Visualisation of 3D geoscientific campaign data for the GeoLaB

GeoLaB is an underground research laboratory (URL) currently in planning stage, focussing on deep geothermal energy production in crystalline rock. Accompanying the planning, a virtual geographic environment is being built and updated with datasets as they become available. The focus of this data integration process are currently the multiple exploration campaigns that ensure that the planned site in southern Hesse, Germany, is suitable for building the URL and conducting experiments. Over the past two years, several  campaigns have been funded to acquire detailed seismic, geophysical, magnetic, and hydrological information in the area around the Tromm mountain ridge in the German Odenwald region. In addition, two exploration wells with a depth of 500 m have been drilled to gain knowledge about the structure of the crystalline rock and to ensure the selected site is suitable for the construction of an underground lab.
3D representations of acquired datasets have been created and are visualised in a unified geographic context in combination with datasets provided by state offices, such as fracture networks, topographic maps, buildings or protection areas, as well as geological information to gain new and detailed insights about geotechnical and hydrogeological conditions in this region. In addition, a hydrogeological simulation already provides information on groundwater and saturation and a structural model is currently set up for running coupled THM simulations. Our framework is based on VTK, with workflows for data processing, conversion, modelling and visualisation developed within the OpenGeoSys community. With over 500 datasets already gathered in the scope of the project, data management is handled by KADI (Karlsruhe Data Infrastructure), an open-source solution developed at KIT.
This contribution focusses on the combined 3D visualisation of campaign data acquired during the site selection process and aims primarily at planning and stakeholder information. As the project progresses, this will be expanded into a functional digital twin of the URL and all experiments as well as the surrounding area.

References:
Bremer, J., Kohl, T., Sass, I., Kolditz, O., Rudolph, B., Rühaak, W., Köbe, W., Dehmer, D., Schamp, J., Grimmer, J.C., Scheuvens, D., Schüth, C., Deon, F., Lüth, S., Haaf, N., Hoffert, U., Milsch, H., Giese, R., Zimmermann, G., Könitz, D., Rink, K., Şen, Ö.O., Goldstein, S., Jahn, M.W., Steinhülb, J., Bauer, F., Selzer, M., Schätzler, K. (2025):
GeoLaB annual report 2024. GeoLab, Karlsruhe, 126 pp. 10.5445/IR/1000184950

Kohl, T., Sass, I., Kolditz, O., Bremer, J., Rudolph, B., Schill, E. (2023):
The Large-Scale Helmholtz Research Infrastructure GeoLaB. Proc. of 48th Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering, Stanford, California. SGP-TR-224