Generate Profile

Generate Profiles

The Generate Profile option to create profiles. Profiles are needed to perform volume calculations (using the Volume and Part Volume options). They are the end area polygons beneath each section line which when combined give the volume.

Profiles are generated along existing section lines (created through the Create Section option) and use the existing triangulations of two surveys (see the Create Triangulation option) for their shape. These automatically generated profiles attempt to form a closed polygon defining the cut and fill areas beneath their section line. Profiles reside as objects in the specified working layer and as such can be edited like any other object.

A single profile is generated as follows:

  1. Registration of the section line onto both surfaces.
  2. At this stage there is a string defining the original surface and a string defining the new surface, both in the vertical plane of the section line. A polygon needs to be formed from these two strings. Assuming you are in a section view:
    • If the two strings intersect, and the intersection point lies in the first segment and/or the last segment of the new surface string, then the program will truncate the segment(s) at their respective intersection point(s). Any truncation point by definition at the intersection of the two surface strings, will form a vertex of the required end area polygon. An intersection anywhere else along the new surface string forces no truncation, just a switch from cut to fill or fill to cut.
    • If there is no intersection, the program extrapolates the first and last segments of the new surface string. If either of these extrapolated segments intersect the original surface string, then they are truncated at their respective intersection point(s). As before, any truncation points will form a vertex of the end area polygon. Otherwise the polygon is formed by joining any remaining untruncated ends (that is, non-extrapolated ends) with a straight line. The cut and fill areas of this polygon become the end area for this section line.

Note

You must open a working layer ( Working Section option) before you can use the Generate Profile option.

Instructions

  • Select Survey menu
  • Select Survey Volumes submenu
  • Select Generate Profile option

Select the current survey layer. This is the layer that has an associated triangulation defining the current surface.

Once selected, the chosen survey is highlighted and you will be asked to confirm your selection. You will then need to select the layer that has an associated triangulation defining the old surface. This selection must also be confirmed.

Note

The choice of current and previous surfaces determines whether material is categorised as cut or fill.

The profiles are then created along the section lines. Use the Rotate icons on the Graphics toolbar to view the profiles, or the icons on the Slice toolbar to view consecutively each profile in its vertical plane (ensure the 'Slice-step' is the same as the 'separation' between the profiles).