Some considerations in management of computer-processable files of geological data

Many sets of data in the natural sciences have a hierarchical structure that is either inherent in the data or that is imposed on them during collection. These data structures can be defined using mathematical set-theory notation. If data from two or more computer-processable files are accessed simultaneously, the application of operations of set union and intersection leads to emergence of certain criteria which must be adhered to when managing data files using a generalized, database management system. One of the situations in which these principles come into play is illustrated by the merging of two computer-processable files of geotechnical data, the data for both files having been derived from the same source but structured differently.