While triangulated surfaces can be used for a number of functions in Muk3D (contouring, sectioning, refining), most of the modelling is undertaken using gridded surfaces.  Grids in Muk3D are based on a uniform XY spacing (square grid elements), and spacing is constant over the entire gridded surface.

All commands for creating and manipulating grids are located in the Grid menu.  To create a grid from a triangulated surface, run the command Grid >> Create >> Create grid from surface.

This command will take the surface and size the extents of a grid so that it covers the entire surface.  Any grid points that fall outside the surface (i.e., if the surface isn’t rectangular) will be hidden (masked).

Changing the origin of the grid is not recommend as it might cause the grid to be created in a location that misrepresents what you're trying to represent.

When creating grids, the main input provided by the user is the grid spacing.  Selection of an appropriate grid spacing is important from the point of view of representing structures adequately (e.g. dam crest width) as well as ensuring that containment structures are represented fully (closed containment at the crest elevation).  Larger than appropriate grid spacing is also visually unattractive, with dam crests appearing jagged.

Smaller than required grid spacing slow down processing times.

For more details about selecting a grid spacing, see this tutorial.

In this case, we’ll use a grid spacing of 10m.  Hit OK and the grid will be created.  Each point on the grid will be assigned the elevation of the surface at that point.

Once the grid is created, unload the triangulated surface and save the grid layer.