This document summarizes Christian Dahmen's presentation on creating, managing, and sharing 3D cities with FME. The presentation examines 3D data modeling concepts and standards like CityGML. It provides examples of how LiDAR data can be used to generate 3D models combining GIS, CAD, and BIM data. The document also discusses strategies for sharing 3D content and how FME can be used for 3D data integration tasks like translating between formats and transforming 2D data to 3D. Case studies from Karlsruhe, Augsburg, and the Netherlands are presented that illustrate real-world FME applications.

1. CONNECT. TRANSFORM. AUTOMATE.
Creating, Managing and
Sharing 3D Cities with FME
Christian Dahmen
Consultant, con terra GmbH, Germany

2. Abstract (Hidden Slide)
! Decades after GIS went 3D for the first time, currently there is an
enormous hype on creating and managing smart 3D Virtual Cities.
Driven by the ongoing integration of BIM, CAD and GIS data, data
transformation capabilities are more important than ever before. This
presentation will examine basic concepts on 3D Data modelling and
data standards like CityGML, Esri’s 3D City Information Model and
IFC (Industry Foundation Classes). Examples illustrate how LiDAR data
sets can be used to generate terrain models and 3D Data Models in
combination with 2D GIS and CAD data. In addition, strategies for
sharing and publishing 3D content will be demonstrated. Attendees
will get an understanding of how 3D data integration tasks can be
solved with FME.

3. Agenda
! Introduction
! 3D Virtual Cities and CityGML
! 3D Stories across Europe
! Outlook

4. con terra Facts
! Founded in 1993
! Spin-off of the University of Muenster, Institute
for Geoinformatics
! Part of the Esri Deutschland Group
! 110 employees
! Development and design of company-wide GIS
infrastructures & System Integrator
! Platinum Partner of Safe Software

5. Back in 2009…
! The beginning of a (new)
3D era
! First 3D Virtual City
Models and applications
! CityGML - a semantic 3D
data model and exchange
format

6. …Today
! Almost all cities and municipalities in Germany do
have their Virtual 3D City Models
! Different Level of Details
! Main purposes are visualisation (tourism,
architecture, urban planning), solar potential and
shadow analysis
! Data model based on CityGML

7. CityGML
! CityGML is a data model and exchange format for
virtual 3D city models
! Modeling of all relevant parts of a virtual city
according to semantics, geometry, topology and
appearance
! GML 3 application schema (XML based)
! CityGML 1.0.0 is OGC Standard since 2008
! Current version is 2.0.0

8. CityGML modules
Building Module
CityFurniture Module
Relief Module
Transportation Module
Vegetation Module
WaterBody Module
Tunnel Module
Bridge Module

9. CityGML | Characteristics
! Modularisation (Thematic Model)
! Buildings, Roads, CityFurniture,…
! Generic city objects and attributes
! Application Domain Extensions (ADE)
! Coherence of semantics and geometry
! Explicit relations between semantic objects and
their geometrical representation (B-Rep)

10. CityGML | Characteristics
! Multi-Scale Modeling [Level of Detail]
! From landscape up to interior model
! LOD 0 – Regional
model
! LOD 1 – City
model
! LOD 2 – City
model with explicit
roof structure
! LOD 3 – Detailed
architectural
model
! LOD 4 – Interior
model

11. Where is FME used?
! Visualize 3D data (FME Data Inspector)
! Format translation
! Data transformation from 2D to 3D
! Integration of BIM, CAD, LiDAR and GIS data
! Sharing and publishing 3D content
! …

12. 3D Stories across Europe
! City of Karlsruhe
! City of Augsburg
! Geonovum

13. #1 City of Karlsruhe
! City of Karlsruhe
! Population: 296.000
! Area: 173 km²
! Buildings : 85.000
(cadastre)

14. 3D Models - Components
Level of Detail 1
Level of Detail 2
(simple)
Level of Detail 2
(Downtown only)
Level of Detail 2
(photo-realistic)
Level of Detail 3
(Landmarks)
Land Use
Bridges and
Tunnels
Monuments
Vegetation
City Furniture

15. System Architecture
City of Karlsruhe

16. Live Demonstration
! From CAD (Level of Detail 2) to CityGML
! Solution
! FME Desktop
! Automatic data trans-
formation from DXF
to CityGML

17. #2 City of Augsburg
! City of Augsburg
! Population: 270.000
! Area: 147 km²
! Buildings: 130.000

18. The Situation
! Geospatial information at City of Augsburg
! 130.000 buildings, 100.000 land parcels, 500.000
topographic parcels, 48.000 addresses, 52 million
DEM points
! historic maps and data from other city government
departments
! Established FME workflows to integrate this data
into a 3D CityModel stored in Esri Geodatabase

19. The Challenge
! How to provide the non-GIS people in the
organization with access to the city model data?
! No or little experience using ArcGIS
! How to handle repeated data requests for the
entire organization without exhausting GIS
resources?

20. The Solution I
! Solution
! Geodatabase to 3D PDF transformation workflow
(FME Desktop)
! Integrate FME Server into ArcGIS Server web
mapping platform for self-serve data download via
the web

21. The Solution II
! Users draw a polygon
of the area they
are interested
! FME Server queries
the Geodatabase
and automatically
transform and
deliver the data
to the user as a 3D PDF

22. #3 Geonovum, The Netherlands
! The Netherlands’
National Spatial Data
Infrastructure executive
committee

23. The Challenge
! Automatic construction of 3D data from 2D and
laser scan data
! Large scale topography (2D IMGeo CityGML)
! Laser scan data (AHN2, 10 points per sqm)
! 3D CityGML ADE IMGeo

24. The Solution
! Use FME to
! Read and validate source data:
CityGML 2D IMGeo + LiDAR
(AHN2)
! 'Point-On-Polygon' operation
(assign laser data to polygons)
! Write result data: CityGML 3D
IMGeo
! Run + manage the complete
workflow -> Single user interface

25. The Solution II
! User parameters
! 2D IMGeo source file(s)
! BoundingBox
! LiDAR (AHN-2) source file(s)
! LAS thinning amount
! Choose output theme and
LoD (Multi)
! Choose destination filename

26. Outlook
! Current development
! Supporting CityGML as part of Esri‘s ArcGIS for 3D
Cities solution
! Development of CityGML Import and Export Tools
for ArcGIS based on FME (ArcGIS Data
Interoperability Extension)
! Tools will be shipped as a part of Esri‘s 3D City
Information Model

27. CityGML and ArcGIS for 3D Cities
! Lossless Import and Export ETL Tools
! Covers ~15 most common types from CityGML
1.0/2.0
! Buildings & Interiors
! Vegetation & LandCover
! For more information
! https://github.com/Esri/3d-cities-template

28. Thank You!
! For more information:
con terra GmbH
fme@conterra.de
Christian Dahmen
c.dahmen@conterra.de
@cda4all
CONNECT. TRANSFORM. AUTOMATE.