The preliminary research of feature-based 3D geological modeling

A brief summary of some of the relevant concepts in 3D geosciences modeling and 3D geological modeling is presented firstly. Then, the main emphasis is placed on the problem of feature-based 3D geological modeling, instead of 3D spatial data model which has been discussed so much. Although some progress has been made in this area, the major obstacle, representation and modeling of complex geological bodies, is far from being overcome. However, the ultimate goal of 3D geological modeling is for prospective analysis and applications, which is essentially different from immersion and imagination that is pursued by virtual reality. Therefore, the 3D models with essential characteristics of geological bodies, instead of ones with infinite complexity, need to be built through the methods of abstraction, selection and integration of multi-resources data which are usually used in 2D cartographical synthesis.