dataset · United Kingdom
Superficial Deposit Thickness Model (SDTM) version 8
The Superficial Deposit Thickness Model (SDTM) is a package of datasets which demonstrate the regional variation in superficial deposits thickness across Great Britain. These deposits are unconsolidated sediments which lie on top of bedrock and may include river channel and floodplain deposits, beach sands, talus gravels and glacial drift and large areas of peat. Superficial deposits are of importance for geologists, civil engineers, hydrogeologists and environmental scientists as they are often
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Licence: ["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 an
Evidence quality: 40.7
Listed in data.gov.uk public catalogue API on 2026-10-16; relevance/value screened (haiku).
Metadata checked: 2026-10-14T13:20:00.000Z
What's in it
- Data offered docs-verified
- superficial deposit thickness · terrain adjusted model (TAM) · observation driven model (ODM) · rockhead elevation model (RHEM) · data distance uncertainty layer (DataDist)
- Coverage docs-verified
- Great Britain
- Resolution docs-verified
- 50 m x 50 m raster cells; intended scale 1:100,000; vertical modelled precision +/-5 m
- Update frequency docs-verified
- Not planned (no scheduled updates; DOCS show 'Updated 2 October 2026')
- Access docs-verified
- No authentication (auth null in ENTRY); price not stated. Reuse restricted by NERC/BGS copyright: reproduction or transmission requires prior permission of the copyright holder.
Useful for
- Use cases llm-inferred
- Regional superficial thickness and rockhead screening for a desk-based ground model at 1:100,000 · Groundwater pathway screening for hydrogeological baseline assessments · Preliminary earthworks and foundation risk mapping before site investigation is commissioned · Regional screening of infiltration and drainage constraints from superficial deposit thickness
- Audience llm-inferred
- geotechnical engineers · civil engineers · hydrogeologists · environmental consultants · GIS analysts · geologists
Limitations
- Constraints docs-verified
- Not for site-scale use; specific ground investigation is needed to determine superficial thickness and/or rockhead elevation · Intended scale of use 1:100,000 with vertical modelled precision +/-5 m · Built from borehole records and mapped superficial and artificial geology at 1:50,000 scale · No update frequency planned · NERC/BGS gives no warranty on quality, accuracy or suitability; use is at the customer's own risk · Reuse restricted by NERC copyright · Delivery method and file formats not stated in DOCS
Evidence
- https://www.bgs.ac.uk/datasets/superficial-deposit-thickness-model/
- https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/51909420-fa99-41b5-adeb-bb85ba443e97/superficial-deposit-thickness-model-sdtm-version-8
Check upstream coverage, uncertainty and licence before use. Station observations are not forecasts or design levels.