Envisage : Model : Triangle Solid : Create Page 1 of 10

Create
Create a 3D Triangulation
The Create option allows you to construct a 3D triangulation from strings or polygons that
represent a solid body, such as an ore body, dump or stope. Other structures that can be
represented include faults, dykes and underground mine roads. 3D triangulations are used for
volume calculations, block modelling, data isolation and flagging databases.

This option is very similar to the Create Stope option (under the Underground > Stope Design
submenu). The main difference is that the Create Stope option allows for the calculation of
reserves while building the triangulation.

Note:

The Create option will take perimeters or strings displayed on the screen, of either open or
closed polygons and builds triangulations between them. Polygons used for the triangulation
do not have to be co-planar. You can also triangulate polygons through using the Polygons
option.

Diagram 1 - 3D Triangulation of Three Polygons

To achieve accurate 3D models ensure that:

l All strings are in the same direction.

l No duplicate points exist.
l Overturns do not exist in 'end plates' because they are generated using 2D triangulations.

Keep in mind that although the strings may be open or closed, open portions of a polygon will not
be triangulated.

Instructions:
l Select Model menu
l Select Triangle Solid submenu
l Select Create option

The following panel is displayed.

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Create 3D Solid panel

The 3D triangulations can either be built as a single solid or as separate solids.

Build single solid

Select this option if you want to create a single triangulation. Tick the Append resulting
triangulation checkbox if you want to append the new triangulation to a copy of an
existing triangulation. The existing triangulation must be loaded onscreen prior to using
this option. If a triangulation is not loaded, then a message will be displayed when you try
to save the triangulation. Once this message has been accepted, you will be prompted
whether or not to save the new triangulation.

Break solid by strings

Select this option if you want to create separate triangulations between each pair of strings
or polygons. Once each pair of strings has been selected, you will be prompted for the
colour of the triangulation and the shell name.

Tick the Construct first end plate and Construct last end plate checkboxes if you want to
close the beginning and end of the model. Do not tick these checkboxes if you are joining several
triangulations together as you may end up with internal walls that will cause volume problems.
The first and last strings must be closed polygons otherwise you may not get the desired results
when performing volume and reserve calculations.

Use tie strings

Tick this box if you want to guide the triangulation formation using lines between the
polygons.

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Diagram 21 - Forcing the Triangulation with a Tie Line

For complex structures, such as an ore body or stope with folds or overturns, you may
need to force the triangulation to follow a path, which is not necessarily the path that
Envisage would choose. This path is defined by one or more tie-lines that are created prior
to using this option. Each point in a tie line is snapped onto correlated points in successive
polygons.

If this checkbox is not ticked, then Envisage generates what it calculates as the best
triangles to use between two strings. If the generated triangles are not suitable, then you
can add tie strings using interactive ties to constrain the model. Use the Ties option (on
the 3D Create dialog box) to create interactive ties.

Note:
l Make sure that the pick aperture, which is set through the Graphics : Input
section of the Tools > Preferences option, is set such that the tie points and the
string points are within the pick aperture dimension.

For example: If the snap tolerance is set at 10 pixels, then tie-points will only
be snapped onto the required string points if the cursor is within 10 pixels.
Otherwise the tie-points are snapped onto the nearest line segment (where
there is no point) and the tie-line will not be followed when the triangulation is
generated.

The pick aperture is also used to determine if two points are coincident and
must be set to other than zero to have any affect.

l While tie-lines do not have to include all strings/polygons to be used in the

triangulation, a tie-line will only be followed if its points are snapped onto
successive strings or polygons. Two tie lines cannot be drawn from one point in
'polygon A' to two points in 'Polygon B'.

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Optimum triangulation
Select this option if you want to use a complex triangulation algorithm that takes into
account the overall shape, the polygons and the number of points in the polygons, to
construct the best triangles between the two shapes to represent the structure as a solid
object. The time taken to calculate and display the triangles is inversely proportional to the
number of points in the model. The time taken increases exponentially with the number of
points.

User guided triangulation

Select this option if you want to use a triangulation algorithm that produces a 'simplest
case' model. This option, which produces triangulations that are not suitable for complex
structures (unless well defined by tie-lines), should only be used when triangulating long
similar strings.

Use automatic section increment

Tick this box if you want to work in section view. You will need to specify the section width,
which is the increment between the sections.

For example: You may start at a particular Northing and work in 10m increments. Each
time you select a polygon, it will go to the next section, display the data and let you select
the next polygon. The Plane Definition panel will be displayed once this panel has been
completed.

Use fixed section increment

Select this option if you want to set a stepping increment. The stepping increment (section
step) refers to the distance between each section that you want to step. It does not need
to be the same as the section width.

Diagram 32 - Stepping Size

Follow section line

Select this option if you want to follow an existing section line. The nominated line, which
must be digitised or loaded prior to using this option, is a special line where increments are
marked between selected points. For example, you may wish to go 5 metres in one
direction and at the end of this distance go 10 metres in another direction.
Shadow previous string
Tick this box if you want to shadow and temporarily project the last string of the previous
section onto the section plane as you move to the next section. This is particularly useful if
you have much data and are trying to trace through an ore body.

Use crossing triangulation/trification check

Tick this box if you want to check for crossing triangulations and trifications. You should
use this option if you are planning on using the triangulation for volume or reserve
calculations.

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Crossing triangulations
As the triangles are being built, they sometimes pass through and cross each other. If this
occurs, a spatially corrupt solid will be built. Crossing triangulations can produce errors
during other processes. Ticking this checkbox will warn you if triangles cross and will offer
the option of reversing the triangulation. This reversal switches the direction of the second
string and in some instances is sufficient to uncross the solid. The reversal does not affect
the direction of the original data in the object.

