Creating Surface Map

Purpose: Generate wireframes and/or solids using surface map data such as structural measurements. In addition, the wireframes and solids include lithologies and faults which can be organised chronologically and the geometric relationships are respected. 

The surface map tool allows for multiple model types such as an erosional surface, depositional surface, intrusions and vein network .

Generate Surface Map

1. Select Implicit | Surface | Surface Map

2. In the Topography tab, select the no topography option. Should you have a pre-set DTM/wireframes or generate it from surface data, it can be used as the topography

3. Setup the lithologies, and decide on whether or not you want to correlate them above. By selecting this option, the geological units are stacked in such a way that the current unit will be floor of unit above. Should you have a fault, it is important to add it on this step and define the model type (i.e. fault or intrusion). As the form states, the lithologies and associated structures, should be placed in chronological order, from oldest at the bottom to youngest at the top. 

4. If the lithology included model type of more than one fault, the form allows the user to decide whether the two or more faults cut through each other and/or are terminated by specified faults. 

5. The global defaults tab is important for setting the structural accuracy, domain decomposition and weighting. A higher structural accuracy value results in a more accurate model, however may take more time to process. Domain decomposition allows for point data set to be sub-divided into regions that may overlap, and are defined by directions of propagation. The direction of propagation is then determined  by the weighting, which can either be isotropic (equidirectional), anisotropic (multidirectional) or set by using a structural trend file. 

6. The extends of the output model can be automatically calculated using the calculate icon. 

7. On the output tab, one can decide on the additional outputs that they would like to produce. These include producing wireframes for contact surfaces, fault blocks, clipped fault planes and so on and so fourth. It is preferable that the Auto load option so that the output are loaded onto the Visex window.

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