Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
the Intersect with Model, I intersected the pit with the surface and deleted the
remainder. The VolumeCalculator21.rb was used to estimate the volume of
rock required to be extracted for the minerals to be mined.
FiG 15.22
Conclusion
The author, who is a geoscientist, found SketchUp, combined with ArcGIS,
a practical tool for visualization and qualitative 3D modeling of small to
medium data sets. To summarize, SketchUp is recommended for geo-
science 3D modeling and visualization under three or more of the following
conditions:
• Thedataandimagesareofsmalltomediumsizeorcanbeabstracted.
• Themodelingisusedforqualitativepurposes,suchasillustrativeand
conceptual purposes, or for the sharing of ideas.
• Forsharedvisualizationbetweenteamsorthepublic.
• Thedataareuncertainorimprecise.
• Whenspecialistsoftwareisnotavailableorinappropriate.
• The2DdataexistinGISorCAD,and3Dvisualizationisrequired.
• ForintegrationwithArcGISorGoogleEarth.
• Whentimeisshortandthebudgetislow.
• FordataentrytospecialistmodelingsystemssuchasSurpac.
• Whenthemodelobjectsarenotattributedwithinformation.
The choice of SketchUp with ArcGIS and Google Earth was invaluable in
locating the mine site through the shifting of the cross sections to fit the
terrain. The SketchUp model location was relocated easily when accurate
GPS information became available. SketchUp was particularly easy to use
for creating drilling options, with section cuts used to visualize the effects
of a particular grid and direction. SketchUp enabled visualization of specific
site issues, including drilling collision avoidance and open cut options, but
does not have the power for quantitative modeling of volumes or collision
analysis. SketchUp exported the mine model to Surpac using AutoCAD file
format where quantitative analysis was to be performed, and the results were
imported back to SketchUp.
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