The Karpinsky Institute produces a 3D model of the underground space of St. Petersburg

Last week, the Committee for Nature Management, Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety of St. Petersburg held a preliminary review of the project to produce a 3D model of the underground space geology of St. Petersburg, being developed by experts of the Karpinsky Institute under the leadership of Nikolai Filippov, the project manager from the Department of Regional Geology and Minerals of Western Regions.

The event was held as part of the preparation of the Environmental Council under the Governor of St. Petersburg. The committee presented results of the first stage of creating the 3D model to representatives of relevant executive authorities, business and science. The implementation of this project will make it possible to effectively plan the development of the city’s above-ground and underground infrastructure.

The underground space involvement in megacities is becoming an objective necessity to ensure their further development. In turn, the safety and economic efficiency of underground construction depend to a great degree on the subsurface area geology. Obtaining reliable information about the suitability of an area for such construction requires lengthy and expensive engineering and geological surveys. An alternative and more rational approach is a 3D model of the city’s underground space geology, on the basis of which preliminary conclusions about geological risks are possible as well as the preparation of conclusions about geological and hydrogeological features of the areas of planned construction, verification of the reliability of results obtained after designing and surveying and, ultimately, making a decision on the underground space development.

“We are proud that St. Petersburg will become the first owner of an underground model in Russia. Preliminary analysis data will be sufficient to assess geological risks for any type of construction,” said Deputy Chairman of the Committee Ivan Serebritsky.

A working group on interdepartmental interaction is currently being set up to develop the project, obtain initial data, draw up rules for using the model and combine the 3D data.