Create Multi-Panel Fracture Sections

RockWorks | Borehole Operations | Fractures | Section

Use this program to:

• Create a new 3-dimensional solid or block model representing distance to fractures or to fracture intersections across the study area (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 displaying fracture proximities. Because the model is interpolated across the entire project, you can place the section panels anywhere you like.

The section panels can be color-coded in a variety of ways, and logs can be appended to the panel junctions. Additional diagram layers will be appended as requested. The completed section will be displayed in RockPlot2D.

Unlike P-Data, T-Data and I-Data models, Fracture models are created using a specialized modeling algorithm that represents distance to fractures.

See also
     Fracture Profiles for single-panel profile slices.

Feature Level: RockWorks Standard and higher

Menu Options
Step-by-Step Summary
Tips

Menu Options

• Rules & Filters: Use the buttons at the top of the window to apply filters and rules for this program. (More info)
  • Spatial Filter: Filter the input data for the Fractures model based on XYZ location, filter the data to be displayed in striplogs, if activated. Note that these tools filter the data that is passed to the modeling and log-generating procedures. This is distinct from the filters that are applied once the model is completed, and described below.
  • Time Filter: Filter any T-Data or Aquifer data in striplogs, if activated.
  • Stratigraphic Rules: Apply stratigraphy rules for Stratigraphy data in striplogs, if activated.
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• 2D Log Design
  Click here to choose which data items are to be displayed in the logs, if activated via the Striplogs checkbox below, and in which order. See Using the 2D Log Designer and the Visible Item Summary.
  ! For Section diagrams, striplogs will be plotted vertically regardless of any non-vertical orientation.
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• Section Location
  Click on this button at the top of the window to draw, on a map display of your enabled boreholes, where the cross section panels are to be placed. The most recent section drawn for this project will be displayed (More info)
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• Location Map
  Check this box to create, along with the section, a reference map that shows the section's location. It can be embedded in or created separately from the cross-section.
  Click on this tab to establish the map options. (More info.)

  

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• Model
  Click this tab to define whether you wish to use an existing solid model (from a previous use of this program or another Fractures menu program) or you wish to create a new solid model, by clicking in the appropriate radio button.
  
  ! NOTE This is not trivial. Creating the solid 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 3D solid, for example, you can use the same model, which was stored on disk as an .RwMod file, for the section.
  • Create New Model: If want to create a new model, click in this radio button, and use the tabs to the right to establish the modeling settings.
    • Solid To Be Created: Click to the right to enter a name for the solid model. RockWorks should appen the .RwMod file name extension.
    • Fracture Options: Use these settings to define the type of frature model to be created:
      • Distance to Closest Fracture: This algorithm assigns block model node values that represent the distance to the closest fracture.
      • Distance to Closest Fracture Intersection (Very Slow): This algorithm assigns block model node values that represent the distance to the closest fracture intersection. Due to the huge amount of possible "beta" intersections, this algorithm can be very slow. The resolution of the model also determines the "granularity" of the intersection computations.These models can become very important when performing geotechnical analyses (tunneling, fluid flow, mineralization, etc.).

      • 

      • Negate Node Values: Fracture models represent distance-to-fractures, so sometimes you'll be looking for high values (long distances to fractures representing stable areas) and sometimes you'll be looking for low values (short distances to fractures, for material movement).
        • Leaving this setting OFF will result in close-fracture areas being at the bottom of the model's scale (low values) and distant-from-fracture areas being at the top of the model's scale (high values).
        • The Negate Node Values option basically switches the scale around by multiplying the distance values by -1, so that low-valued/close-to-fracture areas now plot at the top of the scale. This can be particularly handy when displaying isosurface models of fracture proximities in RockPlot3D, and you really want to see close-to-fracture zones. Note, however, that with Negate Node Values turned on, you'll get negative distance values.
        • Consider the following diagram of a solid fracture model, generated with Negate Node Values turned on, and shown with the isosurface filtered to show only high values. These represent close-to-fracture zones.

        

    • Dimensions: Click here to establish the output dimensions (and node density) of the Fracture model. Unless there's a specific reason to do otherwise, you should probably leave the solid model dimensions set to the current project dimensions. (More info)
    • Smoothing: Insert a check here to smooth the solid model G values based on a filter size and number of iterations. This can generally create a smoother, less "noisy" model. (More info)
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  • Use Existing Model: Click in this radio button if you wish to use an already-existing solid model of your fracture data.
    • Solid Model: Click to the right to browse for the name of the existing solid model (.RwMod file) to be used for this 3D display.
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• Traverse Defined By...: Use this setting to tell RockWorks how you want to define the cross section location.
  • Interactive Map: Choose this to draw or import the section location in the Section Location tab at the top of the window.

