Geological restoration consists of simulating basin's structural evolution backwards in time, from present day to a paleo time of interest. This technique has been widely used to validate structural interpretations on seismic sections, as well as a source of understanding of basin evolution and the likely fluid migration pathways. The workflow for classical restoration techniques consists of back-stripping the top surface to a restoration datum (often assumed flat) while relying on geometric and kinematic assumptions such as area (2D) or volume (3D) preservation as a proxy for mass conservation or assuming vertical shear displacements, tri-shear kinematics, etc. Once the top layer is completely back-stripped it is removed and the process is repeated for the next layer. During this process decompaction laws are used to recover the initial layer thicknesses as the sediment burial depth reduces.

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ParaGeo can perform finite-element geomechanical-based restorations on both 2D and 3D structures. The geometry is discretised into a finite element mesh. Each formation layer is assigned material properties (often assumed elastic)  to model sediment rheology while faults are modelled via frictionless contact surfaces. This enables recovery of the brittle deformation history that created the present day configuration. ParaGeo has a wide range of tools that may be deployed to facilitate the restoration of specific classes of structure which encompass; specific treatments for the top horizon surface during back-stripping, conditions to ensure closure of faults, a range of constitutive models, etc. For example, nonlinear constitutive models may be used in regions of ductile deformation (e.g. constant volume Von Mises plasticity) and  bedding plane slip can be represented by orthotropic elasticity, orthotropic plasticity (Hill model) or by introducing planes of weakness at selected locations in the model.