Create Interpolated Stratigraphic Fence Diagrams (ESRI Shapefile)

RockWorks | Borehole Operations | Stratigraphy | Fence | ESRI - Model-Based

Use this program to:

• Interpolate grid models for the upper and lower surfaces of the project's stratigraphic units (all units or selected ones)
  - OR -
  Read grid models that you've already created, and...
• Slice these grid models along multiple panels. Because surfaces are interpolated across the entire project, you can place the fence panels anywhere you like. You may request regular fence panel spacing, in a variety of configurations, or you can draw your own panels.
• Save the diagram in an ESRI Shapefile format. The fence will not be displayed in RockPlot3D.
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See also
     Straight Stratigraphic Fence Diagrams (ESRI Shapefiles) for shapefile fence diagrams drawn with linear correlations (not grid-based);
     Interpolated Stratigraphic Fence Diagrams for modeled fence diagrams displayed in RockWorks;
     What is an Interpolated Fence

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 filters and rules for this program. (More info)
  • Spatial Filter: Filter the input data for the stratigraphy fence based on XYZ location.
  • Stratigraphic Rules: Apply stratigraphy rules for generating the model.
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• Fence Location
  Click on this button at the top of the window to draw, on a map display of your enabled boreholes, where the fence panels are to be placed. The most recent fence drawn for this project will be displayed (More info)
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• Output File
  Click on this tab to type in the name for the ESRI Shapefile (SHP) that will be created. The accompanying DBF and SHX files will be assigned the same name.
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• Stratigraphic Units
  Click this tab to define which of your formations are to be included in the modeling and output file. (More info)
  • All Stratigraphic Units: Choose this if all units are to be modeled (if Interpolate Surfaces is checked, below) and included in the 3D Shapefile.
  • Only Units Flagged As "Show In Legend": You can limit the interpolation (Interpolate Surfaces checked) and output to only those formations with a check in the Show in Legend check-box, in the Stratigraphy Types table.
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• Interpolate Surfaces: When this option is checked, the program will interpolate grid models for the top and bottom of all/selected stratigraphic units (as specified above).
  Interpolate Surfaces: When this option is not checked the program will assume that the grids already exist, from a previous pass with a Stratigraphy menu option, from making custom edits to the grids, from importing them from another source, etc. In other words, you may not want to create new grid models every time that you generate a diagram.
  ! IMPORTANT NOTE: The existing grid models must follow the automatic naming scheme: Models for formation tops are named formation_top.RwGrd and those for formation bases are named formation_base.RwGrd, where formation is the exact name of the formation as defined in the Stratigraphy Types Table. The program will assume these grids exist if Interpolate Surfaces is turned off.
  Options: If you have Interpolate Surfaces turned ON, click the Interpolate Surfaces tab to set up the modeling options in the tabs to the right.
  • Gridding Method: On this tab you can establish the gridding method, the grid dimensions, and other gridding options.
    • Dimensions: Use this tab to specify how the grid dimensions are to be established. Unless there's a specific reason to do otherwise, you should probably leave the grid dimensions set to the current project dimensions.
    • Algorithms: Select a gridding method for the interpolation of the surfaces.
    • Options: Establish the other general gridding options (declustering, logarithmic, high fidelity, etc.).
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  • Modeling Sequence: Click on this tab to tell RockWorks whether the formations are to be modeled as entered, from the base upward, or from the top down.
    • None: Choose this option to model the formations based on the data as entered, with any applicable rules you have activated.
    • Base-to-Top (Onlap): Click in this option to "fix" stratigraphic models in which portions of an upper unit extend below the base of a lower unit. The program will give lower units "priority," building model from the bottom-up.(More.)
    • Top-to-Base (Underlap): Choose this option to give priority to upper units instead. Any portions of lower units which extend above the base of an upper unit will be constrained to the base of that unit. (More.)
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  • Constraining Surface: Insert a check here if you want the stratigraphy model to be filtered with a surface, typically representing the ground surface.
    ! This model must have the same dimensions and node spacing as is represented in the stratigraphy model surfaces. If you need to resample the ground surface grid, refer to the ModOps Grid | Math | Resample option. Click to the right to specify the name of the ground surface grid model (.RwGrd) and the filtering direction. (More info)
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  • Polygon Filter: Activate this option to remove portions of the stratigraphic surfaces that lie either the inside or outside of a user-defined polygon. (More info)
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  • Baseplate: Check this option if you want the base of the lowest formation to be extended down to a set elevation. This is helpful for data sets missing depth-to-base values in the lowest formation (boreholes never reach the bottom). (More.)

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• Smoothing Passes: Use this to define how many times the stratigraphic contacts should be smoothed. Enter "0" for no smoothing, "1" for slight smoothing, "2" for more smoothing, etc. Note that there is a paradox here: If you smooth the contacts, the diagrams will look more aesthetically pleasing, but the contacts may not exactly match up at intersection points between the panels.
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Step-by-Step Summary

Follow these steps to create a 3D fence diagram illustrating grid-based stratigraphic layers, for output to an ESRI Shapefile:

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 header, orientation (if any), and stratigraphy data. You might also refer to the Missing Formations section regarding the best way to deal with including/not including absent formations.
3. Select the Borehole Operations | Stratigraphy | Fence | ESRI - Model-Based menu option.
4. Enter the requested program settings, described above.
5. Be sure to click on the Fence Location tab at the top of the program window to select the fence panel locations.
6. Click on the Continue button to proceed.

   If Interpolate Surfaces is turned on, the program will create grid models of the surfaces and bases of the formations listed in the Stratigraphy tabs, storing the models in the current project folder. The grid file names are assigned automatically, based on the formation: "formation_top.RwGrd" and "formation_base.RwGrd". Two grid models will be created for each formation using the specified gridding settings.

   It will then look at the coordinates specified for each fence panel and determine the closest nodes along the cut in each grid model. It will construct a vertical profile to illustrate the stratigraphic elevations, using the background colors defined for the strata in the Stratigraphy Types Table. This process will be repeated for each fence panel you drew. The resulting data will be stored in three files in your project folder (SHP, SHX, and DBF).

   
   

Tips

• The resulting Shapefile can be added to ArcScene. You can use the Properties / Categories tools to display the formation layers as unique values and adjust their colors.
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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 Stratigraphy Menu Summary

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