UK Superficial Deposit Thickness Models at 50-Meter Resolution

Three national geological models covering Great Britain estimate the thickness of Quaternary and younger deposits. The British Geological Survey derived these 50 m x 50 m grids by interpolating borehole records and map data. Models provide indicative thickness values and proximity to source data for geohazard assessment.

Use Cases

• Estimate superficial deposit thickness from the ASTM or BSTM grids for regional geotechnical risk screening.
• Assess model confidence by analyzing the DBUFF dataset's spatial distance to measured observation points.
• Model Quaternary sediment distribution using the nationwide thickness variation data derived from BGS borehole records.
• Apply the 1.5-meter minimum thickness rule to areas where drift is known but bore data is absent for baseline mapping.

Strengths

• Nationwide coverage of Great Britain, providing a consistent baseline model.
• Data derived from authoritative BGS borehole records and DiGMapGB-50 map sources.
• Includes a DBUFF dataset quantifying interpolation distance from source points for uncertainty indication.

Limitations

• Models are a simple mathematical interpretation; complexity of deposits means outputs are only indicative values.
• Explicitly not a substitute for thorough site investigation due to inherent interpolation and extrapolation.
• Temporal coverage is defined broadly as deposits less than 2.6 million years old, lacking finer chronological resolution.

Provenance

Source

British Geological Survey (BGS)

Collection Method

Derived by natural neighbour interpolation of BGS borehole records and BGS DiGMapGB-50.

Time Range

Covers Quaternary, Holocene, and modern anthropogenic deposits (less than 2.6 million years old).

Freshness

Last updated March 2026.

Geography

Great Britain (UK).