What are Breaklines?

Breaklines improve the accuracy of the surface and contours generated

Breaklines define and control surface behavior in terms of smoothness and continuity. The LiDAR data that you process is used to create a surface. That surface is then used to generate contours based on your specified interval. Breaklines can add additional data to your surface to help the accuracy.

The additional data can come from GCPs that you upload, or from the LiDAR data itself where sharp breaks occur. Adding these breaklines describe and enforce a change in the behavior of the surface. Without the breaklines the surface generated may smooth over these sharp breaks.

When ordering breaklines you will receive a file including breaklines and a DEM and contours that incorporate the breaklines.