New Paradigms in Subsurface Prediction : Characterization of the Shallow Subsurface Implications for Urban Infrastructure and Environmental Assessment Characterisation of the shallow subsurface provides civil geotechnical and environmental applications with precise definitions of geomechanical and geohydrological properties. Over the past decade the rapid pace of technological innovation has outstripped the ability of many researchers and potential users to evaluate and adopt promising new characterisation methods. Modern information technologies and information management concepts provide the basis of new paradigms and applications. This book defines future research needs for geological modelling and ground characterisation including better dialogue between data provides and users and faster better and less expensive methods for the creation and dissemination of subsurface characterisations. Fundamentals Characterisation of the shallow subsurface: implications for urban infrastructure and environmental assessment Bridging the gap between geoscience providers and the user community Definition of the modelling technologies New paradigms for geoscience information management End User Requirements Putting the user first: implications for subsurface characterisation What are the end user issues Settlement risk management in underground construction Data requirements for geo environmental management: end user and producer perspectives for a harbour A decision support system for groundwater: water management issues for opencast mining Model Construction and Visualisation Visualisation: are the images really useful Numerical schemes for process simulation: software for coupling pattern recognition to process modelling Regional subsurface models and their practical usage Slope stability estimation using GIS Using 2D GIS for the 3D reconstruction of the Corno Zuccone sackung Val Taleggio (Italy) Sedimentation modelling: data analysis in Rotterdam Harbour Fluid flow in fractured formations Effect of strain softening on settlement due to tunnelling in soft soil Dissemination Strategies Dissemination of geoscience data: societal implications An economic model for the dissemination of national geological survey products and services Access to national geoscience repositories using digital geoscience spatial models Dissemination and visualisation of earth system models for the Dutch subsurface Property Prediction Total Geological History: a web based modelling approach to the anticipation observation and understanding of site conditions 3D modelling system for ground engineering Rock mass quality assessment based on deformation: experience from recent tunnels Improving subsurface parameter estimation through guiding geophysical inversions with a priori geological data Characterisation of void space utilising pore network models Assisting data interpretation: the cone penetration test Managing Uncertainty Impact of geoinformatics on the emerging Geoscience Knowledge Integration Paradigm Assessment of uncertainties in volume and yield estimations of clastic deposits Uncertainty with characterisation of soils Analysing uncertainty when modelling geological structures Uncertainty characterisation: reliability methods for slope stability The Way Ahead Current themes issues and challenges concerning the prediction of subsurface conditions The Global Geoscientific Knowledge Network: overcoming the impediments to subsurface characterisation.