Cross Sections Point Cloud Task

*This feature is available in the Standard license level and above for LP360.

About Cross Sections

The Cross Sections Point Cloud Task generates vertical cuts (cross-sections or profiles) of the point cloud at a specified interval along a line ("alignment"). The cross-sections can be optionally clipped to a circumscribing polygon such as the definition of the base of a stockpile. Cross Sections are useful for analyzing 3D data using 3D viewing tools and for printed reports. Some older downstream software may use cross sections for cut and fill analysis, such as highway analysis software.

How to create Cross Sections

1. Use the Add Files command to open the LAS files that contain the data you want to use.  

2. Use the Add Task command to create a new point cloud task. When you are selecting a Task Type in the Add Point Cloud Task dialog, select Cross Section. Once you click OK, you should see the unique name that you gave your task selected in the list and the Cross Section property page displayed on the Point Cloud Task tab.

3. Specify the settings for the Cross Section operation in the Properties page that displays.

Overview of the Cross Sections Properties Window

Input Data Sets The dialog items in the input data set group box allows you to select the alignment geometry, input LAS layer,..etc.

Alignment Geometry Layer Alignment geometry is the geometry for which the profiles are generated. These profiles are perpendicular to the alignment geometry. The alignment geometry can be a polyline. Alignment geometry can come from Tool geometry, shape layers or shape files. These selections are made in I/O Manager.

Units The units for the other settings such as Cross-section length, Cross-section interval … etc. The valid options are Meter and Feet. If the display units of the map or units of LAS data are different from this unit, then all the parameters will be converted to display units.

Input LAS Layer The input LAS layer from which the cross-section profiles are to be generated. The valid options are “Active Layer” or any other LAS layer that has been added to the map.

Source Points The source points filter used to get the points to generate the cross-section profiles.

Cross-Section Length The items in this group box allows you to set the options for cross-section length.

Fixed This option allows you to key-in the cross-section length. The software generates each cross-section profile with fixed length using given cross-section length.

Clip To Polygon This option generates variable lengths of cross-sections. That means each cross-section length will be different. If the alignment line is in a polygon then each cross-section profile will be clipped to that polygon.

Clipping Polygon Layer The layer from which the clipping polygons are obtained. The available options are Shape layer and Shape file.

Cross-section Interval This group box allows you to specify the cross-section interval.

Fixed This option allows you to specify the interval length for cross-section profiles. If this option is selected, then the cross-section profile will be generated at regular interval using interval length.

Alignment Geometry Vertices Selecting this option generates the profile cross-section at each vertex of input alignment geometry.

Breaklines Options This option allows you to select the Breakline options for TIN generation to create cross-section profiles.

Output Data Sets This option allows you to select output options.

Cross-section Output File The cross-sections task output is a 3D shape file. This dialog item allows you to select the output shape filename for cross-section profiles.

Create DXF file Selecting this option creates a DXF file in addition to the shape file. The filename and path of the DXF file will be same of shape file except the extension which will be ".dxf".