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Bedrock summary lithologies across the UK Continental Shelf (2014 Version)

The Bedrock summary lithologies dataset is digital geological map across the bulk of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS), for areas up to a water depth of 200m, which groups the bedrock lithologies (rock types) into classes based on similar engineering geology characteristics. The map is derived from the 1:250,000 scale digital bedrock map of the UKCS, called DiGRock250k, which is available separately from the BGS. The map was produced in 2014 in collaboration with, and co-funded by, The Crown Estate as part of a wider commissioned project to assess seabed geological constraints on engineering infrastructure across the UKCS. The divisions on the map combine the bedrock formations into 8 classes (with several subdivisions) of similar strength and lithological variability, each with a ‘Category’ title that summarises their main lithological character: Class1 – Igneous; Class 2 - Tertiary Sandstone and Limestone; Class 2.5 - Tertiary Sandstone and Limestone Interbedded; Class 3 - Tertiary Mudstone; Class 4 - Mesozoic Sandstone and Limestone; Class 4.5 - Mesozoic Sandstone and Limestone Interbedded; Class 5 - Mesozoic Mudstone; Class 6 – Chalk; Class 7 – Metamorphic; Class 8 - Palaeozoic Sedimentary. The data are held by the BGS as an ESRI ArcGIS Shapefile.

Default

Identification info

Metadata Language
English (en)
Dataset Reference Date ()
2014-03-31
Identifier

http://data.bgs.ac.uk/id/dataHolding/13606629

 

British Geological Survey

-

Enquiries


The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South

,

EDINBURGH

,

LOTHIAN

,

EH14 4AP

,

United Kingdom

0115 936 3142
0115 936 3276
 

British Geological Survey

-

Enquiries


The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South

,

EDINBURGH

,

LOTHIAN

,

EH14 4AP

,

United Kingdom

0115 936 3142
0115 936 3276
 

British Geological Survey

-

Enquiries


 

British Geological Survey

-

Enquiries


Maintenance and update frequency
notPlanned
GEMET - INSPIRE themes
  • Geology
BGS Thesaurus of Geosciences
  • Lithology

  • Bed rock

  • Continental shelf

Keywords
  • NERC_DDC

Limitations on Public Access
otherRestrictions
Other constraints
licenceOGL
Other constraints
Available under the Open Government Licence subject to the following acknowledgement accompanying the reproduced NERC materials "Contains NERC materials ©NERC [year]"
Use constraints
otherRestrictions
Other constraints

The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the prior permission of the copyright holder, via the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Manager. Use by customers of information provided by the BGS, is at the customer's own risk. In view of the disparate sources of information at BGS's disposal, including such material donated to BGS, that BGS accepts in good faith as being accurate, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the quality or accuracy of the information supplied, or to the information's suitability for any use. NERC/BGS accepts no liability whatever in respect of loss, damage, injury or other occurence however caused.

Other constraints

Available under the Open Government Licence subject to the following acknowledgement accompanying the reproduced NERC materials "Contains NERC materials ©NERC [year]"

Spatial representation type
vector
Denominator
250000
Topic category
  • Geoscientific information
Extent

UK CONTINENTAL SHELF [id=121701]

Dataset Reference Date ()
1979

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S
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Begin date
1966
End date
2013
 

Spatial Reference System

No information provided.

Distribution Information

Data format
  • ESRI Files

    ()

Resource Locator
Data
Resource Locator
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Resource Locator
Data
Resource Locator
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
 
Quality Scope
dataset
Other

dataset

Report

Dataset Reference Date ()
2011
Explanation

See the referenced specification

Degree

Report

Dataset Reference Date ()
2010-12-08
Explanation

See http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2010:323:0011:0102:EN:PDF

Degree
Statement

The Bedrock Summary Lithology Factor Map has been derived from DiGRock250k by grouping bedrock lithologies into the following categories: Class1 - Igneous, Class 2 - Tertiary Sandstone and Limestone, Class 2.5 - Tertiary Sandstone and Limestone Interbedded, Class 3 - Tertiary Mudstone, Class 4 - Mesozoic Sandstone and Limestone, Class 4.5 - Mesozoic Sandstone and Limestone Interbedded, Class 5 - Mesozoic Mudstone, Class 6 - Chalk, Class 7 - Metamorphic, Class 8 - Palaeozoic Sedimentary. Class 1 was chosen to cover any igneous rock (granite, lava). These are frequently very strong and anisotropic in their physical properties. This class excludes tuffs as these are considered sedimentary rocks. There are no time constraints on this class as granites of Tertiary age have comparable properties to those emplaced during the Palaeozoic. Some igneous rocks such as lavas may have weathered horizons often reflecting environmental conditions when the rocks were created. Class 2 covers sands and sandstones and only a few limestones (e.g. Bembridge Limestone). Class 6 comprises chalks. This bioclastic product was separated out from other sedimentary rocks due to its easy recognition, its extensive occurrence offshore and the difficulties it has posed to pile driving for monopile wind turbines. The class occurs within both the Mesozoic and Tertiary time zones No attempt has been made to subdivide the chalk areas based on their likelihood to have flints. Experience suggests that flints can impose a constraint on foundation installation and these vary depending on basin and age. Some sediments in DigRock are described as Permo-Trias sandstones and mudstone and therefore would straddle Classes 4.5 and 8. As the classification scheme is intended as rapid attempt to summarise the strength of the rocks it was decided that such sediments are closer to the Mesozoic than most of the Palaeozoic and classes 4, 4.5 and 5 should be considered for rocks that are described as Permo-Trias. In the light of that, DigRock class PUND-MDGYAN was also moved into Class 4. It was noted that there was inconsistency in the descriptions of offshore extensions of the country rock north and south of the Cornubian peninsular. To the south the sediments are described as slates whereas to the north they are described as Sandstones and mudstones. Hence they fall into differing categories, the former as class 7 metamorphic and the latter as class 8 Palaeozoic sedimentary.

Metadata

File identifier
166c7ca4-0bfd-1f2d-e054-002128a47908 XML
Metadata Language
English (en)
Resource type
dataset
Metadata Date
2023-03-21
Metadata standard name
UK GEMINI
Metadata standard version

2.3

 

British Geological Survey


The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South

,

EDINBURGH

,

LOTHIAN

,

EH14 4AP

,

United Kingdom

+44 131 667 1000
 
 

Overviews

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