ISC7

Ground Model Workflow with DAARWIN

  • Jaqués, Irene (SAALG Geomechanics)
  • Cano, Claudia (SAALG Geomechanics)
  • Llopart, Jaume (SAALG Geomechanics)
  • Solà, Berta (SAALG Geomechanics)
  • Aliguer, Ignasi (SAALG Geomechanics)

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Ground characterization in any geotechnical design starts with data obtained from boreholes strategically located in the study area. Borehole cores are usually analysed and logged by a geologist or an engineer and their interpretation is recorded in standardized reports. Moreover, whether ground samples have been collected and results of either in-situ or laboratory tests might exist, they are also included in such reports. Therefore, those reports provide a wealth of information that range from ground material distribution in depth to geomechanical characterization of ground materials. Considering borehole information as project's raw data, it is essential to make a joint interpretation of all data in order to understand and visualize the spatial organization of the subsurface geological structures. Additionally, it is possible to evaluate the spatial distribution of material properties which is crucial in any geomechanical study. This geological and geomechanical interpretation becomes the basis of a Ground Model, either in the form of a 2D cross section or a full 3D model as a first step of a numerical model (such as Finite Element). DAARWIN is a cloud-native web application to store, manage, visualize and analyize ground information for different applications throughout planning, design, execution and maintenance of geotechnical engineering and mining projects. The user workflow to generate a ground model starts inputting borehole data from different sources. Then, the engineer can visualize and interpret borehole logs, define geomechanical units and assign parameters from in-situ and laboratory tests as well as assign geometry from geological layers. Finally, the user can feed this information to the system to obtain a 2D cross-section, that can be exported to the commercial Finite Element software PLAXIS and use it to perform geotechnical studies such as Sensitivity analysis and Back-Analysis also implemented in DAARWIN.