New insight techniques to analyze rock-slope relief using DEM and 3D-imaging cloud points: COLTOP-3D software

Abstract

COLTOP-3D software performs structural analysis of a topography using a digital elevation model (DEM). A color is defined based on slope aspect and slope angle in order to obtain a unique color code for each spatial orientation. Thus continuous planar structures appear as a unique color. Several tools are included to create stereonet(s), to draw traces of discontinuities, or to compute automatically density stereonet. A new version has recently been developed to represent true 3D surfaces from point clouds. Examples are shown to demonstrate the efficiency of the method. High resolution DEMs acquired with Lidar techniques greatly improve topographic analyses.