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3-D Analysis of Tacoma
Median Income and Child Density
How to use 3D Topographical Modeling
ArcScene: "ArcScene is a 3D visualization application that allows you to view your GIS data in three dimensions. ArcScene allows you to overlay many layers of data in a 3D environment." -ESRI
To analyze Tacoma median income and populations density, layers were created in ArcMap using data from the US Census, and the City of Tacoma that included streets and neighborhoods. The data was collected was county wide, so the layer had to be clipped to City of Tacoma boundary. This 2D data was then transferred into ArcScene and ArcMap closed. See figures 1-4 below, showing the layers in ArcMap being transferred to the facility.
ArcMap
Tacoma elevation raster to hillshade
ArcMap
Tacoma elevation raster to hillshade
Figure 1.
Figure 2.
ArcMap
Streets overlayed on Tacoma hillshade
Figure 3.
ArcScene
3D Topography
Figure 4.
Census Data
Can you make your Census data 3D? Yes you can. You will need to join your tabular data with an existing shape file. The example to the left, shows Washington State block group data clipped to pierce county, and Tacoma income levels classified from high to low within Tacoma city boundary. (figure 1) Some GIS tools used to do this was "feature to point" and "IDW Interpolation Method." The product will be a raster of Tacoma median income. (figure 2)
Then we move to ArcScene to create the 3D. The layers created above in ArcMap will be added to ArcScene. These will not overlay correctly until you exaggerate the vertical dimension of the layers, which is done under Properties Settings, Base Height Tab, as shown in figure 3.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Make your US Census Data 3 Dimenstional
GIS - Community Planning Tool
ArcMap provides a look into the city at many views and angles. ArcScene allows you to add depth to these views using 3D modeling. This is done by exaggerating the vertical dimensions of your layers using the ArcScene properties settings.
Creating a 3D model of the city's demographic gives you a visual of the peaks and valleys, giving planners a new view on the city. An analysis was done to compare Tacoma's median income with the populations density of children 10 and under. Tacoma's neighborhood boundaries were added as well. One could use this process to add other layers as well to identify is there is a correlations to income and or children.
Utilizing these GIS tools allows Tacoma City Officials to look at the city with a "new perspective on the social fabric of their city." (Lund)
Poster of Tacoma Median Income and Child Density
