Creating Color Model Sections (Multi-Panel)

RockWorks | Borehole Manager | Colors | Section

Use this program to:

• Create a new 3-dimensional solid or block model representing your downhole color intervals (an .RwMod file) - OR - read an existing .RwMod file you've already created.
• "Slice" this model along any path and create a 2D cross section diagram.   Because the model is interpolated across the entire project, you can place the section panels anywhere you like.

The color model stores the actual Windows color for each node.  2D striplogs can be included with the section if the panel endpoints coincide with borehole locations.

See also: Color Profiles for single-panel displays.

Feature Level: RockWorks Standard and higher
 

Menu Options
Step-by-Step Summary
Tips

Menu Options

• Color Modeling Options: First, tell the program whether you wish to use an existing color solid model (from a previous use of this tool or another Colors menu tool) or you wish to create a new color solid model, by clicking in the appropriate radio button.
  ! NOTE This is not trivial. Creating the color model can take some time, depending on the resolution of the model and the detail of your data.  If you already created a pleasing model for display as a fence diagram, for example, you can use the same model, which was stored on disk as a MOD file, for the section.
   
  • Create New Model:  If want to create a new model, click in this radio button, and expand this item to establish the modeling settings. 
    
    • Create Filter / Sampling Report: If you select any filter/resampling options, this option will create a summary report of the results. (More.)
      ! Note that these tools filter the data that is passed to the modeling procedures.  This is distinct from the filters that are applied after the model is completed (see Other Modeling Options below).
    • Color Range Filter: Insert a check here to filter the input data based on color.  (More.)
    • Spatial (XYZ) Filtering: Insert a check in this box - on the far right side of the current program window - to activate a data filter based on spatial coordinates. Expand this heading to establish the filter settings. 
    • Solid Model Name: Click to the right to enter a name for the color model.  The program will append automatically the file name extension .RwMod. 
    • Solid Modeling Options: Click on this button to establish important modeling settings:
      • Algorithm (Modeling Method): This determines the modeling method to use, for creating a solid model from your irregularly-spaced drill hole color data. (More.)
      • Model Dimensions: This determines the model density. (More.)  Unless there's a specific reason to do otherwise, you should probably leave the solid model dimensions set to the current output dimensions.
      • Other Modeling Options: These include tilting, warping, filtering above-ground, defining this as a color model type, and much more. 
         
  • Use Existing Model: If you wish to use an already-existing color model, click in this radio button, and expand this item to select: 
    • Model Name: Click to the right to browse for the name of the existing color model (.RwMod file) to be used for this section..
       
• Contour Lines: Insert a check here if you want contour lines to be displayed on the cross section panels. Expand this heading to access the contouring settings.  (More.)
   
• Colored Intervals: Insert a check here to display color-filled intervals. Expand this heading to access the color settings. (More.)
  ! Note: When creating a color section with colored intervals, be sure to set the Color Scheme to "Direct" so that the actual model colors will be displayed.
   
• Plot Logs:  If you would like for the program to append striplogs to your section diagram, insert a check here.
  ! NOTE:  If you don't draw your color section trace from borehole to borehole, which is possible, and if you plot the logs, the program will be forced to choose the closest borehole to place at the panel junctions. 
  • Clip Logs: Check this sub-item if you want to restrict the logs to a particular elevation range.  This should match the elevation range of the color model you are creating at this time (or the existing color model, if specified).
  • 2D Striplog Designer: Click on the 2D Striplog Designer tab to the right, to select the items to display in the individual logs to overlay the color section. 

  • 

    • Visible Items:  Use the check-boxes in the Visible Items column to select which log items are to be displayed.  See Visible Item Summary for information.
    • Options: Click on any of the Visible Items names to see the item's settings in the Options pane to the right.  See the Visible Items Summary, above, for links to the Options settings.
    • Layout Preview: For each item you've activated, you'll see a preview cartoon in the upper pane.  Click and drag any item to the left or right to rearrange the log columns.  See Using the 2D Log Designer.
    • 
      
• Plot Surface Profile:  Insert a check here to include a line on the cross section that represents a user-selected grid model, typically the ground surface. Expand this heading to access the line profile options.
  • Surface Profile Options: Click the Options button to select the grid model to be represented, and to establish the profile settings.  (More.)

  
   

• Show Fault(s): Check this box to display vertical fault lines in the section, based on the location of one or more fault polylines defined in the project database. (More.)

• Show Infrastructure: Check this box to display buildings, pipes, or other infrastructure with your cross section. Click the Options button to define the infrastructure file and plot settings. (More.)

• 
  

• Perimeter Annotation Options: Click this button to establish title, border, and vertical exaggeration settings for the cross section. (More.)

  
   

• Create Location Map:  Insert a check here to have the program create, along with the section, a reference map that shows the section's trace.  It can be embedded in or created separately from the cross-section. (More.)

  
   

• Section Selection Map: Click on the Section Selection Map tab to the right, to draw where the cross section panels are to be placed. The most recent section drawn for this project will be displayed.  (More.)

  

   

Step-by-Step Summary

Follow these steps to create a 2-dimensional (flat) multi-panel section of the project's interpolated color intervals: 

1. Access the Borehole Manager program tab. 
2. Enter/import your data into the Borehole Manager. This tool specifically reads location, orientation (if any), and color data.
3. Select the Colors | Section menu option. 
4. Enter the requested menu items, described above
5. If you are including logs with the diagram, be sure to click on the 2D Striplog Designer tab to establish how you want the logs to look.
6. Click on the Section Selection Map tab to establish the section location.
7. Click Process to continue. 

If you've selected Use Existing Model, the program will load the information from the existing color model (.RwMod file), and will proceed to diagram generation.

If you've selected Create New Model, the program will scan the project database and extract the XYZ points for all of the downhole color measurements. (For color data, the elevations will represent interval midpoints.) It will apply any source data filters you have requested.

8. If you requested Confirm Dimensions, the program will first prompt you to confirm the default solid model dimensions.  (More.)

The program will use the selected algorithm to create a solid model of the downhole color data, storing the actual Windows color number as the "G" value in the model. The completed model will be stored on disk under the indicated file name. 

The program will then look at the coordinates specified for the section panels and determine the closest nodes along the cut in the brand-new model, if created, or in the existing model.  It will construct a vertical profile for each panel to illustrate the color zones.  The panels will then be appended together to create the multi-panel section.  Logs and a section location map will be appended if requested.  The completed diagram will be displayed in a RockPlot2D tab in the Options window.

9. You can adjust any of the following items and then click the Process button again to regenerate the section.
   • Color model settings in the Options pane on the left*, and/or
   • Section settings in the Options pane on the left, and/or
   • Striplog settings in the 2D Striplog Designer tab, and/or
   • Section location in the Section Selection Map tab.

   ! Each time you click the Process button, the existing cross-section display will be replaced. 
   ! * If the color model looks OK and you just need to adjust one of the diagram settings, you don't need to keep re-interpolating the model.  Choose Use Existing Model and browse for the color .RwMod file to be used for the section.

10. View / save / manipulate / print / export the section in the RockPlot2D window.

Tip:

• Use the Stretch button in RockPlot to fill the window with the section.  This is helpful if the diagram is long and shallow. 
• If the section looks better with a vertical exaggeration greater than or less than 1, you can pre-define this in the Perimeter Annotation Options which will generate better-looking axis annotations.
  
  

 Back to Colors Menu Summary 

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