Engineering Commons^™

Gis-Based Data Model And Tools For Creating And Managing Two-Dimensional Cross Sections, Timothy L. Whiteaker, Norm Jones, Gil Strassberg, Alan Lemon, Doug Gallup

Faculty Publications

While modern Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software is robust in handling maps and data in plan view, the software generally falls short when representing features in section view. Further complicating the issue is the fact that geologic cross sections are often drawn by connecting a series of wells together that do not fall along a single straight line. In this case, the x-axis of the cross section represents the distance along the set of individual lines connecting the series of wells, effectively “flattening out” the cross section along this path to create a view of the subsurface with which …

Building Solid Models From Boreholes And User-Defined Cross-Sections, Alan M. Lemon, Norman L. Jones

Faculty Publications

Solid models of geologic structures are useful tools for geologists and engineers. Solid models completely and unambiguously define the stratigraphy for the site being modeled, including complex boundaries and embedded seams. Past research has focused on the “set operations” approach to create solid models. Whereas the set operations approach is flexible, it requires significant user intervention and is therefore difficult to use. A simple approach for generating solid models from borehole data, called the horizons method, is presented. The horizons method can be used to build solids directly from borehole data with minimal user intervention. The user first assigns horizon …

Using Transition Probability Geostatistics With Modflow, Norman L. Jones, J. R. Walker, S. F. Carle

Faculty Publications

This paper describes a technique for applying the transition probability geostatistics method for stochastic simulation to a MODFLOW model. Transition probability geostatistics has several advantages over traditional indicator kriging methods, including a simpler and more intuitive framework for interpreting geological relationships and the ability to simulate juxtapositional tendencies such s fining-upwards sequences. The indicator arrays generated by the transition probability simulation are converted to layer elevation and thickness arrays for use with the new Hydrogeologic Unit Flow (HUF) package in MODFLOW 2000. This makes it possible to preserve complex heterogeneity while using reasonably sized grids.

Fast Algorithm For Generating Sorted Contour Strings, Norman L. Jones, Michael J. Kennard, Alan K. Zundel

Faculty Publications

Automatic generation of contours for graphical display and map plotting has been studied extensively since the early days of computing. The individual segments making up a contour line are often determined by subdividing the object of interest into small triangles and computing the contours assuming a linear variation on each triangle. However, efficient storage of contour data and the need to place labels (automatically) or to smooth the contours require that the contours be generated in continuous strings of segments. A simple approach to generate such strings is to sort the randomly generated contour segments. Since sorting can be time-consuming, …

Local Refinement Of Three-Dimensional Finite Element Meshes, M. L. Staten, Norman L. Jones

Faculty Publications

Mesh refinement is an important tool for editing finite element meshes in order to increase the accuracy of the solution. Refinement is performed in an iterative procedure in which a solution is found, error estimates are calculated, and elements in regions of high error are refined. This process is repeated until the desired accuracy is obtained.

Much research has been done on mesh refinement. Research has been focused on two-dimensional meshes and three-dimensional tetrahedral meshes ([1] Ning et al. (1993) Finite Elements in Analysis and Design, 13, 299–318; [2] Rivara, M. (1991) …

A Comprehensive Modeling Environment For The Simulation Of Groundwater Flow And Transport, S. J. Owen, Norman L. Jones, J. P. Holland

Faculty Publications

A comprehensive graphical modeling environment has been developed to address the needs of the computer simulation of groundwater flow and transport. The Department of Defense Groundwater Modeling Systems (GMS), developed at the Engineering Computer Graphics Laboratory at Brigham Young University, is part of a multi-year project funded through the Department of Defense, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency. GMS is a graphically based software tool providing facility through all aspects of the groundwater flow and transport modeling process. Facilities include geometric modeling of hydrostratigraphy, two- and three-dimensional mesh generation, graphically based model input for specific flow and transport codes, …