Create Lithology Surface Maps

RockWorks | Borehole Operations | Lithology | Surface Map

Use this program to:

• Create a 3-dimensional solid model representing interpolated lithology types (an .RwMod file)
  - OR -
  Read an existing lithology .RwMod file you've already created.
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• Extract the node values from the solid model where they intersect a grid surface (surface topography, water level, etc.), storing this as a 2D grid model (.RwGrd file).
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• Create a 2-dimensional map representing the lithology grid, and display this in a RockPlot2D window (an .Rw2D file)

In other words, it creates a geological lithology map based on downhole data. The lithologies will be represented in the model using the numeric "G-values" declared in the Lithology Types Table. The lithologies will be represented in the map using the background colors and/or patterns defined for the materials in the Lithology Types Table.

See also
     Lithology Plan Maps for simpler, horizontal slices through the lithology model at a user-specified elevation.

Feature Level: RockWorks Standard and higher

Menu Options
Step-by-Step Summary

Menu Options

• Rules & Filters
  Use the buttons at the top of the window to apply spatial filters and/or time/date filters to data being displayed in your map. (More info)
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• Model
  Click this tab to define whether you want to create a new lithology solid model or you wish to use an existing lithology solid model (from a previous use of this program or another Lithology menu program), by clicking in the appropriate radio button.
  ! NOTE ! This is not trivial. Creating the lithology 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 voxel diagram, for example, you can use the same model, which was stored on disk as an .RwMod file, for the surface map.
  
  • Create New Model: To create a new model for the map, click in this radio button, and use the tabs to the right to establish the modeling settings.
    • Solid to be created: You may use the default program-assigned name, or click to the right to enter a different name for the lithologic model, such as "lithology". The program will append automatically the file name extension ".RwMod".
    • Create Filtering/Resampling Report: Check this item to generate a text report of the results of any spatial filtering you applied.
    • Limit Input: Check this box to activate an input data filter based on material type. Click on the tab to enter the filter settings. (More info)
    • Limit Output: Check this box to filter the output model based on material type. (More info)
    • Algorithm: Click this tab to select the modeling method to use, for interpolating your lithology model. (More info)
    • Special Options: Click on this tab to establish other model settings, such as tilting, warping, filtering above-ground, and smoothing. (More info)
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  • Use Existing Model: If you wish to use an already-existing lithology model, click in this radio button.
    • Solid Model: Browse for the name of the existing lithology model (.RwMod file) to be used for this map.
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• Surface Grid: Click here to browse for the name of the grid model to be used to create the lithology surface. The interpolated lithology materials will be extracted from the solid model along the contours of this surface. This grid model could represent the ground surface, an aquifer, a stratigraphic layer, a fracture plane, etc.

• ! Be sure the Surface Grid you specify has the same node dimensions and spacing in the X,Y directions as your lithology model.

  
  
• Output Grid: Click here to type in the name to assign the output grid that will be created. This grid model's nodes will be assigned the "1"s "2"s "3"s, etc., that represent your lithology rock types (defined in your Lithology Types Table) as they intersect the Surface Topography Grid.
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• Diagram Options
  • Plot Background Color: Insert a check here to display the lithology zones using the background colors defined in your database's Lithology Types Table.
  • Plot Patterns: Insert a check here to use the graphic patterns, established in the Lithology Types Table, to represent the lithology zones in the output map.

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  • Plot Cell Borders: Check this box to display the grid model's cell borders either around all cells or around contiguous lithology zones.
    • Bevel Edges: Check this to draw borders only around contiguous lithology zones, and to "bevel" the corners so that they're not sharp 90-degree angles. Leave this box cleared to display borders around all grid cells.
    • Line Style: Click here to define the line thickness, style, and color for the borders.

    

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• 2D Map Options
  Use these checkboxes to append other layers to your map.
  Click each tab to set up the 2D map layers (image, map peripherals, map border, etc.).
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• Output Options
  • Save Output File: Check this to assign a name for the map in advance, rather than displaying it as Untitled.
    • Automatic: Choose this option to have RockWorks assign the name automatically. It will use the name of the current program plus a numeric suffix, plus the ".Rw2D" file name extension.
    • Manual: Choose this option to type in a name of your own for this file.
  • Display Output: Check this option to have the resulting map displayed in RockPlot2D once it is created.
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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. This tool specifically reads location, orientation (if any), and lithology data.
3. You'll also need to have a surface (.RwGrd) model in your project folder, which will be used to extract the lithology zones at that surface. This grid model must have the same X,Y dimensions and node spacing as the lithology model.
4. Select the Borehole Operations | Lithology | Surface Map menu option.
5. Enter the requested program settings, described above.
6. Click the Continue button to proceed.

   If you've selected Use Existing Model, the program will load the information from the existing lithology 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 borehole locations, lithology depths and materials, and any borehole orientation. It will apply any source data filters you have requested, and will interpolate the solid lithology model.

   The program will then load the specified Surface Topography Grid model. For each grid node, it will determine the lithology type in the corresponding location in the solid model, and store that lithotype in the output grid model. The program will then create the 2D lithology (geology) map using the requested diagram settings. The completed diagram will be displayed in a RockPlot2D tab if requested.

7. You can adjust any of the program settings in the Options pane and then click the Continue button again to regenerate the lithology map.

   ! * If the lithology 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 lithology .RwMOD file to be used for the map.

8. View / save / manipulate / print / export the image in the RockPlot2D window.
   

Tips

• Use RockPlot2D's File | Export | RockPlot3D tool to drape the 2D image over the input Surface Topography Grid to transform your 2-dimensional map into a 3-dimensional surface. This should be done on 2D lithology surface maps that are not annotated with border text and lithology legends.
• The legend can be annotated in RockPlot3D itself.

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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 Lithology Menu Summary

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