A new perspective to model subsurface stratigraphy in alluvial hydrogeological basins, introducing geological hierarchy and relative chronology
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2020
Citazione:
A new perspective to model subsurface stratigraphy in alluvial hydrogeological basins, introducing geological hierarchy and relative chronology / C. Zuffetti, A. Comunian, R. Bersezio, P. Renard. - In: COMPUTERS & GEOSCIENCES. - ISSN 0098-3004. - 140(2020 Jul).
Abstract:
This paper presents a novel perspective for modelling alluvial stratigraphy. It integrates the spatial geological
information, geological maps and well-log descriptions, with the rules describing the hierarchy and relative
chronology of the geological entities. As geological modelling tools are moving fast forward, the urgent need for
expert geological input, codified as modelling rules, persists. Concerning subsurface alluvial architectures, the
concepts of “stratigraphic hierarchy” and “relative chronology” provide the most relevant rules which permit to
link the modelling procedure to the geo-history of a region.
The paper shows how to formalize this knowledge into modelling rules. This is illustrated and implemented in
a Python™ module named HIEGEO which is applied on a 2-D cross-section from the Po Basin (N-Italy). The
stratigraphic correlation yields 2-D pictures of the hierarchic stratigraphy and relative chronology of the units.
The input are: an attribute table of stratigraphic boundaries expressing their hierarchy and chronology; contact
points where these boundaries cross the control logs. Since the aim of HIEGEO is to illustrate the principle of the
method but not to replace existing 3-D geological modelling tools, it implements a linear interpolation algorithm
which creates joins between contact points. It plots linear joins framing polygons based on their hierarchy, at any
user’s desired detail. HIEGEO highlights potential inconsistencies of the input dataset, helping to re-evaluate the
geological interpretation.
The proposed workflow allows to: i) translate geological knowledge into modelling rules; ii) compute stratigraphic
models constrained by the hierarchy of stratigraphic entities and the relative chronology of geological
events; iii) represent internal geometries of the stratigraphic units, accounting for their composite nature; iv)
reduce uncertainty in modelling alluvial architectures. It represents a starting point for multi-scale applications
and could be easily integrated into 3-D modelling packages, to couple the hierarchical concept proposed here
with existing advanced interpolation methods.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
alluvial stratigraphy; hierarchy; modelling rules; Po basin; Python; relative chronology;
Elenco autori:
C. Zuffetti, A. Comunian, R. Bersezio, P. Renard
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