I am wondering what would be the best way to move elevation data in Civil 3D Surface XML format into ArcGIS? Would it be better to work with a different format than a Surface XML?
There is a tool within the 3D analyst extension called LandXML to TIN that can create a surface called a Triangular Irregular Network (elevation surface) out of a LandXML file. The new TIN can be read by ArcGIS as an elevation surface.
I believe so, but I will have to verify that is what we are being provided. If not, it appears that as long as we can get the data exported into the LandXML format we should be all set in bringing the data over into ArcGIS.