A unified 3D geological model for Germany and adjacent areas

Abstract. 3D geological models are an essential source of information for research as well as for the safe and efficient use of the underground. They provide not only a visualization of the subsurface structures but also serve as geometry input for geophysical and numerical models, e.g., gravimetric, mechanical or thermal models. The set-up of a geological model for a numerical simulation is often a time-consuming task. During the last two decades, several 3D geological models have been created for specific regions in Germany. Up to now only one attempt has been made to combine several of them to a Germany-wide model. However, there are many new models that have not been integrated into this model. Therefore, we present a new Germany-wide 3D geological model combining information of 27 individual models. The model has a resolution of 1×1 km2 and is vertically and horizontally subdivided into 146 units. Where possible, the model is extended to neighboring countries, e.g., the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Austria. In order to combine all models with their different sizes, resolutions and stratigraphic subdivisions, we used a point set approach, which has a number of advantages with regards to its flexibility and usability. To demonstrate the usability, the set-up of a finite-element model is shown as a possible application. The model is published as Ahlers (2026) and is available under https://doi.org/10.48328/tudatalib-1791.