EGU2020-8757 https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-8757 EGU General Assembly 2020 © Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Using 3D printed models to help the understanding of geological maps Dominique Frizon de Lamotte1,2, Pascale Leturmy1,2, Pauline Souloumiac1,2, and Adrien Frizon de Lamotte2 1CY Cergy Paris University, Laboratory of Geosciences and Environment, Cergy-Pontoise, France (pauline.souloumiac@u- cergy.fr) 2U-maker, CY Cergy Paris University, Cergy-Pontoise, France (
[email protected]) Geology is a scientific discipline where a 3D view is important - even essential. When starting to learn geology, as a first exercise students should be able to gain a 3D vision of geological maps, which like all maps are 2D objects, and interpret them. Many people have an objective difficulty in "seeing in 3D", that is, in achieving a mental representation of a dimension, which is not shown. To help them in this task, we propose a wide range of objects, which anyone can use or make in line with an educational approach that combines digital creation and object manipulation. In fact, our computer-designed prototypes are saved in a format from which they can be printed in 3D. Three types of objects are presented: (1) models, which help to see things in 3D and thus understand particular structures; (2) models where the third dimension offers an approach to successive geometries (kinematics) during the formation of particular geological structures; (3) models that provide the opportunity to move different parts relative to each other to generate structures like faults.