Extension of the AGS Format to Incorporate Ground Model and Interpreted Data

Abstract

The AGS format is a digital interchange format for ground investigation factual data. It was created and is maintained by the Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS) and is widely used by the geotechnical community in the UK as well as some other parts of the world. In response to recent industry demand and the increasing adoption of BIM, GIS and automation of design processes, the format is being extended to incorporate ground model and interpreted data in a digital data form. This paper discusses the drivers for this, and the thinking behind the structure of the proposed extended schema, which has the working title of AGSi. Reasons for adopting an object model approach and JSON as the initial encoding format are outlined and selected parts of the draft schema, which is still in development, are described. The development of AGSi is linked with ongoing work on geotechnical data formats by buildingSMART (IFC format) and the Open Geospatial Commission (OGC).