Digital twins are on everyone's lips. The design and construction of such digital models is currently occupying a large number of players worldwide. In the context of digital city models, a de facto standard for the exchange and modeling of relevant geodata has existed for some time in the form of CityGML, which is ideally suited as a data basis for digital city twins. This presentation will show how CityGML and other data sources in the ArcGIS system can be used to create digital city twins and how the full potential of the GIS-based analysis and visualization capabilities can be exploited.

1. FME provides access to CityGML in
ArcGIS as a basis for a digital twin

2. Presenters
The
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Andreas Lippold
Principal Product Manager
Esri Inc.
Jens Frolik
Software Engineer
con terra

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Agenda
1. ArcGIS & Digital Twins
1. Digital Twin?
2. ArcGIS as a foundation for a DT
3. Why CityGML in ArcGIS?
2. ArcGIS as Open Platform
1. Interoperability Extension
2. Import CityGML Toolbox
3. What‘s Next?

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ArcGIS & Digital Twins

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Digital Twins

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Digital Twins

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February 20,2019
KatieCostello and Gloria Omale, Gartner
$48B 75% 13% 1/3
estimated industry
value by 2026
use or plan to use
digital twins
already using a
digital twin
of respondents
say digital twins
serve multiple
constituents
Digital Twins Are Entering Mainstream Usage

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Increasing demand to support movement of people and goods. Mobility
Respond to a rapidly changing environment that is causing increased
occurrence of natural disasters.
Disaster Response &
Climate Response
As populations grow and shift geographies there is a demand for a more
sustainable source of power
Energy
Cities are becoming increasingly complex and most are built on
infrastructure and services that are struggling to keep up.
Smart Cities
Buildings and Facilities are struggling to keep up with changing demand for
use.
Smart Facilities
Clean and accessible drinking water should be available to everyone. Water
Business Problems

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Building from Existing Approaches

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Digital Twin Evolution

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Operations
Design /
Construction
Spatial
Planning
Reality Capture
Environmental
Hub
Digital Twin Applications & Solutions

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Why CityGML in ArcGIS?
CityGML Data integration can help to:
• Build city (wide) digital twins
• Break down data silos - Provide a home for CityGML data
• Maintain and update CityGML data
• ArcGIS ecosystem to analyse, simulate and predict using
CityGML data
• Create a Digital Twin

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ArcGIS as Open Platform

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Open Standards

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ArcGIS Data Interoperability Extension
https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/open-vision/initiatives/open-data

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Import CityGML Toolbox
● Development Version :
ArcGIS Pro (2.9.4) – FME 2021.1.2
● Input: CityGML (or Inspire GML) files
● Output: File Geodatabase or Scene Layer Packages

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Key Features
● Vertical profiles in the
CityGML Standard are
representedas one tool
● Tool specific translation
parameter and output formats
● CityGML File Validation
● Full Coordinate System
Support

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● Support for all CityGML Level of Details (LoD):
○ Either explicitly set desired LoD
○ Or let the process detect the highest available LoD per Feature
● Geometry Type Mapping:
○ CityGML allows multiple representationsper Feature (Solid,
Multisurfaces, Thematic Surfaces)
○ Output formats only support exactly one
○ Priorization is done automatically by the process
(Thematic Surfaces → Solid → MultiSurfaces)
Challenges
Image Source: 3DBK TU Delft

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Limitations
● Currently only CityGML v1.0 and 2.0 are supported
● No support for arbitrary user-defined CityGML attributes
● Only standard CityGML classes can be used – no ADE
support
● No data roundtrip possible

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Example: ImportBuildings

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What's Next?

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Possiblenext steps for CityGML in ArcGIS
● CityGML 3.0 Support
● LoD support in I3S
● Implementing the
missing CityGML
profiles
Fly Over Lyon in ArcGIS Pro - CityGML data set

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Possiblenext steps for CityGML in ArcGIS
● Geodatabase Encoding für CityGML 3.0
● IFC Mapping – new toolbox?

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Resources
• BlogPost:
• https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis-pro/3d-
gis/import3dcitydatainarcgis/
• Toolbox:
• https://3dcities.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=7f765465648049d5a9
3ef2dc05b1f52b
• Data Interoperability Extension
• https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/open-vision/initiatives/open-data

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Resources
• Esri Open Vision
• https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/open-vision/overview
• OGC CityGML
• https://github.com/opengeospatial/CityGML-3.0Encodings
• Our Data Interop Partner
• https://www.con-terra.com/
• Customer Example:3D Building Information Service
• https://www.conterra.de/gebaeudeinformationsdienst

26. Thank You!
alippold@esri.com
j.frolik@conterra.de