2017626 HowtoModelaFaultinSurpac|Discover,ModelandHarnessourNaturalandUrbanEnvironments

The GEOVIA Blog

(http://blogs.3ds.com/geovia)
Discover, Model and Harness our Natural and Urban Environments

How to Model a Fault in Surpac

February 24, 2015
By Kim Ferguson-Thomas (http://blogs.3ds.com/geovia/author/kimfergusonthomas/)

The GEOVIA Surpac (http://www.geovia.com/products/Surpac) fault modeling menu is a simple and efcient method of creating surfaces where
only one edge has been observed in the eld. This could be the trace of a fault from a geological map or a cross section line. This function is also
useful if you would like to georegister a scanned cross section or geophysical prole in Surpac. After the DTM has been created, you can use the
function le>images>drape an image le over a DTM.

There are various ways to model a fault in Surpac:

Using a digitized fault trace (the fault modeling menu)

From a single survey point. (the fault modeling menu)
By digitizing the extents/trace of the fault plane and using one of the triangulation functions (the manual method).

Today, well discuss using a digitized fault trace.

You can digitize a fault trace manually, from surveyed point coordinates, by bearing and distance from existing points or on top of a draped image.
The string does not need to be draped on top of the surface, as the fault function can project the surface in two directions.

(http://blogs.3ds.com/geovia/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2015/02/Digitize-a-fault-trace.jpg)

Once you have a fault trace, you may choose to use a single dip and dip direction for the whole fault, or changing values for a twisted surface. If
you would like to enter changing values along the trace, here there are various methods:

1. Use the function edit>point>maths. This will allow you to enter the description eld values as below. In the image, below, the d1 eld will
contain the dip angle in degrees (negative values mean below horizontal), and the d2 eld will contain the dip direction in degrees (not the strike).
Once you select apply, you will be able to graphically select the points you would like these values to be added to. The function will allow you to
click points in succession until you select Esc on your keyboard.

(http://blogs.3ds.com/geovia/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2015/02/Graphics-string-maths-Digitizing-a-fault.jpg)

2. If you would like to set every point in the segment to the same description eld values, enter the values into the fault modeling menu.

You are now ready to use the fault triangulation function. Go to surfaces>fault modeling>generate fault from trace. You will be asked to dene:

If the fault is generated from a segment or a string.

The elevations that the fault trace will extend to.
The dip and dip directions; which can be selected from description elds, or typed if you would like to use a single value.
The graphics layer the surface will be sent to.
The numbers of the new strings.

http://blogs.3ds.com/geovia/howmodelfaultsurpac/ 1/2
2017626 HowtoModelaFaultinSurpac|Discover,ModelandHarnessourNaturalandUrbanEnvironments
The DTM object number.

(http://blogs.3ds.com/geovia/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2015/02/Create-fault-from-trace.jpg)

Once that is completed, click Apply, and select the segment or string you want to triangulate into a fault plane. The result may look similar to
below.

(http://blogs.3ds.com/geovia/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2016/07/SFM_4_0.png)

Each point of the string has been copied along the dip and dip direction until it reached the entered elevations. This was then triangulated
automatically.

Note: If you would only like to extend the fault in one direction from the original trace, you can use the box selector to select the triangles along
one side of the trace and delete them manually.

Looking for more Surpac Tips & Tricks? (http://www.geovia.com/blog?blog_categories=All&body=surpac) Read about How to Display Stratied
Models in 3DVIA Composer (http://www.geovia.com/blog/how-display-stratied-models-3dvia-composer) and How to Handle CMS Data in Surpac.
(http://www.geovia.com/blog/how-handle-cms-data-surpac)

Bio Latest Posts

Kim Ferguson-Thomas
Technical Customer Support Consultant, GEOVIA at Dassault Systmes

Kim is Technical Customer Support Consultant, GEOVIA, at Dassault Systmes. She is based out of her home ofce in Victoria,
Australia.

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