Abstract: In the era of big data, the high techniques such as knowledge graph, artificial intelligence and virtual simulation rapidly developed, and as a result the research methods of geosciences are evolving with the times. Compared to the traditional two-dimensional images and texts, three-dimensional digital models can provide more diverse data, and therefore hold enormous potential for both the scientific research and technology fields. The digitization of geological outcrops and specimens are two typical cases of 3D modeling technology in geoscience. This paper investigated the construction of digital outcrop and 3D specimen digitization, introduced the common digitization technologies, data sharing and development services, and the current representative digital geological outcrop and 3D specimen database. The investigation results were summarized and analyzed. Moreover, some problems that exist at present were summarized, and the future development was prospected in terms of data construction standard specification, construction content and function expansion.

Key words: digital outcrop, 3D specimen, database, geoscience data