Gradient Cut Fill Site Model Visualization

[ericjhberg]

It would be awesome if you could generate a 2-dimensional visualization of a Site Model's cut/fill, but instead of just static Cut = Red and Fill = Blue...you could assign a gradient for each that could color the site model based on cut severity or fill severity. For example a White to Red gradient for cut that the greater the value of cut, the deeper the shade of red. Additionally a White to Blue for fill that the greater the value of fill, the deeper the shade of blue. This would be an extremely useful way to visualize site models.

 

@Tony Kostreski @Eric Gilbey, PLA @Vlado @bgoff

[Tony Kostreski]

20 hours ago, ericjhberg said:

It would be awesome if you could generate a 2-dimensional visualization of a Site Model's cut/fill, but instead of just static Cut = Red and Fill = Blue...you could assign a gradient for each that could color the site model based on cut severity or fill severity. For example a White to Red gradient for cut that the greater the value of cut, the deeper the shade of red. Additionally a White to Blue for fill that the greater the value of fill, the deeper the shade of blue. This would be an extremely useful way to visualize site models.

 

@Tony Kostreski @Eric Gilbey, PLA @Vlado @bgoff

Interesting idea 🙂 

Do you envision this working through the settings of the site model or through data visualization @ericjhberg?

 

For internal reference, a VE has been submitted (VE-101778)

[Jeff Prince]

@ericjhberg I like this idea for it's aesthetics, but there is also another potential upside as well...

 

The aerial data I use renders a heightfield in this way, primarily for visual analysis, and I find it appealing.

So much of the global satellite survey data is available in the same format.

 

Back in day, I used Bryce and Rhino to model landscapes and they both used greyscale heightfields to develop interesting surfaces.  We would edit those images in photoshop and create all kinds of naturalistic surfaces, kind of like a primitive and manual version of Z-brush 🙂  There were applications that could do math operations between heightfields to create surfaces expressing the difference between them.  If Vectorworks exported a heightfield of a surface model, there are all kinds of fun things that could be done.

 

Here's on of my drone projects displayed as a heightfield.

[ericjhberg]

3 hours ago, Tony Kostreski said:

Do you envision this working through the settings of the site model or through data visualization @ericjhberg?

 

Honestly, whichever is easier to develop and use. That said, I feel like all of the Site Model visualizations are currently only accessible via the Site Model graphics, so that seems like the most logical.

[Tbai]

On 4/9/2021 at 1:30 PM, Tony Kostreski said:

Do you envision this working through the settings of the site model or through data visualization ?

 

For internal reference, a VE has been submitted (VE-101778)

 

On 4/9/2021 at 4:43 PM, jeff prince said:

@ericjhberg I like this idea for it's aesthetics, but there is also another potential upside as well...

 

@Tony Kostreski

 

I believe it's not achievable through site model settings...Site model settings only allows to do elevation analysis (low to high = dark to light ) like below or cut and fill only in red and blue shows where cut and fill.

 

 

 

It definitely has much practical use. I'm working in a landscape design practice and we have been often asked for a quick cut and fill excersice (to work out initial building FFL etc.) before civil engineers provide a thorough one at earlier stages.

 

Also it would be really helpful during consultation with aborists and tree officers (in the UK), so we can work out how deep the development would require to cut into the existing ground.

 

See below for graphical reference by 3D civils.