2024 SAG Award Winners

TNO

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Project Goal

The Geological Survey of the Netherlands, part of TNO, together with ESRI, Kadaster and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, has developed the very first 3D web services on subsurface data. This is an big milestone in the possibilities of 3D geodata and the accessibility of the Dutch subsurface.
The Netherlands has an unique position in the world with the most subsurface data available. The developed 3D webservices – first of all for ArcGIS - make an integrated spatial understanding of that subsurface in relation to the environment above ground more accessible.
This project was enabled by a government-wide program and involves a broader nationwide 3D geo-information facility linked to several key registers, with this one being the ‘underground’ part. The data and models used are part of the Dutch National Key Registry of the Subsurface (‘Basisregistratie Ondergrond’ or BRO). By making these web services practical experience can be gained for further development.
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Business Problem Solved

It is a lot of work to load the subsurface data and models into a GIS system. After all, we are dealing with huge amounts of data and a large scale of the nationwide models. Moreover, the visualizations and functionality to work with this data involve many technical challenges and require a lot of geological expertise. Therefore the launch of the basic version of the BRO 3D web services is a milestone: it makes the subsurface more accessible in 3D (!). The subsurface can be used directly in a GIS system.
With the BRO 3D web services the subsurface can be used directly and easily in a ArcGIS PRO. Now municipalities, provinces, water boards, engineering and consultancy firms working with spatial geo-information can carry out more easily and more insightfully studies about climate adaptation, sustainable energy and housing construction for example. It helps to look at the surface in an integrated and coherent way. Being able to look in 3D contributes a lot to this.

Technology Implemented

The realization of the 3D BRO models involves the technical implementation of a basic facility that allows users to access the data present in the BRO data present - for selected registration objects (the data types in the BRO) - via 3D web services.
Most of this development is carried out by ESRI NL, in cooperation with TNO experts who know the content of the data and TNO IT people for mutual technical knowledge transfer.
The work involves the following components:
- GeoTOP (subsurface Model), as I3S Voxel Scene Layer Service and 3D Object Scene Layer Service; design
GeoTOP fences/slices (100 x 100 m) as an I3S 3D Object Scene Layer Service, including associated
data preparations and enrichment of attribute values
- Cone Penetration tests as I3S 3D Object Scene Layer Service
- REGIS II (hydrological model) as I3S Voxel Scene Layer Service and as I3S 3D Object Scene Layer Service
- Groundwater monitoring wells and groundwater levels as I3S 3D Object Scene Layer Servi

Development Team Biography

Rob van der Krogt, International Project Manager
Steven Fruijtier, Team lead GeoData & PO Analist team & GIS team
Ceciel Fruijtier, Consultant Subsurface
Jan Stafleu, Geologist & Geomodeller
Jan Hummelman, Geomodeller
Riender Reindersma, Geomodeller & GIS-specialist
Romée Kars, Geologist & Geomodeller
Wilfred Visser, Geoscientific Software Engineer
Ernestien Honning, Communications Advisor