ITASCA Software has released version 9.6, featuring significant advancements in large-strain modeling through fully automatic remeshing in FLAC2D. This new capability addresses a critical challenge in geotechnical analysis by automatically rebuilding the computational mesh when deformation exceeds user-defined thresholds, ensuring simulation stability and accuracy while reducing complexity for engineers working on projects involving large, progressive deformations.
The automatic remeshing function operates by reconstructing the mesh in regions that experience excessive strain during simulations of large displacements, excavation, or collapse scenarios. Data such as stresses and displacements are seamlessly transferred from the old grid to the new one, maintaining continuity throughout the simulation process. According to Jim Hazzard, ITASCA Software Manager, this advancement solves the longstanding problem of traditional fixed grids becoming distorted during extreme deformation, which often leads to simulation failure or compromised accuracy. The new remeshing logic enables reliable modeling of complex phenomena involving massive strain, providing engineers with more dependable tools for assessing structural behavior under extreme conditions.
For mining applications, the remeshing capability proves particularly valuable when modeling subsidence, progressive failure of open pits, backfill stability, or collapse scenarios involving tunnels, stopes, or caverns. By maintaining mesh quality and adapting to evolving geometries, the technology improves solution accuracy during large deformation analysis, including the impact of ground pore pressure. This enhancement supports more robust risk assessments and long-term performance evaluations in complex geomechanical environments, potentially leading to safer mining operations and more efficient resource extraction.
In civil engineering contexts, automatic remeshing helps engineers differentiate between Ultimate Limit State and Serviceability Limit State analyses by providing a complete picture of excessive deformations and their effects on construction, safety, and serviceability. Applications include analysis of active slope failures and tunnel face instability, where the technology adds efficiency to the modeling process. Engineers can learn more about these capabilities by visiting itascasoftware.com or requesting a technical demonstration.
Beyond the automatic remeshing feature, version 9.6 includes several other significant improvements. The Structural Concrete Constitutive Model allows engineers to assign concrete-specific behavior directly to structural elements like piles, beams, and liners, enabling realistic soil-structure interaction without requiring high-density zone meshes. The Munson-Dawson Creep model, considered the gold standard for salt rock mechanics, now accurately predicts primary and secondary creep stages essential for evaluating long-term stability in evaporite mines, energy storage caverns, and nuclear waste repositories.
The update also introduces hybrid solvers and large-strain solutions, including MPoint coupling that enables FLAC3D and FLAC2D to work with ITASCA's new Material Point Method solver for extreme deformation simulations. This hybrid approach streamlines material point generation and overcomes limitations of conventional large-strain modeling while balancing simulation performance. Additionally, the updated Factor of Safety analysis logic allows users to restrict Shear Strength Reduction to specific regions, helping engineers focus on critical, large-scale failure mechanisms while ignoring localized bench instabilities.
Automated workflow enhancements include automated domain generation that reduces model setup time from hours to minutes by automatically creating far-field zones around existing geometries. The enhanced Sketch Tool now supports hard nodes that ensure mesh nodes are generated at exact coordinates with specified zone sizes, while the Joint-set Wizard accepts 3D dip/dip direction inputs and automatically converts them to the correct apparent dip for the Sketch plane. Furthermore, 3DEC now supports fluid flow analysis through deformable grids imported from Griddle, allowing high-fidelity, unstructured meshes to utilize robust flow logic for seepage and pore-pressure analysis.
These advancements collectively represent a significant step forward in geotechnical modeling software, providing engineers with more powerful tools to simulate complex real-world scenarios with greater accuracy and efficiency. The automatic remeshing capability, in particular, addresses a fundamental challenge in numerical modeling of large deformations, potentially leading to improved safety assessments, more efficient design processes, and better-informed engineering decisions across mining and civil infrastructure projects worldwide.
