How to create 3D dykes using SOIVISION 3D extrusion tools Featured

Advanced 3D tools such as SVDESIGNER offer a lot of power to the user, but such power is not always necessary when creating 3D models. The 3D extrusion tools that exist in SOILVISION offer a simpler and faster alterative.

Dyke designs are well-suited to the SOILVISION 3D extrusion feature. This feature avoids many common pitfalls that are possible when attempting to use 3D drawing tools to solve this type of problem.

We will use the above dyke design to follow a basic process and to create the 3D dyke model as follows:

• Create a 2D model in the appropriate software such as SVFLUX or SVSLOPE
  
• Ensure model follows the design rules required for 3D models
• Export the 2D model as a 3D extruded model

Learn more about the SOILVISION 2D/3D Suite

Create a 2D dyke model

Based on the above design, you can build a slightly simplified 2D model using SVSLOPE 2D. 

While this reflects the real-world scenario correctly, it cannot be extruded to 3D as-is. You need to make sure your 2D model follows the design rules required for 3D models.

Ensure model follows 3D model design rules

Every point in the model must be capable of inclusion in a surface, and 3D models in SOILVISION products require surfaces to be contiguous in 3D (often referred to as a 2.5D surface). This means surfaces cannot fold over themselves and every point on a surface must map to a unique elevation. Thus, one or more extra layers should be included to ensure that every point in the model can follow a left-to-right continuous path without requiring a vertical wall.

Your model now includes an extrusion path (highlighted on the image below) and the model can be successfully extruded to 3D.

Export as a 3D extruded model

The “Save As” option allows some changes to be applied to the model, in addition to a simple name change. In this case, you can do the following:

1. Change the “System” option to 3D, which enables extrusion
   
2. Set a new name
3. Enter a minimum and maximum Y value range in the “Spatial” tab, which is enabled once the 3D option is selected

The graphical image will display how the X and Y coordinates are treated in the 3D output model.

Note that because the middle layer was added with lines going both up and down, an extra surface was created that isn’t needed. There is also an extra region on the left that can be removed as a result of this. After deleting the extra surface and combining the two adjacent regions into one, your final result will look like this: