ABSTRACT
Digital terrain modelling is a particular form of computer surface modelling which deals with the specific problems of numerically representing the surface of the Earth. The initial concept of a digital terrain model (DTM) originated in the USA during the late 1950s (Miller and LaFlamme, 1958). Since then, considerable advances have been achieved, particularly in the methods of acquiring and processing terrain information. This chapter will therefore consider the major developments in this area and examine some typical surveying and engineering applications of DTMs.
