Create cross section with polygon intersects in QGIS [duplicate]

Question

Is it possible to create a cross section that shows the intersected polygons on the relief (in QGIS 2.0.1)? I would like to try this out for a geologic map.

I'm using VoGisProfilTool: http://plugins.qgis.org/plugins/VoGisProfilTool/ and a NASA-DEM

Answer 1

Yes, with the:

• qProf plugin of Mauro Alberti and Marco Zanieri
• or by Python scripting in the Python console or with processing: PyQGIS (QGIS 2) geological cross-sections (colorization of a topographic profile with the colors of a geological map and placement of the points of intersection with the boundaries of geological layers), in French, but the scripts are universal...
• look at a pure Python solution with shapely in Python Script for getting elevation difference between two points. The PyQGIS script is a simple adaptation of the original script.

In both cases,the scripts use matplotlib.

Example with a geological map and a DEM: line of cross section (in blue):

1) with qProf

• you can use a point layer with the dip and dip direction of the layers

But you cannot place the intersections between the geological layers and the cross section line and you cannot adapt or change the resulting figure with the parameters of matplotlib as in the Python script below.

2) with the Python script:

• the profile in 3D

• cross section (2D) (with the colours extracted from the geological map)

or

• Intersections between the profile line and the limits of the geological layers (polygons layer):

• with structural values, apparent dip from dip and dip direction

• And you can even construct the Down-Plunge profile of a fold (look at Big Elk Anticline Animation):