Key 3D Modelling Concepts for Geoscientific Analysis

Following the considerable growth in geographical information systems (GIS) to meet the needs of 2D digital mapping and the development of spatial databases (Rhind and Mounsey 1989), attention is now focussing on the design and implementation of 3D GIS in a range of geoscientific application areas. Recent developments have been reported in the fields of oil exploration (Youngmann 1989), mining (Bak and Mill 1989), hydrogeology (Turner 1989), geological modelling (Kelk 1991; Bristow and Raper 1991), environmental monitoring (Smith and Paradis 1989), civil engineering (Raper and Wainwright 1987) and landscape architecture (Batten 1989).