From: tim@marsh.cs.curtin.edu.au (Tim Telcik)
Subject: TIN Survey
Keywords: TIN, Triangulated Irregular Network, spatial data handling
Organization: Curtin University of Technology
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 04:59:21 GMT


To GIS and computer graphics users,

     I am currently researching past and present applications
of the Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN). A TIN is a set of
irregularly spaced (x,y,z) data points from a surface which
have been triangulated in the x-y plane.

     While the TIN has found most use within GIS and
cartography, I am also interested in finding its other
applications.

     If this topic is related to past or present work you
have/are undertaking could you please answer the following
survey and reply as soon as possible.

     The findings will be presented in a technical report
available from my site using anonymous FTP in
November/December 1992.

     Thankyou in advance,
                         Timothy Telcik.


Department of Geographic Information Systems
School of Computing
Curtin University of Technology
GPO Box U 1987
Perth  W.A.  6001
Australia
Email: tim@marsh.cs.curtin.edu.au
Ph: (09) 351 2985


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TIN SURVEY
~~~~~~~~~~

NOTE: The word TIN may be interchanged with some other surface
modelling variant that uses triangular elements.


1) Do you perform Digital Terrain Modelling or surface
modelling using a TIN ?




2) For what application(s) do you use the TIN ?

     Examples:

     - watershed/drainage analysis
     - viewscape/viewshed analysis
     - contouring
     - slope and aspect analysis
     - representing human figures



3) Is this processing performed with commercial, in-house,
public domain, or shareware software ?

If yes, 
     - what is the name of the software ?
     - who produces the software (company or person) ?
     - what is the producer's address (air mail/Email) ?
     - what is its current cost ? (US$, AUS$ etc.)
     - does it provide support (interchange) with similar      
       packages ? 
     - is there any important information about this software  
       which needs mention (eg. special hardware platform) ?




4) Has the software or your work been discussed in any
journal, conference, book etc. ?

If yes, please provide a full reference.

Examples:

     Kumler, M.P. (1990) A quantitative comparison of regular
          and irregular digital terrain models. In:
          Proceedings of GIS/LIS '90. Anaheim, California.

     - discusses advantages of TIN over grid for surface
     representation using ARC/INFO


     Turnbull, M., I. McAulay and R.A. McLaren (1990) The role
          of terrain modelling in computer-aided landscape
          design. In: Terrain Modelling in Surveying and Civil
          Engineering (G. Petrie and T.J.M. Kennie eds.), pp.
          263 - 276. Whittles: Latheronwheel, Caithness.

     - discusses the CAVIA (Computer-Aided Visual Impact
     Analysis) software which uses TIN and grid for
     viewscape/line of sight analysis




5) Is your work for commercial, government, private or other
gain (eg. state forestry program, resource allocation, special
FX for film) ?




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ END OF SURVEY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

--
Tim Telcik                          
Department of Geographic Information Systems 
School of Computing 
Curtin University                    
GPO Box U 1987                       
Perth  W.A.  6001                    
Email: tim@marsh.cs.curtin.edu.au    
Work Ph: (09) 351 2985                


Newsgroups: comp.graphics