From a geological perspective, photogrammetry can provide detailed 3D surface models of cliffs or rock exposures and enable accurate measurement of structural information - especially in areas where it is not possible to gain access. From a simple stereo pair
of photographs, data can be exported as .DXF, xyz, or TIN file for further analysis in GIS or CAD applications.

Imagemaster also allows export of ascii xyz point clouds (optionally with RGB colour rendering), making a deliverable analgous to a laser scanner, but without the limitations on range. This can be used with automated software (e.g. Split-FX) to create plane, fracture and joint sets on stereonet polar plots.

It is possible to extract 2D cross sections (with coordinates in both World 3D and 2D systems). The fact that a high quality photographic record can be draped over the model surface means that geological mapping can be carried out in the safety and
comfort of the office, once the field data and representative rock samples have been acquired.

The above image shows a 3D model draped with original photograph from a quarry in the UK

This image shows the TIN surface in the left hand panel, the cross section line (red), and on the right hand side the cross section. This section can be exported as dxf for final presentation (see example)

download sample project as VRML file (7MB)