Practical no:
Title of the Practical: Construction of Relief Profiles
Introduction
A relief profile is a line which shows the rise and fall of the surface of the ground along a
chosen line on a map. One of the advanced techniques of representation of relief is to draw a
relief profiles. A profile of a relief feature acts as a visual aid in its description and
interpretation. Hence it is of particular interest to geographers and especially
geomorphologists who are interested in the analysis of landforms and in the process of their
up gradation and degradation. Identifying landform features with the help of contours is
complex whereas profiles are relatively easy and useful in understanding the relief features.
Broadly speaking, a profile which is also known as a section means an outline of a relief
(elevation or depression) along a selected line. However, sometimes a distinction is made
between a section and profile. A Section is usually a cutting taken for a geological section,
whereas a profile is an outline of the surface relief feature like profile of a river valleys.
Types of profiles
Profiles drawn for three or four selected individual base line are called Serial profiles. When
profile sections of all serial profiles are drawn on a same vertical baseline it is named as
superimposed profile. When one of the serial profile is kept as a base and the elevated
portions of successive profiles are drawn it is known as projected profile. The line joining the
topmost elevated portions of all the serial profiles drawn on a same base line gives the sky
line or summit line for that region. This is termed as composite profile.
1. Serial Profile
These are made by drawing a series of profile or parallel profiles for showing features like a
coastline; edges of plateau; a series of spurs; a transverse profile of a river; a junction of two
contrasting topographical features etc.
2. Superimposed Profile
When a series of profile are superimposed on a single plane it is called as superimposed
profile. These successive profiles are numbered for getting clarity. Such profiles are generally
used for representing landforms with certain morphological uniformity.
3. Projected Profile
In the superimposed profiles, the successive parallel profiles are placed on a common base
line. However, the lower parts of the profiles are hidden behind the higher intervening
altitudes. If only the visible parts of successive profiles are represented on a common
framework one gets a panoramic view of foreground, middle grounds and the sky line. Such
profiles are known as projected profile or compressed profile.
4. Composite Profile
If the superimposed profile of a landform is viewed carefully one can discern at the farthest
end of such a profile, a summit line, the skyline which provides a general outline of the
concerned landform features as viewed from a distance. This skyline can be represented by a
profile or a line drawn by joining the highest parts of a series of parallel profiles. Such a
profile is known as composite profile. Such profiles can be used for a comparative analysis of
the terrain types in a region or between regions.
Steps to Draw Profiles
Step 1: Trace the contours in the toposheet for a size of 10 cm by 10 cm with the contour
height.
Step 2: Select four base lines at a distance of 2.5 cm each. Name them as AB, CD, EF and
GH.
Step 3: Draw the horizontal lines to represent contour with suitable vertical exaggeration.
Step 4: On this vertically exaggerated figure carefully draw cross sections separately for all
the selected lines (AB, CD, EF and GH) as described in the previous section. They are named
as serial profile. Draw each section in different color for better visualization.
Step 5: For super imposed profile draw the sections of each line on one vertically exaggerated
line with the same colors used as before.
Step 6: Draw a common vertically exaggerated base line. First draw the cross section of AB
line. Next while drawing the cross section of CD line draw only those parts which are the
higher than AB line. Next draw the cross section of line EF which lies above the CD line