continuous surface where each cell value in the
raster represents elevation. Patterns that are not readily
apparent in the DEM can be derived from it such as
contours, slope, aspect [steepest downslope direction],
hillshade [shaded relief] and viewshed [line of sight].
 To get accurate results from surface analysis, you
must make sure that the data has been projected. If the
data has a geographic coordinate system but no
projected coordinate system, use the Project Raster
tool to project the data to an appropriate projected
coordinate system.
To use Surface Analysis Tools you first need to activate
the Spatial Analyst Extension.
1) Creating Contours from a DEM
Contours can be useful for finding areas of the same
value. You may be interested in obtaining elevation
values for specific locations and examining the overall
gradation of the land.
Procedure:
1) Open ArcToolbox. Expand Spatial Analyst Tools >
Surface > double-click on Contour.
2) For Input raster, select the DEM from the drop-down
box.
3) For Output polyline features, Browse to where you
would like to save the output and give it a meaningful
name.
4) For Contour interval, type the desired distance
between contours in map units.
5) Type a Base contour from which to start contouring,
or leave the default of 0.
2) Creating TIN from Contours
TINs (Triangulated Irregular Networks) are a
vector-based data structure that partitions
geographic space into contiguous, non-overlapping
triangles. The vertices of each triangle are sample
data points with x-, y-, and z-values (used to
represent elevations). A TIN is a complete planar
graph that maintains topological relationships
between its constituent elements: nodes, edges,
and triangles.
Procedure:
1) Open ArcToolbox. Expand 3D Analyst Tools > Data
Management > TIN > double click on Create TIN.
2) For Output TIN, Browse to where you would like to save
the output and give it a meaningful name.
3) Coordinate System: The spatial reference of the
output TIN should be set to a projected coordinate
3) Creating DEM from TIN

Procedure:
1) Open ArcToolbox. Expand 3D Analyst Tools >
Conversion> From TIN > TIN to Raster> double click
on TIN to Raster.
2) For Input TIN> from drop down menu add TIN
3) For Output Raster, Browse to where you would like to
save the output and give it a name DEM.
4) Keep others optional as default as it is.
5) For Sampling distance> from drop down menu select
Cell size instead of observation.
6) Click OK and you can create a DEM.
4) Creating Slope from a DEM:
The Slope tool: calculates the maximum rate of change between each cell and
its neighbors, for example, the steepest downhill descent for the cell (the
maximum change in elevation over the distance between the cell and its
eight neighbors).
 Every cell in the output raster has a slope value. The lower the slope value, the
flatter the terrain; the higher the slope value, the steeper the terrain.
 The output slope raster can be calculated as percent of slope or degree of slope.
Procedure:
1. In ArcToolbox, expand Spatial Analyst Tools > Surface > double-click on
Slope.
2. For Input raster, select the DEM from the drop-down box.
3. For Output raster, Browse to where you would like to save the output and
give it a meaningful name.
4. Choose the Output measurement units.
5. Specify a z-factor if your z units are in a different unit of measure than your x,y
units. Z units are multiplied by the z factor specified to convert the z units to
the same unit of measure as the x y units. [If x y units are kilometres and z
units are metres specify the z units as 0.001 [1km/1000m = 0.001km/m]
6. 6. Click OK.
5) Creating Aspect from a DEM
Aspect identifies the steepest downslope direction from each cell to its
neighbors.
 It can be thought of as slope direction or the compass direction a
hill faces.
 Aspect is measured clockwise in degrees from 0, due north, to 360,
again due north, coming full circle.
 The value of each cell in an aspect dataset indicates the direction
the cell's slope faces.
 Flat areas having no downslope direction are given a value of -1.
Procedure:
1. In ArcToolbox, expand Spatial Analyst Tools > Surface > double-click
on Aspect.
2. For Input raster, select the DEM from the drop-down box.
3. For Output raster, Browse to where you would like to save the output
and give it a meaningful name.
4. Click OK.
Surface Aspect
Surface Aspect

Code Slope Direction Slope Angle Range

-1 Flat No Slope
1 North 0° – 22.5°
2 Northeast 22.5° – 67.5°
3 East 67.5° – 112.5°
4 Southeast 112.5° – 157.5°
5 South 157.5° – 202.5°
6 Southwest 202.5° – 247.5°
7 West 247.5° – 292.5°
8 Northwest 292.5° – 337.5°
9 North 337.5° – 360°
6) Creating a Hillshade from a DEM
The Hillshade tool enhances surface visualization by calculating
illumination values for each raster cell based on a hypothetical light
source position. This improves analysis and graphical display,
especially when transparency is employed.
1. In ArcToolbox, expand Spatial Analyst Tools > Surface > double-click on
Hillshade.
2. For Input raster, select the DEM from the drop-down box.
3. For Output raster, Browse to where you would like to save the output and give it
a meaningful name.
4. For the Azimuth value, accept the default. [The default is 315 degrees.]
(Alternatively you can specify the azimuth value you want to use.)
5. For the Altitude value, accept the default. [The default is 45 degrees.]
(Alternatively you can specific the value you want to use.)
6. Optionally, check Model shadows. [By checking this option, those cells that will
be in the shadow of another cell will be identified. The output value ranges
from 0-255, with 0 representing the darkness areas and 255 the
brightness areas. By leaving this option unchecked (the default), the local
illumination is calculated whether the cell falls in a shadow or not.]
7. Accept the default Z factor of 1 if the map units are in metres and the z value is
also in metres. Specify a z factor if your z units are in a different unit of measure
than your x y units. [e.g. if your x and y map units are in kilometres and your z
units are in meters you would specify a Z factor of 0.001][Z units are multiplied by
the z-factor specified to convert the z units to the same unit of measure as the x,y
Hillshade parameters
The primary factor when creating a hillshade map for
any particular location is the location of the sun in the
sky.
Azimuth
The azimuth is the angular direction of the sun,
measured from north in clockwise degrees from 0 to 360.
An azimuth of 90 degrees is east. The default azimuth is
315 degrees (NW).

Altitude
The altitude is the slope or angle of the illumination source above the
horizon. The units are in degrees, from 0 (on the horizon) to 90 (overhead).
The default is 45 degrees
7) Creating Viewshed from a DEM
Viewshed(line-of-sight): identifies the cells in an input raster that can
be seen from one or more observation points or lines. If you have only one
observer point, each cell that can see that observer point is given a value of one.
All cells that cannot see the observer point are given a value of zero. A viewshed
from a DEM involves identifying visible and obstructed areas from a specific
location on the terrain. Viewshed is useful when you want to know how visible
objects might be—for example, How much of the landscape will be visible from
fire monitoring towers? Or what will the view be from this road?
Procedure:
1. In ArcToolbox, expand Spatial Analyst Tools > Surface > double-click on
Viewshed.
2. For Input raster, select the DEM from the drop-down box.
3. For Input point or polyline observer features, select the feature layer to use
as observer points.
4. For Output raster, Browse to where you would like to save the output and
give it a meaningful name.
5. Specify a z-factor if your z units are in a different unit of measure than your x,y
units.
6. Click OK.
Viewshed Delineation
Urban Viewshed
Sun Viewshed and Shading
 OU
K Y
A N
TH