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Software Tutorials

Loops, Splitting, and Operators

When constructing or running simulations, you may want to query or modify values associated with all, or some of, the objects in your model (such as zones, nodes, blocks, balls, contacts, rockbolts, etc.). This may be to measure results like stress or displacement, to assign a calculated extra variable for plotting or to adjust a property value. There are several ways to identify and navigate across all these objects using loops, splitting, and operators — with each one becoming easier and faster to execute. See how you can apply all of these approaches in a tutorial where a zone property is randomly assigned for strength variability throughout the model. You will also see how much easier and faster these approaches have become. Applying model property distributions via the PROPERTY command is also reviewed.

PFC 7 Balls in a Box

This tutorial will guide you through the main steps required to build a simple PFC model with 30 interacting balls in a box using the linear contact model.

Generating Videos via Plots

This tutorial reviews how you can generate movies from FLAC3D plots. It is also applicable for 3DEC, PFC, and UDEC.

Technical Papers

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.

Use of a Finite Element Code to Model Complex Mine Water Problems

Numerical models are now used routinely to predict ground-water inflows to both surface and underground mines and to help design dewatering systems.

The role of rock mass heterogeneity and buckling mechanisms in excavation performance in foliated ground at Westwood Mine, Quebec

Operations at Westwood mine in Quebec, Canada were temporarily halted in May 2015 after three large-magnitude seismic events occurred over two days. The mechanisms leading to these events, which caused severe damage to several accesses, were not well understood at first. This paper presents the key aspects of FLAC3D back-analysis modelling, which include (1) an anisotropic rock mass strength model with properties derived from field and laboratory strength testing, and (2) a scheme to account implicitly for the deconfinement that accompanies buckling around excavations.