1. Boring Logs and Databases Using gINT Software
Scott Sochar
Engineering Geologist
Project Geology / DOE

2. Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Beautiful, inviting, productive, heavily modified, precarious

3. The Project: DHCCP
The Delta Habitat Conservation and Conveyance Program investigates potential alternative means of moving water around the Delta to the California Aqueduct rather than pumping from the Delta

4. Abstract
GINT worked for DWR projects (Levee Evaluation and DHCCP). It allows users to:
Marry historical data to current data in a single database
Add lab data to database and display side by side with visual descriptions
Customize boring logs to emphasize properties of greatest concern
Present geo-referenced subsurface data in plan and section view (GIS)
DHCCP team created map showing elevation of base of Delta peat by combining historical data, gINT, and GIS

5. From Soil to Log Real-World Soils Soil Logs
Complex, variable, difficult to pigeon-hole
Simplified, incomplete, but it makes reams of data digestible

6. Complex / Simplified
Real-World Soil
Soil Boring Log (or Model)

7. Final Product
Boring log incorporating field visual descriptions, classifications, and lab test results

8. GINT is an intermediate step between real soil and log
Breaks the process down to recording and entering values for each property.

9. Geotechnical Exploration
DHCCP’s goal is to find the most suitable alternative conveyance option. Understanding the soil that proposed new canals, pipelines, tunnels, and siphons would be built in is key.

10. Developing Exploration Plan – Use historical logs to guide DHCCP exploration

11. Geospatial Attributes Into Spreadsheet

12. Not all historical logs meet DWR’s rigorous standards

13. GINT Input to Get Paper Historical Log Into Database

14. Time to Gather Our Own Data
Much of DHCCP geotechnical exploration has been over-water and focused on what’s known as the Preferred Study Alternative, the Pipeline/Tunnel Option alignment.

15. Log straight from the field with reviewer comments

16. Edited and Input Into gINT (displayed by borehole)
GINT allows the template to be customized; soil properties DO NOT have to be displayed in this order.

17. Entered into gINT (all boreholes listed)
Each tab leads to another perspective.

18. Some samples are sent to a geotech lab …
… and then the results come back …

19. Lab Test Results
Grain size analyses and Atterberg limits can all be incorporated into gINT.

20. Lab Test Results
Example of Atterberg limits test.

21. Labs can transmit data directly into gINT
Lab test results are stored under another tab for each borehole.

22. Where It All Comes Together
PDF of finalized boring logs including lab data.

23. Display Data in New Ways

24. New Analyses
Having a gINT database allowed DHCCP team to export data that had been harvested from historical logs into GIS. From there, geospatial analysis could produce maps approximating the elevation to the base of peat and organic soils in the Delta.

25. New Analyses
The cooperation of gINT and GIS allows the team to create maps based on varying criteria. This map was produced by contouring for soils that have 50% or greater organics.

26. New Analyses
Having a gINT database and other tools, like Cross-View, allows subsurface cross-sections to be produced.

27. Conclusions
GINT software, particularly when used in conjunction with other tools, is an effective and reasonably efficient way to augment geotechnical analyses.
Many thanks to my colleagues Nicholas Hightower and Mark Pagenkopp for help with the cross-section and peat map slides.

28. Questions?