Clip solid above DTM

You can use this function to create a new 3DM by intersecting the triangles of a 3DM and DTM. For example, to determine the volume of an orebody above a proposed pit surface. The new 3DM contains the triangles from the 3DM that are above the DTM, and the triangles from the DTM that are inside the 3DM.

To run this function: Choose Solids > Solids tools > Clip solid above a DTM, or...

In the Function Chooser, type TRISOLATION 3DM/DTM ABOVE, and press ENTER.

For a DTM created on the XY plane, the portion of a 3DM that is considered above the surface is the portion physically above the DTM.

For DTMs created on other planes, the portion of a 3DM that is considered above the DTM is the portion lying in the 'towards' direction of the plane (along the section's Z-axis away towards your viewpoint). For example, if a surface was created using The current view plane and the active view plane was:

a vertical plane resulting from VERTICAL SECTION LOOKING EAST, then the 'towards' direction is to the West. The portion of the 3DM that is to the West of the surface will be considered above the DTM.
a vertical plane resulting from VERTICAL SECTION LOOKING WEST, then the 'towards' direction is to the East. The portion of the 3DM that is to the East of the surface will be considered above the DTM.
a vertical plane resulting from VERTICAL SECTION LOOKING NORTH, then the 'towards' direction is to the South. The portion of the 3DM that is to the South of the surface will be considered above the DTM.
a vertical plane resulting from VERTICAL SECTION LOOKING SOUTH, then the 'towards' direction is to the North. The portion of the 3DM that is to the North of the surface will be considered above the DTM.

Fields on the 3dm/dtm above results storage form

Field	Description
Graphics layer name	The name of the layer in which you want to store the new 3DM. Note: This must be a new layer, it cannot have the same name as any layer you already have open in Graphics.
Object number	The object number for the new 3DM.

Field

Description

Graphics layer name

The name of the layer in which you want to store the new 3DM.

Note: This must be a new layer, it cannot have the same name as any layer you already have open in Graphics.

Object number

The object number for the new 3DM.

After you apply the 3dm/dtm above results storage form, you are prompted to select the 3DM, and then the DTM in Graphics.

Output

A series of trisolations, which are set to solid, are saved as the new 3DM. The original 3DM and DTM are erased from Graphics, and the new 3DM is displayed. The new 3DM is not saved automatically. To keep this file, save it before you reset graphics or exit Surpac.

If there is no area of intersection between the 3DM and DTM, and at least part of the 3DM is within the boundary of the DTM when in Plan view, the result is the input 3DM.

Troubleshooting

The debug files

Surpac produces two debug files, consolidation_triangles1.str and bad_triangle1.str. These files can help you resolve any problems that might occur and prevent the intersection completing. The vertices of any problem triangles encountered in the input files are written to the debug files.

Message	Description
`There is no region of intersection between the two trisolations`	The trisolations of the 3DM and DTM must intersect.
`This layer is currently in the system. A brand new layer must be chosen for the results`	The layer name you entered is the same as a layer already open in Graphics. You must choose a name for the layer that is different to those open in Graphics.
`Same trisolation has been chosen twice`	You cannot use the same trisolation as the 3DM and DTM.
`The neighbours of the first trisolation have not been set`	The neighbours for the 3DM must be set using the Validate function.
`The first trisolation is not closed`	The 3DM must be closed to be a valid solid. Select a valid solid for the 3DM.
`The direction of the first trisolation has not been set`	The direction for the 3DM must be set using the Validate function.
`The second trisolation is closed and is therefore not a valid DTM`	The DTM must be open to be a valid DTM. Select a valid surface for the DTM.
`The maximum number of consolidations has occurred`	More than 50 CONSOLIDATION restarts have occurred. TRISOLATION 3DM/DTM BELOW uses CONSOLIDATION to move vertices of triangles very slightly (at the third decimal place as a maximum) to avoid very small intersection segments (less than 0.0001 units). Each time CONSOLIDATION is run, the intersection process restarts. The function is limited to using CONSOLIDATION 50 times. Use the debug string files consolidation_triangles1.str and bad_triangle1.str to manually correct the problems in the input trisolations.
`The line of intersection is not closed`	The line of intersection between the two trisolations must be closed.
`Fatal retriangulation error Fatal error in calculations module`	There are too many errors in the retriangulation of the data. Use the debug string files consolidation_triangles1.str and bad_triangle1.str to manually correct the problems in the input trisolations
`Extent of data is too large to give accurate results with current settings`	The spread of the data is too large to give accurate results with the current settings of the sensitivity parameters in the CONSOLIDATION module. To comply with the current settings (that is, the minimum intersection segment length of 0.001 units), the spread of the data must be below 100000 units.
WARNING: 3DM NOT YET FORMALLY VALIDATED	The 3DM has not been validated. Validate the solid before retrying the function.