Creating a 3D model out of a DEM

Question

Hello,

I am struggling with something simple in ArcScene. I have created TINs and DEMs and turned them into 3D surfaces many times in the past but I am struggling for some reason now. I took a series of DEMs from USGS Earth Explorer and stitched them together in ArcMap to create one DEM. I then used this layer for all my geo-recessing. It is in the GCS_WGS_1984 coordinate system, which I did not think was an issue. When I try to select the "floating on a custom surface" selection, it turns my DEM into a weird blob/line figure instead of 3D.

To rectify this, I then used the project tool to change the coordinate system to WGS_1984_UTM_Zone_36N. It still does the same thing when I try to select the "floating on a custom surface selection".

Has anyone ever encountered this before? Is it a glitch?

3D help.jpg

After selecting floating on a custom surface.jpg

IzzadeanMirghani · Answer

Are you stitching the DEM layers together to create one continuous DEM raster and then turning it into the surface you want?

Here are some helpful links:

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/2.8/tool-reference/conversion/multipatch-to-raster.htm

https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.3/analyze/commonly-used-tools/surface-creation-and-analysis.htm

AbraKaiser · Answer

How did you turn your DEM into a surface? I'm trying to turn mine into a multipatch to do an intersection with other multipatches.

IzzadeanMirghani · Answer

The DEM functions normal in ArcMap and in ArcScene without other data or basemaps. It is only when I try to turn it into a 3D model that it starts behaving this way.