Trifications
Trifications (edges with three or more neighbouring triangles) will also result in spatially
corrupt solids. Ticking this checkbox will warn you if trifications exist.

Refer to Check option (under the Model > Triangle Edit submenu) for an explanation of the
tests.

Note:

We recommend that you perform and pass all the tests mentioned in the Check option
before using any triangulation for volume or reserve calculations. Even very small
gaps or inconsistencies, which may not be easily visible on the screen, can sometimes
cause leakage or problems when measuring volumes.

Prompt to close open strings

Tick this box if you want to be asked whether or not to close open strings when they are
selected for triangulating. Open strings may affect future volume calculations.
Link to block model
Tick this box if you want to evaluate the reserves while designing the model.
Solid shaded surface
Tick this box if you want to display the new triangulations as solid shaded surfaces, i.e. not
transparent and no mesh lines. Use the 3D/Solid Shading icon on the Graphics toolbar to
turn the shading on/off once the triangulation has been loaded.

Note:

Solid shading requires additional memory.

Tick the Show triangles on shaded surface checkbox if you want to display the actual
triangulation lines as well as the solid shading.

Select OK.

If you ticked the Use automatic section increment checkbox, then the Plane definition panel will
be displayed. Otherwise, if you chose to use tie strings, then the Multiple Selection box will be
displayed. From this box, choose the method of selecting the tie strings and select the tie strings.

Select the strings/polygons to triangulate. At any time during the string selection, you can right-
click to cancel and access the Create toolbar which contains picking preferences.

If you chose to build multiple triangulations, i.e. you selected the Break solid by strings option,
then you will be prompted for the name of the triangulation as well as the triangulation colour.

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The Create toolbar is then displayed.

The displayed toolbar will allow you to change the picking method. The contents of the Create
toolbar will change once an option has been selected and used i.e. a 3D Create section will be
added.

Complete
Select this option if you want to use all of the points on the next selected string to create the
triangulation.
Polygon
Select this option if you want to digitise a polygon while building the solid. You will need to
assign a layer.
Partial

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Select this option if you want to specify the start and end points of a selected string. Thus
separating a string into two sections. Once selected, a part of the string will be highlighted
and you will need to specify whether or not you want to triangulate this part or the remaining
section. This option is useful when triangulating bifurcating ore bodies (sometimes referred
to, in 3D modelling, as trouser legs).

Diagram 4 - Partial Picking Method

Line
Select this option if you want to digitise a line to which you want to join triangles.
Multiple
Select this option if you want to triangulate a layer of polygons rather than selecting each
polygon for inclusion. The system will determine the order of the polygons in the layer and
build the solid in one pass. Checks for crossing triangles are carried out automatically.

Note:

This option will only work if the polygons progress in a common direction.

Diagram 5 - Picking Multiple Strings

Point
Select this option if you want to select a point to which to triangulate.
Translate
Select this option if you want to copy and translate existing polygons. You will need to specify
the layer in which to place the translated polygons. The Translate Polygon panel will also be
displayed.

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Distance to Translate
Enter, in world co-ordinates, the distance between the selected polygon and the
translated (new) polygon.

Translation Mode
Orthogonal Projection
Select this option to translate the polygon perpendicular to the plane of the original
polygon and away from the previous triangulation.
Enter Translation Projection
Select this option to enter the bearing and plunge of the translation.
Calculate Translation Projection
Select this option to define the translation as the vector joining the centroids of the two
previously selected strings.

Colour of Translation
Select the colour of the new polygon.
Select OK.

For each translation mode listed above, the polygon will be highlighted and you will be asked
whether or not to accept the translation. Accept Translation creates the translated polygon
as as object in the nominated layer. This will then be treated as the next object to which to
triangulate.

With Orthogonal projection, an additional option to reverse the direction of the translation is
offered in the above confirm box.

The following options will be displayed when an option has been selected from the Create toolbar.

3D Create
Save
Select this option if you want to save the triangulation. Once selected, the standard
Triangulation Attributes panel will be displayed.

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Refer to the Attributes option (under the Model > Triangle Utlitiy submenu) for more
information on this panel.

Reverse
Select this option if you want to reverse the direction of the last selected string and then re-
triangulate between the last two strings. This is to overcome any digitising problems and the
'direction' - either clockwise or anticlockwise in which the strings were created. It only
changes the direction of the points in the object, with respect to the triangulation, that is, the
original string is unchanged. It can be used as a quick way to uncross crossed triangulations.
Split
Select this option if you want to pause triangulating, to move to another string and then
recommence triangulating. If you do this, you may have four or more 'gaps' i.e. no end
plates, on the triangulations. Take care to close the triangulation before using the Volume or
Reserve options.
Undo
Select this option if you want to remove, in reverse order, the sections of the triangulation.
Edit
Select this option if you want to insert, delete, move or filter points or delete strings. Filtering
points removes excess points without altering the shape of the string. Refer to the Filter
option (under the Design > Object Edit submenu) for a detailed explanation.
Ties
Select this option if you want to digitise ties as you triangulate. The default digitising mode is

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Snap to Points. If you select a string and create a triangulation that is not correct, then
you can undo it, enter the ties and continue to triangulate.
Delete
Select this option if you want to delete a selected polygon.
Cancel
Select this option if you want to exit the option. You will be prompted as to whether or not
you wish to save the changes.

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