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Naming Conventions

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Triangulated Surfaces
Surpac supports two types of triangulated surfaces:

 digital terrain model surfaces (DTMs): A DTM surface is a set of triangles which
represent a surface, such as topography or a pit design.
 three-dimensional solid models (3DMs): A solid model is a set of triangles which
represents a three-dimensional shape, such as an ore zone or an underground mine design.

Naming Conventions
The objects you create in Surpac are numbered by a system similar to that of string and string
segment numbers. The hierarchy of triangles, trisolations, and objects of a .dtm file is
analogous to the points, segments, and strings of a string file.

String => Object

Segment => Trisolation
Point => Triangle

When you define an object, you explicitly assign it both an object number and a trisolation
number. Surpac refers to the object by the object and trisolation number that you assigned.
The object number must be an integer within the range of 1 to 32000. The trisolation number
must be a positive integer.

DTM Conventions
 DTMs cannot model overhangs or vertical surfaces.
 When creating a DTM, strings identified as spot heights are interpreted differently to
strings identified as breaklines.

This chapter describes how to using use strings to act as break lines. A breakline string is a
string that represents physical features you can see in the real world, such as a crest of a pit, a
fault in a geological model, or a contour in a pit. Spot height strings contain random points
that, when connected by a string line, do not represent any physical feature. For example,
randomly surveyed points or borehole collars.

Viewing a DTM Surface

Task: View a DTM in Graphics
1. Click Reset graphics .
2. Open waste_dump.dtm in Graphics.

The waste dump is displayed.

3. Click and drag the mouse to rotate the data and view it from different angles.
Creating a DTM Surface
It is important to understand how a string file relates to a DTM. In order for a DTM file to
remain valid, the string file from which it was created must remain unchanged from the time
when you created the DTM. Therefore, if you modify the string data, you must also recreate
the DTM.

Task: Create a DTM — Graphics based Method

1. Click Reset graphics .

2. Open topo1.str in Graphics.
3. Choose Surface > Create DTM from layer.
4. Enter the information as shown, and click Apply.

The string file contours and the DTM of the topography are displayed.

5. Choose File > Save > string/DTM file.

6. Enter the information as shown, and click Apply.
 7. Click Yes to overwrite the files.

Note: To see all of the steps performed in this task, run

03a_create_dtm_graphics.tcl. You need to click Apply on any forms presented.

Task: Create a DTM — File Based Method

You will now create a DTM from the string file pit_design1.str using the file-based DTM
creation option. This task demonstrates the impact of using strings as breaklines.

1. Click Reset graphics .

2. Choose Surfaces > DTM File functions > Create DTM from string file.
3. Enter the information as shown, and click Apply.
 Note: This time the Strings to act as break lines check box is not selected.

Progress is reported in the message window. When the DTM is created, a log file
opens in the default text editor. The log file is a report containing information about
the DTM.

4. Open pit_design1.dtm in Graphics.

Several triangles in the DTM do not reflect the desired results. Next, you repeat the
procedure, but using the Strings to act as breaklines option.
5. Click Reset graphics .
6. Choose Surfaces > DTM File functions > Create DTM from string file.

This time ensure that the Strings to act as break lines check box is selected.

7. Enter the information as shown, and click Apply.

Note: This time the Strings to act as break lines check box is selected.

Progress is reported in the message window. When the DTM is created, a log file
opens in the default text editor. The log file is a report containing information about
the DTM.

8. Close the log file window.

The DTM file is saved automatically as pit_design1.dtm.

9. Open pit_design1.dtm in Graphics.

The pit is displayed.

 Note: To see all of the steps performed in this task, run 03b_create_dtm_file_based.tcl.
You need to click Apply on any forms presented.
 Creating a Boundary String Between Two DTM Surfaces
You will now create a boundary string at the location where a pit intersects the topography.

A boundary string file is used for:

 delineating cut and fill material for calculating volumes

 finding the intersection of a fault plane with a surface
 finding where a pit design breaks the natural surface

There are two methods of creating the boundary string in Surpac:

 file-based method: In this method, you do not need to display the DTMs. Surpac
automatically saves the boundary string to the nominated file.
 graphics-based method: In this method, you must display the DTMs in Graphics.
Surpac does not automatically save the boundary string. The boundary string is displayed in
its own Graphics layer. If you use the graphics-based method you must save the boundary
string to a file after it is generated.

