Itasca Educational Partnership
ITASCA Academics
Software Tutorials
FLAC3D 7.0 Structured Mesh Tutorial
A tutorial showing how to create a structured mesh in FLAC3D 7.0 using the extruder pane.
PFC 7 Creation of a Synthetic Rock Mass (SRM) Specimen
This tutorial will guide you through how to create a fractured Synthetic Rock Mass (SRM) specimen.
An Introduction to Python Scripting: Part 1
Introduction to Python scripting by reviewing key concepts and through demonstrations. Part 1 focuses on installing Python, variables and types, conditions and loops, and functions.
Technical Papers
Tunnelling and reinforcement in heterogeneous ground – A case study
Abstract
A case study of tunnelling in heterogeneous ground conditions has been analysed. The case involves a tunnel excavated in mixed-face conditions, where the main host material was rock, but for a distance of about 30 m, the tunnel had to be driven through a thick layer of soil, primarily moraine and sandy soil materials.During tunnel drifting, a "chimney" cave developed through the soil layer, resulting in a surface sinkhole.This case was analysed using a three-dimensional numerical model with the FLAC3D software code, in which the soil stratigraphy and tunnel advance were modelled in detail. Tunnel and soil reinforcement in the form of jet grouting of the soil, pipe umbrella arch system, bolting, and shotcreting, was explicitly simulated in the model. The studyaimed at comparing model results with observations and measurements of ground behaviour, and to replicate the major deformation pattern observed. The modelling work was based on a previous generic study in which various factors influencing tunnel and ground surface deformations were analysed for different cases of heterogeneous ground conditions.Model calibration was performed through adjusting the soil shear strength. The calibration provided a qualitatively good agreement with observed behaviour. Calculated deformations on the ground surface were in line with measured deformations, and the location of the tunnel collapse predicted by the model. The installed tunnel reinforcement proved to be critical to match with observed behaviour. Without installed pipe umbrella arch system, calculated deformations were overestimated, and exclusion of jet grouting caused collapse of the tunnel. These findings prove that, in particular, jet grouting of the soil layer was necessary for the successful tunnel advance through the soil layer.
Blast Movement Simulation Through a Hybrid Approach of Continuum, Discontinuum, and Machine Learning Modeling
This work presents a hybrid modeling approach to efficiently estimate and optimize rock movement during blasting. A small-scale continuum model simulates early-stage, near-field blasting physics and generates synthetic data to train a machine learning (ML) model. Key parameters such as expanded hole diameter, burden velocity, and gas pressure are obtained through the ML model, which then inform a discontinuum model to predict far-field muckpile formation. The approach captures essential blast physics while significantly accelerating blast design optimization.
Tunneldrivning i heterogena förhållanden
InledningProblem: Brist på erfarenhet av tunneldrivning i heterogena förhållanden med konventionell uttagsteknik (borrning och sprängning).
Mål: Fördjupa kunskapen och förståelse av brott och deformationsmönster vid dessa förhållanden.