{"id":2876,"date":"2025-08-29T19:03:04","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T19:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/?post_type=learning&#038;p=2876"},"modified":"2025-08-29T19:03:05","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T19:03:05","slug":"dense-reconstruction-presets-and-their-influence-on-3d-model-quality-open-pit-slope-example","status":"publish","type":"learning","link":"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/learning\/dense-reconstruction-presets-and-their-influence-on-3d-model-quality-open-pit-slope-example\/","title":{"rendered":"Dense Reconstruction Presets and Their Influence on 3D Model Quality: Open-Pit Slope Example\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step-by-Step High-Resolution 3D Surface Reconstruction from Aerial Images<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This case study demonstrates the full process, from aerial images to high-quality 3D model, using a single-bench open-pit slope as the subject. The objective: a model tailored for geological structural mapping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 1: Aerial Images<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This example features 33 overlapping aerial images, taken from 4 rows in accordance with the 80% overlap and image quality suggestions, also presented in ShapeMetriX Field Procedures user guide. As shown below, load the images into MultiPhoto for the initial step of 3D model generation pipeline \u2013 Coarse Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"936\" height=\"492\" src=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-15.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2877\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-15.png 936w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-15-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-15-768x404.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Figure 1. Loaded images in configure project screen before coarse reconstruction<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 2: Coarse Reconstruction<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This step establishes the relative orientations and positions of the cameras, mapping the general structure of the scene to a coarse 3D point cloud.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Examine the coarse 3D model, set region of interest if needed and proceed to dense reconstruction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"699\" height=\"408\" src=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-16.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2878\" style=\"width:800px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-16.png 699w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-16-300x175.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 699px) 100vw, 699px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"699\" height=\"408\" src=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-17.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2879\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-17.png 699w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-17-300x175.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 699px) 100vw, 699px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Figure 2. Preview of a 3D coarse reconstructed model: 3D point cloud and cameras (top), and Texture draped onto the point cloud (bottom)<\/em>.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 3: Dense Reconstruction<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This step calculates the detailed object geometry including a high density point cloud\u202fand generates a detailed\u202fsurface mesh with realistic textures. Dense reconstruction is essential for capturing terrain features, rock textures, and structural attributes needed for quantitative analysis and decision-making.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"762\" height=\"408\" src=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-18.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2880\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-18.png 762w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-18-300x161.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 762px) 100vw, 762px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Figure 3. Dense reconstruction 3D viewer with coarse 3D point cloud<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3.1 Presets<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>ShapeMetriX offers three reconstruction presets \u2013 each created with a specific balance of resolution and performance in mind:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Fast preset<\/strong>:\u202fGenerates low-resolution topography and texture. Suitable for quick or rough models, or bulk volume calculations where detail is less critical.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Normal preset: <\/strong>The default option provides medium-resolution topography with high-resolution texture. Good for balanced resolution and processing speed. Typically used for mid-level geomatics tasks and applications like blast design, mapping single faces, benches, or basic rock mass characterization.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>High preset<\/strong>:\u202fDelivers high-resolution topography and texture for maximum detail and quality. Recommended for detailed rock mass characterization or when capturing fine surface details is essential.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Use <strong>High <\/strong><em>Dense Reconstruction Preset<\/em> and proceed to dense reconstruction process.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"426\" height=\"114\" src=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-19.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2881\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-19.png 426w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-19-300x80.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 426px) 100vw, 426px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Figure 4. Dense reconstruction settings<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3.2 Review Final 3D Model<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Inspect the resulting 3D model in the 3D viewer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"936\" height=\"483\" src=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-20.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2882\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-20.png 936w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-20-300x155.png 300w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-20-768x396.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Figure 5. Final 3D model<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Review the automatically generated <em>Reconstruction Report<\/em>, which provides a detailed summary of both coarse and dense reconstructions, along with model referencing and relevant statistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3.3 How Presets Influence 3D Model Quality<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s go through steps 1 to 3 again, this time selecting a different Dense Reconstruction Preset each time. This will produce 3D models with varying mesh and texture quality and resolution for comparison purposes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Re-processing the same dataset under each preset demonstrates how model fidelity shifts from coarse topography to millimeter-scale detail. The summary statistics below quantify these trade-offs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Dense Reconstruction Preset<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Dense Points Generated<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Mesh Points<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Mesh Triangles<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Mean Point<\/strong><br><strong>Spacing (m)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fast&nbsp;<\/td><td>1,633,123&nbsp;<\/td><td>668,286&nbsp;<\/td><td>1,333,992&nbsp;<\/td><td>0.130&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Normal&nbsp;<\/td><td>7,656,542&nbsp;<\/td><td>2,916,982&nbsp;<\/td><td>5,828,181&nbsp;<\/td><td>0.064&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>High&nbsp;<\/td><td>30,622,939&nbsp;<\/td><td>11,866,489&nbsp;<\/td><td>23,717,309&nbsp;<\/td><td>0.033&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><br><em>Table 1.\u202fComparison of Dense Reconstruction Presets: point and mesh statistics<\/em><br>\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 4. Compare Geometry, Mesh, and Texture Resolution<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4.1 Geometry and Mesh Resolution\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Higher-density presets generate a greater number of points and finer mesh triangles, capturing small features and subtle surface details while requiring more computational time. Lower-density presets result in coarser, less detailed models in a shorter processing time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"936\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-21.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2883\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-21.png 936w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-21-300x127.png 300w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-21-768x325.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"936\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-22.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2884\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-22.png 936w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-22-300x144.png 300w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-22-768x369.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Figure 6. 3D reconstructed surface &#8211; fast dense reconstruction preset (top) and high dense reconstruction preset (bottom)<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4.2 Texture Resolution\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Higher-density presets improve the texture resolution, closely replicating the original object\u2019s shape and appearance. Coarser density presets lead to reduced resolution and less detailed topography and textures.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"567\" height=\"486\" src=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-24.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2886\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-24.png 567w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-24-300x257.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 567px) 100vw, 567px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"567\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-25.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2887\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-25.png 567w, https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-25-300x254.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 567px) 100vw, 567px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Figure 7. Texture draped onto the irregular surface &#8211; fast dense reconstruction preset (top) and high dense reconstruction preset (bottom)<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Verdict<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In practice, the trade-off is straightforward: when precision in rock mass characterization or structural mapping is critical, the high-density preset delivers the textural and geometrical fidelity that detailed projects demand. When fast turnaround takes priority, lower-density presets keep workflows agile without sacrificing essential outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The finer surface meshes generated at high density are especially valuable when transferring models into Rocscience tools such as\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rocscience.com\/software\/rocslope3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">RocSlope3<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rocscience.com\/software\/roctunnel3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">RocTunnel3<\/a>, where realistic geometries and mapped discontinuities form a more reliable foundation for geotechnical analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Takeaways<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>From rapid volume estimates to detailed structural mapping, ShapeMetriX scales to the demands of each project. The choice of dense reconstruction preset is the control point: it defines model resolution, governs processing effort, and ensures outputs are both usable and efficient. By aligning preset selection with project goals, workflows stay streamlined and results remain fit for purpose.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2873,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true},"class_list":["post-2876","learning","type-learning","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/learning\/2876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/learning"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/learning"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/3gsm.at\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}