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  • List of Borehole Names: Choose this option if you have created a text file in which you have listed the names of the boreholes to be represented in the cross section, one name per line in the file. Example:

    DH-30
    DH-03
    DH-21
    DH-40

  • List of XY Coordinates: Choose this option if you have created a text file in which you have listed the X and Y coordinates for the cross section vertices, one space- or tab-separated coordinate pair per line. Example:

    481896.8 4399952.0
    481953.3 4399923.8
    481997.6 4399898.1
    482031.0 4399892.9

• Contours
  Click this tab to access the panel appearance settings.
  • Colored Intervals: Check this item to display G-value distribution on the section panels with color-filled intervals. Click this tab to access the color contour settings. (More info)
  • Contour Lines: Check this item to include G-value contour lines on the panels. Click on this tab to access the contour settings. (More info)
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• Striplogs
  Check this item to include 2D logs with the fracture section display. Click the 2D Log Design button at the top of the window to set up how you want the logs to look. Click on this tab to establish some additional striplog settings.
  ! NOTE: If you draw your section panel endpoints between boreholes (which is possible) AND if you request that the logs be included, the program will display the log for the closest borehole at the panel junctions.
  • Use True Vertical Depth: Check this box if you have deviated holes and want them to be plotted in the section using true vertical depth rather than measured depth.
  • Clip: Check this box if you want to display a subset of the log data. Click on the tab to define the elevation range to be displayed.
    • Top Elevation: Enter the uppermost elevation to be displayed in the logs.
    • Base Elevation: Enter the lowermost elevation to be displayed in the logs.
      ! Log clipping parameters are defined using elevations, not depths. (More info.)
  • Save Log List: Check this to save to a text file the names of the boreholes that are included with the section diagram.
    • File in which to store the Log List: Enter the name for the log list text file.
    • Display List Upon Completion: Check this to display the text list in Notepad (or equivalent) after the diagram is completed.
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• Annotation
  Click on this tab to establish title, border, axis labels, and other perimeter settings for the section. (More info.)

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• Surface Profile
  Check this box to include a polyline on the section diagram that represents a user-selected elevation grid model, such as the ground surface.
  Click on this tab to access the surface profile options.
  • Grid Model: Browse for the name of the existing grid model (.RwGrd file) to be represented in the polyline.
  • Polyline Attributes: Click this tab to establish the line settings. (More info.)

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• Faults
  Check this box if you want to display lines in the output diagram where the section slice intersects the fault(s) defined in the Faults program tab.
  Click on this tab to set up the fault lines. (More info.)

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• Infrastructure
  Check this box to display buildings, pipes, or other infrastructure with your section.
  Click this tab to define the infrastructure file and plot settings. (More info)

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• Other 2D Files
  Check this option to include existing RockWorks diagrams as layers with your fracture section.
  Click on this tab to select the existing .Rw2D files to be included. (More info)
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• Peripherals
  Check this option to include various peripheral annotations with your section. Options include titles, text blocks, legends, logos, and more.
  Click on this tab to activate the items and establish their settings. (More info)
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• Border
  Check this option to include a solid line border around the entire section image.
  Click on this tab to establish border settings.
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• Output Options: Use these settings to define whether the output graphic is to be displayed after it is created and how/whether it is to be saved in a file in the project folder. (More info)
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Step-by-Step Summary

1. Access the RockWorks Borehole Manager program tab.
2. Enter/import your data into the Borehole Manager if you have not done so already. This tool specifically reads location, orientation (if any), and Fractures data.
3. Select the Borehole Operations | Fractures | Section menu option.
4. Enter the requested program settings, described above.
5. If you are including logs with the diagram, be sure to click on the 2D Log Design tab at the top of the window to establish how you want the logs to look.
6. Pick the section: If Traverse Defined By is set to Interactive Map, click on the Section Location tab at the top of the window to select/import the section location.
7. Click the Continue button to proceed.

   If you've selected Use Existing Model, RockWorks will load the information from the existing fracture 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 fracture measurements.

   The program will use its dedicated fracture-proximity algorithm to create a solid model of the distance to fractures or the distance to fracture intersections (as requested) in the project. The completed model will be stored on disk under the indicated file name.

   If you have requested "Negate Values" then the distances will be multiplied by "-1" so that large distances will become very large negative numbers.

   RockWorks will then look at the coordinates specified for the section panels and will construct a vertical profile of each to illustrate the data values, using the selected color scheme. The panels will then be appended together to create the multi-panel section. If you have requested strip logs, they will be appended to the section diagram. (If you did not pick borehole locations as panel endpoints, the program will be forced to choose the closest borehole for the log display.) Additional diagram layers will be appended. The completed diagram will be displayed in a RockPlot2D tab in the Options window, if requested.

8. You can adjust any of the program settings in the main Options tab to the left, and then click the Continue button again to regenerate the model and/or section.

   ! If the Fracture 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 .RwMod file to be used for the section.

9. View / save / manipulate / print / export the diagram in the RockPlot2D window.
   

Tips

• 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 Options tab which will generate better-looking axis annotations.
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See also

• Adding this program to your Playlist
• Adding this program to your Favorites
• Save/load/view menu settings
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Back to Fracture Menu Summary

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