Profielcurve

Profielcurve, also called a profile curve, is a graphical representation that shows how a quantity varies along a defined path through a surface or object. It is a 2D representation derived from sampling a variable along a profile line.

Construction: Data can be collected by field measurement (surveying, GPS), LiDAR, photogrammetry, or existing digital models. After selecting a start and end point, samples are taken at regular intervals along the path. The resulting pairs (distance along path, value) form the curve, which may be smoothed or interpolated.

Representation: The horizontal axis usually denotes distance along the profile; the vertical axis shows the quantity of interest, such as elevation, depth, thickness, density, or other properties. In terrains the term elevation or height profile is common; for surfaces the term surface profile or longitudinal profile is used.

Applications: In civil engineering, profile curves inform road and channel design, floodplain analysis, and earthwork estimation. In geomorphology and geology, elevation or stratigraphic profiles describe landscape change. In architecture and manufacturing, profile curves define roof shapes, cross sections of components, or material thickness along a line. In GIS, profiles are generated from line features intersecting raster layers.

Analysis and tools: Slope, curvature, and area under the curve are common derived measures. Profiles can be produced with GIS, CAD, or specialized surveying software; smoothing and interpolation help with noise.