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Create Terrain From BIM (3D Analyst Tools)

Summary

Creates a terrain surface in an ArcGIS terrain dataset from a TIN surface in an AutoCAD Civil 3D file, or a surface in an Industry Foundation Classes (.ifc) file.

Usage

  • The Input Surface parameter options will be populated with potential input surfaces found within the input file. The tool will scan the input BIM file for surface content. If no surface content is found a message will be provided that there were no surfaces found within the file.

  • This tool uses the Create Terrain tool. The terrain reference scale, resolution and terrain pyramid level parameters for that tool are automatically calculated from the input data.

  • Once the ArcGIS terrain dataset has been created you can change parameters and manage the terrain using the standard terrain dataset tools and workflows independent of the source BIM file. Such changes do not affect the source BIM file.

  • Once a terrain dataset surface is successfully created from this tool, or other terrain creation tools, you can use the Append tool to add surface point feature layers directly from other BIM files to the source points of the terrain surface to accomplish workflows where multiple BIM files are the source for a single terrain dataset surface.

Parameters

Label Explanation Data type

Input BIM Feature Dataset

A Civil 3D CAD file or .ifc file containing the input surface.

Feature Dataset; Dataset; CAD Drawing Dataset; BIM File Workspace

Input Surface

A Civil 3D surface feature class from the Input BIM feature dataset parameter value.

String

Target Geodatabase

The target geodatabase of the new terrain dataset. This must be an existing geodatabase.

Workspace

Output Surface Name

(Optional)

The surface name of the output terrain

String

Output Feature Dataset

(Optional)

The name of the new terrain dataset within the Target Geodatabase parameter value. This must be a new valid terrain dataset name.

String

Spatial Reference

(Optional)

The spatial reference of the new terrain dataset.

Spatial Reference

Output Terrain Name

(Optional)

The name of the new terrain surface.

String

Derived output

Label Explanation Data type

Output Terrain

The new terrain dataset.

Terrain

Output Surface Point Name

The point feature class created from the BIM surface data and used to define the terrain mass points.

Feature Class

Output Surface Boundary Name

The polyline feature class used as a hard line when building the surface.

Feature Class

Output Surface Border Name

The polygon feature class that is the geographic boundary of the surface and will clip mass points and breaklines outside the area.

Feature Class

Output Surface Breakline Name

The polyline feature class that includes breaklines used to define the terrain surface.

Feature Class

Environments

Current Workspace, Auto Commit, Output CONFIG Keyword

Licensing information

  • Basic: Requires 3D Analyst
  • Standard: Requires 3D Analyst
  • Advanced: Requires 3D Analyst