An integrated GIS and knowledge-based system as an aid for the geological analysis of sedimentary basins

The methods and advantages of integrating knowledge-based and geographical information system techniques for the analysis of provenance and diagenesis in sedimentary basins are demonstrated by examples from the Cheshire Basin located in north-west England. Approximate reasoning techniques to handle the vagueness and uncertainty inherent in a large amount of geological data, knowledge and reasoning are reviewed with particular emphasis on provenance analysis using subjective probability theory, Dempster-Shafer theory and fuzzy logic techniques. Object-oriented methods for analysing diagenetic history in user specified volumes of the basin are discussed.