Using Soft Boundaries for Advanced Interpolation in GEMS

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It’s Tip Tuesday! Today’s post from Ed Thornton, our GEOVIA GEMS™ Product Specialist, focusses on keeping soft boundaries while incorporating samples from adjacent domains into the interpolation profiles.

Include samples that contain these Rock code integer valuesSample Filtering

Did you know that GEMS can use up to 10 separate integers to filter samples when interpolating a block into a specific domain? These samples will be identified using an integer attribute of the sample. Identifying this sample is simple, just follow these steps:

  1. Select the Interpolation Profile.
  2. Select the Data and Constraints Tab.
  3. Click the “Setting” button on the “By Rock code” section to activate the “Include” or “Exclude Data” dialogue box.
  4. Enter the field (attribute) name from the Point area workspace where the integer values are located. The integer values to be used for the selected Target rock code.

During an interpolation run, all of the open samples are filtered by an integer value, and then sorted by search ellipse anisotropy. From there, the closest samples are used to interpolate a value for the block by applying a calculated weighting factor for the distance of the sample from the block centroid. However, when there are multiple domains in a block model, you can include samples from an adjacent domain, while softening the effect of those samples on the interpolation.

Enter the Advanced option Script into the text box by typing or using [right click] paste functionAdvanced Option

There is an advanced option in the interpolation profile that will allow a user to enter additional scripting to the profile. A script has been developed for users to discriminate samples for specific rock code integers previously identified as being valid for a defined target rock code. From there, apply a “soft boundary” factor to the calculated distance from the block centroid to increase or decrease the distance weighting for that sample. To enable this option, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Advanced Options node on the “Data and Constraints” tab in the interpolation profile.
  2. Click the “Use Advanced options” checkbox
  3. Enter certain keywords and variables that comprise the script, as required, into the text box. 

An advanced interpolation script has the following basic structure:

  • Command name.
  • Command structure.
  • Instruction to end the command loop.

Soft Option Level 1For a simple soft boundary script, use the following structure:

  1. SOFT (command name)
  2. Integer value of softness level to apply
  3. Fraction value of softness factor to apply
  4. END (ends the loop)

It’s important to note that SOFT is the keyword that turns on the optional calculation. It is followed by a variable on the next line that defines which SOFT level will be used. Here are some points to remember:

  • The softness level is defined as either 0, 1 or 2.
  • 0 = no Soft option. 1= soft boundary. 2= supports multiple soft domains.
  • The third line defines the softness factor. It is used to modify the calculated distance a sample is located from the block centroid. This has the effect of increasing or decreasing the weighting for a sample value.
  • The final line contains the word “END”.

Soft Option Level 2For complex multiple soft boundaries, use the following script structure:

  1. SOFT (command name)
  2. Integer value of softness level to apply (2 for multiple soft zones)
  3. Integer value for number of softness zones to define.
  4. First zone target rock code number. Number of soft zones adjacent to it. Input Integer value (ROCKTYPE above) for the first soft zone, Fraction value for softness value etc.
  5. Second zone target rock code number. Number of soft zones adjacent to it. Input Integer value (rock code) for the first soft zone. Fraction value for softness value etc.
  6. END (ends the loop) 

For more information on using soft boundaries and GEMS, please visit the GEOVIA Support Centre.

Be sure to check back next Tuesday for more Product Tips & Tricks.

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