Plotting Directional Data in 3D - Prisms

RockWorks | Utilities | Grafix | 3D Utilities | Prismgram

Use this program to read a range of azimuth bearings, a range of inclination angles, and measurement lengths, and display these measurements as oriented prisms in a 3D diagram.  This can be used to display directional variability.

Menu Options
Step-by-Step Summary

Menu Options

• Input Columns: The prompts along the left side of the window tell RockWorks which columns in the input datasheet contain what data.
  Click on a displayed name to select a different name from the drop-down list.
• • Color: Choose the column where the samples' colors are defined.  If you choose Variable colors for the prism blocks, this column will be ignored; this data is not required.
  • Min. Inclination: Select the column where the minimum inclinations are listed.  These should be listed with 90 = straight up, 0 = horizontal, -90 = straight down.
  • Max Inclination: Select the column containing the maximum inclination measurements. The min-max inclination range defines the vertical "bin" groupings.
  • Min. Azimuth: Select the column where the minimum azimuth bearings (0-360) are listed.
  • Max. Azimuth: Select the column where the maximum azimuth bearings are listed. The min-max bearing range defines the spatal bin groupings.
  • Length: Select the column where the samples' lengths are listed.  This can represent total counts of measurements (as a 3D rose diagram or a 3D variogram), actual fracture lengths, etc.  This will be used to determine the length of the prisms; a multiplier can be defined, below.
• Length Multiplier: If you need to scale or convert the length measurements in the data file for display in the diagram, you can enter a value here.  The Length entries in the data file will be multiplied by this value.
• Color:
• • Defined by Color Column: Choose this if the colors are to be read from the column in the data file defined under the Input Column listing.
  • Variable: Click here if the colors are to be chosen automatically, on a cold to hot color scale based on the item length.
• Bidirectional: Check this box if the program should extend each prism 180 degrees opposite the listed measurement, representing bi-directional data.

• Bevel Tops: Check this option to plot the prism tips with bevels rather than flat.
  • Bevel Factor: This controls the angularity of the bevel; the lower the value the blunter the bevel.  In this example, the left image is set to a factor of 1.5 and the one on the right is set to 3.0.

  

Step-by-Step Summary

1. Access the RockWorks Utilities program tab.
2. Create a new datasheet and enter or import your listing of measurements: min and max 0-360 degree dip azimuth, min and max 90 (up) to -90 (down) dip angles, lengths, and (optional) colors.
   
3. Select the Grafix | 3D-Utilities | Prismgram menu option.
4. Enter the requested menu settings, listed above.
5. Click the Process button to continue.

The program will read the indicated measurements and create a 3D diagram that represents their directionality with prism blocks of the requested size and color.  All blocks will start at an origin of 0.  The completed diagram will be displayed in a RockPlot3D tab in the options window.

6. You can adjust any of the diagram options in the pane to the left and then click the Process button again to regenerate the 3D image.

   ! Each time you click the Process button, the existing display will be replaced. 

7. View / manipulate the image in RockPlot3D.
   
   

Back to Grafix Menu Summary 

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