Course Guide

for Leapfrog Structural Modelling Tools

– Form Interpolants
2023.1

This course guide was developed using Leapfrog 2023.1. If you are using a different version
of Leapfrog, some features may not be available or may work differently from what is
described in this guide. Guides and courses are regularly updated. To see the latest, visit
Seequent Learning Centre and search the catalogue for Leapfrog Structure Tools.

Seequent, The Bentley Subsurface Company

Leapfrog Structural Modelling Tools – Form Interpolants Course Guide

Contents
1 Form Interpolants ............................................................................................................... 2
1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 2
1.1.1 Welcome to the Course ........................................................................................ 2
1.2 Introduction to Form Interpolants ................................................................................. 3
1.2.1 Form Interpolants ................................................................................................. 3
1.2.2 TASK: Creating a New Form Interpolant............................................................... 4
1.2.3 TASK: Evaluating on to Topography ..................................................................... 7

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Leapfrog Structural Modelling Tools – Form Interpolants Course Guide

1 Form Interpolants
1.1 Introduction
1.1.1 Welcome to the Course

Objectives
In this session, we will cover Leapfrog Geo’s form interpolant tool, which provides an
excellent visualisation of the overall rock fabric of a region.

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

• Create a form interpolant

• Visualise the regional rock fabric orientation
• Understand the different uses for form interpolants

Time to Complete
This course will take 20 minutes to complete.

You can complete the sections all at once, or at your own pace.

Your progress will be tracked so you can re-enter the course anytime, right where you left
off.

Course Data
This course continues to use the ' Castle Hill' sample dataset.
If you are continuing on after completing the previous courses in this learning path, then
please continue to use the sample data you have been working with. If you are starting this
course without completing previous courses, please download the sample data by clicking
on the button below. Once downloaded, unzip the data folder to a convenient location on
your computer. You are also welcome to use your own data if you wish!

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Leapfrog Structural Modelling Tools – Form Interpolants Course Guide

1.2 Introduction to Form Interpolants

1.2.1 Form Interpolants
Form Interpolants
It is often useful to be able to see and predict the general patterns of rock deformation in an
area. In Leapfrog, this is done with the Form Interpolant.
Individual bedding or foliation measurements from pit face-mapping, downhole
measurements, and surface mapping are samples of the overall rock fabric geometry. The
form interpolant takes these orientations and interpolates the changing orientation through
space. The isosurfaces (form surfaces) are a good way of visually representing this.

A form interpolant is an RBF interpolant that uses planar structural data to control the RBF
gradient. The form interpolant’s meshes can then be used to control other surfaces in the
project.

Visualising the form interpolant is incredibly useful for understanding the general geology of
an area, and how that may affect mineralisation, fluid flow, heat flow, and geophysical
interpretations.

Important Note:

The form interpolant is a quick and easy way to see general trends in the subsurface
geometry but it is not a substitute for careful and critical assessment by a geologist. For
example, the form interpolant is 'blind' to important geological structures like faults and
igneous intrusions that truncate bedding or foliation. Furthermore, the shapes of the
isosurfaces are strongly influenced by the number and spatial distribution of structural data,
and may produce geologically implausible or impossible geometries.

If you would like to learn more about the fundamental concepts behind interpolation of
foliation surfaces, not specific to Leapfrog, consult:

• Lajaunie et al. (1997) Foliation fields and 3D cartography in geology: Principles of a

method based on potential interpolation. Mathematical Geology, v. 29, p. 571-584.
[Peer-reviewed].

• Wellmann & Caumon (2018) 3-D structural geological models: Concepts, methods,
and uncertainties. In: Schmelzbach (ed.) Advances in Geophysics, v. 59, p. 1-121.

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Leapfrog Structural Modelling Tools – Form Interpolants Course Guide

1.2.2 TASK: Creating a New Form Interpolant

TASK: Creating a New Form Interpolant
To begin, we are going to set up a new project and create a new form interpolant.
1. Open a new project and import the following:

• topography
• fault meshes
• Field_mapping_structures

2. Right-click on Form Interpolants and select New Form Interpolant.

Important Note:

When working with large structural data sets (particularly downhole structural data), it is
highly recommended the data be declustered prior to being used as an input to a form
interpolant.

3. In the Inputs tab, click the Add button.

4. In the Select Structural Data Tables dialog, select Field_mapping_structures. Click OK.
For the other settings in the Inputs tab:

• Any Query Filter built on the structural data can be applied to filter the data used for
the form interpolant.
• The Use Polarity option is active by default, as it is important to use structural data
polarity to produce meaningful form interpolants.
• The Boundary filter option allows you to decide whether you want to use all
available structural data to create the form interpolant or limit the data used to just
that within the form interpolant boundary.

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Leapfrog Structural Modelling Tools – Form Interpolants Course Guide

5. View the Boundary tab.

By default, the form interpolant’s boundary extends to the edges of the structural dataset
you’ve added, but it can be adjusted. In addition to the standard rectangular boundary, you
can also define the boundary from an existing volume in your model. Right now, we will
leave the default.

6. View the Outputs tab.

The default Thresholds are defined by the size of the bounding box.

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Leapfrog Structural Modelling Tools – Form Interpolants Course Guide

Thresholds are designed to provide structural form visualisation and the threshold values
are not meaningful geologically. Accepting the defaults is a great place to start.
7. Set the Default resolution to 50.

8. Drag Form Interpolant and Field_mapping_structures into the scene to view them together.

9. Expand the form interpolant in the project tree to view all its components.

When a form interpolant is created, a merged structural data object ( ) is also created
that represents all the structural data used in the form interpolant.

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Leapfrog Structural Modelling Tools – Form Interpolants Course Guide

Next, we will look at a few different ways to use the form interpolant.

1.2.3 TASK: Evaluating on to Topography

TASK: Evaluating on to Topography
As we have seen, form interpolants are useful for visualising structural data and identifying
broad trends in 3D. Previously unidentified patterns and regional structures can become
apparent with the help of form interpolants. They may be visualised as isosurfaces or
evaluated onto surfaces, points and block models.
1. Drag Topography into the scene and press D to get a plan view.

2. Right-click on Topography in the Project Tree and select Evaluations.

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Leapfrog Structural Modelling Tools – Form Interpolants Course Guide

3. From the Select Models to Evaluate dialog, select Form Interpolant. Click OK.

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Leapfrog Structural Modelling Tools – Form Interpolants Course Guide

4. Change the Topography colour to Form Interpolant.

This concludes the Form Interpolant training.