topic Re: Fill not removing peaks in ArcGIS Spatial Analyst Questions

Fill not removing peaks

ScottWagoner — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 13:25:59 GMT

I have a high resolution DEM scanned from mobile LiDAR. From this I need to create 3D curbs. The problem is, where the curbs are, there are peaks of data (Could have been a small bush, car, bug) After some research, the Fill tool seemed to be the most promising. I ran it, but my DEM never seemed to change:

Orginal DEM:

After running Fill:

As you can see they are pretty much identical. I ran the Fill tool with Z values left blank, and with Z values filled it. Both ways kept the data the same. The Filled DEM and the Original both have the same elevation.

Am I running the tool wrong? What would be the best way to remove the peaks and smooth out the DEM?

Re: Fill not removing peaks

DanPatterson_Retired — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 14:34:54 GMT

Fill, fills depressions, it doesn't remove peaks unless you invert the dem

Fill—Help | ArcGIS Desktop

To get rid of your sample peak would probably require several runs of a Focal Mean or Focal Minimum

Re: Fill not removing peaks

ScottWagoner — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 14:38:28 GMT

Thanks for the reply, I was under the impression that it did both, fill and smooth. I will mess around with the Focal Mean tool and see what comes from it.

Re: Fill not removing peaks

DanPatterson_Retired — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 14:47:44 GMT

Scott, your peak isn't a spurious cell of elevated elevation, it has a pretty substantial areal coverage so it wouldn't be a sudden change in the localized trend

How Fill works—Help | ArcGIS Desktop

Re: Fill not removing peaks

Anonymous User — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 15:16:05 GMT

Hi Scott,

Not sure if you have access to ArcGIS Pro 2.4.1, but Pixel Editor was included with that release. That would offer a manual method of fixing the bumps, especially if there aren't very many:

Pixel Editor in ArcGIS Pro—ArcGIS Pro | ArcGIS Desktop

Best,

Lauren

Re: Fill not removing peaks

ScottWagoner — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 19:08:08 GMT

Since it looks like I won't be able to get rid of the peaks, is there a way to smooth the curb without reshaping it, bit by bit?

Re: Fill not removing peaks

DanPatterson_Retired — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 19:46:45 GMT

Can you think your points first? it may be a case where less is more