National Bedrock Fence Diagram of Great Britain with 25,000 km of Cross-Sections

GB3D_v2014 is a National Geological Model fence diagram providing a 3D representation of Great Britain's bedrock geology. The dataset comprises a network of cross-sections with an aggregate length exceeding 25,000 km, extending to depths between 1.5 and 6 km. It was compiled by 16 expert regional geologists at the British Geological Survey between 2009 and 2014, incorporating around 300 deep stratigraphic boreholes and superseding an earlier 2012 version.

Use Cases

• Analyze subsurface geological structure using the 25,000 km network of cross-sections for regional and catchment scale studies.
• Validate and provide context for 1:625,000 scale geological maps by utilizing the complementary fence diagram and its consistent color schema.
• Incorporate data from approximately 300 deep stratigraphic boreholes across England and Wales to calibrate and refine geological framework models.
• Use the cross-sections snapped together at intersections to ensure total consistency in 3D geological modeling and educational visualization.

Strengths

• Cross-sections have an aggregate length exceeding 25,000 km, providing extensive spatial coverage.
• Model integrates data from around 300 deep stratigraphic boreholes across England and Wales.
• Compiled by 16 expert regional geologists, ensuring authoritative interpretation.
• Sections are snapped together at intersections to ensure total 3D consistency.

Limitations

• The dataset's core compilation period ended in 2014, potentially lacking more recent subsurface discoveries.
• Primary focus is on bedrock geology, with Quaternary and crustal components of the National Geological Model being less advanced.
• Specific file formats, data structure (rows/columns), and sample data are not described in the provided input.

Provenance

Source

British Geological Survey (BGS)

Collection Method

Built in Geological Surveying and Investigation in 3D (GSI3D) software, integrating existing BGS framework models, deep boreholes, and published scientific literature.

Time Range

Model compiled between 2009 and 2014.

Freshness

Dataset supersedes a 2012 version but core model was built between 2009-2014; metadata indicates a platform update in 2026.

Geography

Great Britain (England, Wales, Scotland)