MATLAB script for analyzing and visualizing scanline data

Scanline surveys consist of directional and qualitative measurements of rock discontinuities. These surveys are used in geologic and engineering investigations of fractured rock masses. This paper introduces a new MATLAB script developed for visualizing results from scanline surveys as traces in 2D and disks in 3D. The script is also able to cluster orientation data and to present statistical summaries and to reflect the change in degree of rock brokenness along the scanline. Advantages of this new script are that it can present undulating discontinuities as wavy surfaces and different discontinuity properties using color codes. An intensity rose diagram is utilized to visualize interdependency of certain properties and orientation. This new script has a potential for preprocessing vast amounts of scanline and oriented drill core logging data before using it in 3D discontinuity network modeling. The script is demonstrated using data concerning rock fracturing gathered from a dimension stone quarry in Southern Finland. & 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.