Task: Create a Boundary String - File-based Method

Note: To help you understand the purpose, and result, of this task, you will open the DTMs
in Graphics. However, for the file-based method to work, you do not need to open any files in
Graphics.

1. Click Reset graphics .

2. Open pit_design1.dtm and topo1.dtm in Graphics.

The pit extends past the natural topography. To determine the volume of the pit, you
need to define the boundary where the topography cuts the pit design. You do this by
creating a boundary string of the intersection between both DTMs.

3. Choose Surfaces > DTM File functions > Line of intersection between two DTMs.
4. Enter the information as shown, and click Apply.
 5. Open intersection1.str in Graphics.

The boundary string is displayed.

Task: Create a Boundary String - Graphics-based Method

Note: When using the graphics-based method you must open the DTMs in Graphics. This is
because the function uses graphics layers to determine inputs and outputs.

1. Click Reset graphics .

2. Open topo1.dtm and pit_design1.dtm in Graphics.
3. Choose Surfaces > Clip or intersect DTMs > Line of intersection between DTMs.
4. Enter the information as shown, and click Apply.
 The output is the same result as the file-based function, but it does not automatically
save the new string file. To save the line of intersection, use File > Save> string/DTM.

Calculating Cut and Fill Volume Using DTM Surfaces

Task: Calculate Cut and Fill Volumes Between Two DTMs

One of the most common uses of DTMs is to calculate volumes. You can use DTM
VOLUMES to compute the volume between two DTM surfaces, contained within a
boundary string.

1. Click Reset graphics .

2. Choose Surfaces > Volumes > Cut and fill between DTMs.
3. Enter the information as shown, and click Apply.
4. Open cfill_volume.not.

The report opens in the default text editor.

Viewing a Solid Model
A 3DM, or solid, is a closed shape that represents a closed structure.

Task: View a Solid Model

1. Open solid_model.dtm in Graphics.

The solid is displayed.

2. Click and drag your mouse to rotate the solid and view the ore body from different
angles.

Creating and Validating a Solid Model

Task: Create and Validate a Solid Model

1. Click Reset graphics .

2. Open ore1.str in Graphics.

3. Choose Display > Strings > With string and segment numbers.
4. Enter the information as shown, and click Apply.
 The segments are displayed.

Note: Triangulation uses segment numbers. This means that segment 1 will
triangulate to segment 2, segment 2 will triangulate to segment 3, and so on.

5. Choose View > Zoom > Out.

6. On the Tools toolbar, click Box Select Points .
7. Click and drag to create a box around all of the segments.
8. Right-click in Graphics, and select Select segments.
9. Right-click in Graphics, and select Triangulate.

The 3DM orebody is displayed.

10. Hold the ALT key, then click and drag in Graphics to rotate the data to the view
shown below.

The solid is not closed.

11. Move your pointer near the end segment, and click to select one point.
12. Right-click in Graphics, and select Select segments.

13. Right-click in Graphics, and select Triangulate.

 The solid is now closed at the end segment.

14. Hold the ALT key, then click and drag in Graphics to rotate the data to expose the
other end of the object.
15. Move the pointer near the end segment, and click to select one point.

16. Right-click in Graphics, and select Select Segment.

17. Right-click in Graphics and select Triangulate.

The solid is now closed at the end segment.

18. To validate the solid, choose Solids > Validation > Validate object/trisolation.
19. Enter the information as shown, and click Apply.

The validation status is written to the message window.

The results are also written to the valid1.not file.

20. Choose File > Save > string/DTM file.
21. Enter the information as shown, and click Apply.

Note: To see all of the steps performed in this task, run

04a_create_and_validate_solid.tcl. You need to click Apply on any forms presented.

Tip: You can also validate your solid using the solids repair functions (Solids >
Validation > Solids repair).
The Solids Repair panel is displayed. The green check mark at the top of the
panel means that the solid is valid.
Calculating a Volume Using a Solid Model
Task: Calculate a Volume for a Solid Model

1. Click Reset graphics .

2. Open ore_solid1.dtm in Graphics.

The solid is displayed.

3. Choose View > Data view options > Long section view.
4. Choose Display > 2D Grid.
5. Enter the information as shown, and click Apply.
6. Choose View > Zoom > Out.

7. Choose Solids > Solids tools > Report volume of solids.

8. Enter the information as shown below, and then click Apply.
 The report is displayed.

Note: To see all of the steps performed in this task, run 04b_solid_volume.tcl. You need to
click Apply on any forms presented.

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