Plane
Use this option to provide a plane of best fit from a point cloud or triangulation.
On the Model menu, point to Triangle Utility, then click Plane to display the following panel.
Plane Definition
Plane method
Select from the drop-down list to define a plane with the selected method. See below for explanations of the available plane methods.
Level
A flat plane at the given elevation.
Elevation
The elevation can be defined two ways:
-
Type the elevation into the textbox.
-
Click the Define button and then digitise the elevation on the screen.
Interactive
The Interactive button can be used to display the current plane definition or change it by dragging the handles around.
Easting
A vertical plane at the given easting.
Easting
The easting can be defined two ways:
-
Type the easting into the textbox.
-
Click the Define button and then digitise the easting on the screen.
Interactive
The Interactive button can be used to display the current plane definition or change it by dragging the handles around.
Northing
A vertical plane at the given northing.
Northing
The northing can be defined two ways:
-
Type the northing into the textbox.
-
Click the Define button and then digitise the northing on the screen.
Interactive
The Interactive button can be used to display the current plane definition or change it by dragging the handles around.
Line Segment
A plane defined along a selected line segment at the given angle (dip).
Dip
Enter the dip angle.
Define
Click this button to select a line segment of an existing object.
Interactive
The Interactive button can be used to display the current plane definition or change it by dragging the handles around.
Two Points
Similar to the Line Segment option, except the segment is defined by interactively defining two points.
Dip
Enter the dip angle.
Define
Click this button to digitise the two points.
Interactive
The Interactive button can be used to display the current plane definition or change it by dragging the handles around.
Three Points
A plane defined by interactively defining three points.
Define
Click this button to digitise the plane, defined by three points.
Interactive
The Interactive button can be used to display the current plane definition or change it by dragging the handles around.
Strike and Dip
A plane defined by the strike and dip.
Strike
Enter the strike angle.
Dip
Enter the dip angle.
X, Y, Z
These fields show the coordinates of the origin of the plane. The origin can be defined by clicking the Define button and digitising it on screen or by entering the coordinates directly into the textboxes.
Define
Click this button to digitise the origin of the plane.
Interactive
The Interactive button can be used to display the current plane definition or change it by dragging the handles around.
Best Fit
A plane determined to be the best fit, in a least squares sense, to a selected point cloud.
Define
Click this button to select the point cloud.
Interactive
The Interactive button can be used to display the current plane definition or change it by dragging the handles around.
Interactive
A plane defined interactively within Vulcan.
Bearing / Plunge
Enter the bearing and plunge angles, or click the Interactive button to select the bearing and plunge interactively.
Interactive
The Interactive button can be used to display the current plane definition or change it by dragging the handles around.
Current View
The current view in Vulcan.
Interactive
The interactive button can be used to display the current plane definition or change it by dragging the handles around.
Explicit
A plane defined by the equation of the plane.
The equation of the plane is ax + by + cz + d = 0.
a, b, c, d
Click the Interactive button to digitise the bearing and plunge, or enter the values for the equation directly into the textboxes.
Interactive
The Interactive button can be used to display the current plane definition or change it by dragging the handles around.
Triangulation Properties
Radius
Enter the radius of the triangulation in distance units that will be representing the plane.
Points
Enter the number of points that will define the outside edge. Three points are the minimum.
Click OK. You will be prompted to define the new triangulation name and display properties in a new panel. See Model > Triangle Files > Properties... for more information on setting triangulation display properties.
