Module 2.1 Lab: Surfaces - TINs and DEMs

 

This week’s lab introduced different methods for working with elevation data and applying them to real-world suitability analysis. I began by creating several raster surfaces from a DEM, including slope, aspect, and reclassified versions of each. These reclassified rasters were then combined into a weighted overlay to build a final ski run suitability map, using weights of 25% aspect, 40% elevation, and 35% slope. The result was visualized in 3D, applying vertical exaggeration, lighting effects, and clear symbology to highlight the areas most suitable for ski runs.

Then, I created and explored TIN models as another way to represent elevation. By adjusting the TIN symbology, I was able to view slope, aspect, and contours, as well as examine the edges of the triangles to better understand how the terrain was being modeled. This showed how TINs preserve the accuracy of the original points while still allowing terrain characteristics to be visualized.

Finally, I compared the TIN to a DEM generated from interpolating the same elevation points (using the Spline method). Contours were created from both the TIN and the interpolated DEM and then compared. The TIN contours were more angular and followed the input points closely, while the DEM contours appeared smoother but sometimes generalized the terrain. This exercise demonstrated how different elevation models can lead to different interpretations of the same landscape.

The image shown above is the TIN model with 100m contours. Notice how the contours are angular and tightly follow the input elevation points, especially in areas of steep terrain. This contrasts with the smoother DEM contours created through interpolation.

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