Abstract
The interpretation of complex geological data has always been an obstacle in geological model building. These data, frequently well constrained vertically by boreholes and/or at the surface by geological outcrops, tend to be sparse laterally, thereby increasing the difficulty in interpretation. While geological modeling has been performed successfully in less complex areas, until recently, the lack of calculation and graphical computer power has prevented complex problems from being addressed. With the advent of new hardware technology, software developers, in conjunction with researchers, have been developing powerful new application software specific to the requirements of the geologist and engineer that can address these geologic modeling obstacles. The Laboratory of Geology at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), in collaboration with Dynamic Graphics, Inc., is studying, developing, and testing new software tools for more detailed and sophisticated modeling and visualization of any type of geological structure. The development of such tools is important not only for the geologist and geophysicist attempting to understand geologic history and structural relationships, but also for the civil engineer who must construct man-made structures, such as tunnels, within the confines of the geologic world. Scientists and engineers alike require these tools in order to achieve a better End_Page 261------------------------ description of the geological structures at hand, to better understand and analyze their geometry, and to optimize the implementation of their works, including boreholes and tunnels. For example, several large-scale tunnel projects for future railway systems have been proposed through the Swiss Alps. The investment of time and money in modeling prior to construction of such projects is minimal compared with the savings obtained by optimizing the path and the boring system.
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