Modelling and visualising landscape and terrain impacts of planned developments

Abstract

While it is true that modern remote sensing based terrain modeling techniques offer a fast, efficient and relatively cheap way to create terrain models,they are all limited to currently existing features. This means that they cannot provide information about future, planned changes to the terrain. In such cases we need to create surface models that can represent both the existing landforms and the planned modifications with appropriate reliability and accuracy. Such simulations can play a significant role in impact assessment studies, public consultation communication as well as offer additional insight into the consequences of a project. This paper will demonstrate some of the methods I have been developing using the example study area of a planned open-cast gold and silver mining operation in Roşia Montana, Romania. It describes the data sources used, the required conversion and harmonisation steps, the modelling of planned mining operations and the resulting visualisations and data products.