Software: Training

Building FLAC3D, 3DEC and PFC3D models in Rhino3D & KUBRIX

Course Outline

• Preliminaries
  • What ITASCA application will the model be used for?
    • Models for PFC3D: wall cleanup and automatic clump generation
    • Models for 3DEC: manual blocking in Rhino versus automatic blocking with Kubrix
    • Models for FLAC3D: hex, tetra, octree
  • Choosing the right approach to model creation
    • 2D or 3D?
    • Can the model be simplified?
    • When to use octree meshing?
• Building Models from CAD
  • From scratch
    • Tutorials
    • Boolean vs. free-form modeling
  • From point cloud
    • Topography
    • Open pit
  • From contour lines
    • Salt cavern
    • Open pit
  • From an existing triangulation
    • Working with triangles
• Model cleanup
  • Working directly with a mesh of triangles
    • Free (Naked) edge matching
    • Degenerate, duplicate, non-manifold triangles
    • Normal orientation
    • De-featuring & Connected faces
    • AlignMeshvertices for cleaning naked edges in non-manifold models
    • partitioning into smaller sets of faces
    • one-by-one, removing triangles
    • Splitting groups of triangles
    • Using layers to keep the working area clean: Putting all constructions stuff in layer 1
    • Back from the future
    • Using MeshToNurb, followed by Mesh & Match Mesh edges
    • PatchSingleFace (connects edge to edge, helps close sides)
    • FillHole
    • Collapse by aspect ratio
    • Using Polyline and Mesh from Closed Polyline
  • Working with CAD
    • Non-manifold surfaces: MergeBreps
    • Tolerance and units
    • Boolean vs. free-form modeling
• Local Mesh Control
  • Impact of the geometry
  • Impact of the meshing parameters in KUBRIX
    • "Use density"
  • Meshing issues
    • Hexahedral meshing
      • Very large models
      • Maximum edge size versus resolution
      • Noisy CAD data
      • Element distortion
      • Negative Jacobians
      • Aspect ratio control
      • Structured meshes
      • Local mesh refinement
      • Mesh refinement near walls
    • Octree meshing
      • Geometry cleanup prior to meshing
      • Representing interfacial zones as a separate group
      • Controlling the number of elements
      • Assembling multiple meshes into one.
    • Tetrahedral meshing & convex blocking
      • Offset and cut angle control
      • Controlling mesh size: Use density
      • Number of elements: Hexahedral versus Tetrahedral zones