BGS Groundhog Desktop

BGS Groundhog Desktop is a software tool developed and made available by the British Geological Survey and used for geological data visualisation, interpretation and 3D geologic modelling. It is available in both free-to-use and commercial editions. Groundhog Desktop is a key part of the BGS's work to develop 3D models of the UK subsurface.^[1]

Original author(s)	British Geological Survey
Developer(s)	British Geological Survey
Stable release	2.0.0 / January 27, 2020; 5 years ago (2020-01-27)
Operating system	MS Windows
Available in	Java
License	Open Government Licence
Website	www.bgs.ac.uk/groundhog/

It is widely used by other Geological Survey Organisations including at the Geological Survey of Sweden, Geological Survey of Finland and with environmental consultancies.

Features

• Digitise and interpret geologic cross section
• Correlate borehole logs
• Display and edit borehole data
• Import AGS borehole data
• Display and edit geological map linework
• Import georeferenced imagery
• Import digital elevation model
• Develop conceptual site models (CSM)
• Develop 3D geological models

3D Geological Modelling

BGS Groundhog Desktop uses an implicit modelling algorithm based on a diverse set of inputs. An interpolation algorithm processes the inputs and generates each geological layer according to geological rules in order to create a vertically consistent stack. The resulting model is visualised as a block model.

Example projects

• A geological model of London and the Thames Valley, southeast England
• Modelling rapid coastal catch-up after defence removal along the soft cliff coast of Happisburgh, UK
• Enkoping Esker Pilot Study : workflow for data integration and publishing of 3D geological outputs^[2]
• UK Minecraft Geology Model built using Groundhog^[3]
• 3D Geological Model of the completed Farringdon underground railway^[4]