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Data tree

The following sections break down the data tree into manageable components, offering insights into their roles, parameters, and practical application.

Execution Settings

This section defines the basic computational settings for the simulation.

Number of Threads

Specifies the number of CPU threads to be used for the simulation. Increasing this value can enhance performance for larger models but may lead to diminishing returns depending on the hardware configuration.

Dimensions and Units

This section defines the spatial and dimensional settings for the model

Problem Dimensions

The selection of the problem dimension depends on the geometry and physics of the problem.

2D (Plane-Strain)

Used for problems that assume deformation occurs in a plane.

2D Axisymmetric

Suitable for problems with rotational symmetry around a central axis, such as cylindrical soil layers or tunnel excavations. This option significantly reduces computational costs while maintaining accuracy for symmetric problems.

3D

Used for fully three-dimensional problems, offering the most accurate representation of geometry and loads but requiring more computational resources.

Units

Allows users to define consistent physical units for parameters such as length, force, and time. The default units are kilonewtons (kN), meters (m), and seconds (sec). Ensures that all input values conform to the selected units, preventing calculation errors.

Assign element type

Element types determine how geometry and physics are discretized. Examples include linear/quadratic quadrilaterals (u4-solid), 3D bricks (u8-solid-3D), and multi-phase elements (e.g., u-p). Please refer to element types for more details.

Integration

Options include Full or Reduced integration:

Full: Ensures higher accuracy and is suitable for general use.

Reduced: Avoids locking issues but may require stabilization.

Assign the element type to either:

  • Surfaces for 2D geometry
  • Volumes for 3D geometry

Materials

The Materials section defines the physical and mechanical properties necessary for simulations.

Number of Phases

The material behavior depends on the number of phases present:

  • 1: Solid-only simulations.
  • 2: Solid-fluid interaction (e.g., fully saturated soil).
  • 3: Solid-air-water interaction (e.g., unsaturated soil).

Note that the number of active phases affects some of the subsequent commands. For more details please click here

Density

Defines the density for each phase:

  • Phase 1: Density of Soild phase.
  • Phase 2: Density of Fluid phase (e.g., water).
  • Phase 3: Density of Second fluid phase (e.g., air).

Kindly make sure that all input values use consistent units (e.g. \(g/cm^3\)). For more details, click here

Stress-Strain Models

The Stress-Strain section defines the material's constitutive behavior under mechanical loading. Various models are available, each suited to different material behaviors and loading conditions. This section outlines the available options:

  • Linear Elasticity
  • HCA Linear Elasticity
  • Mohr-Coulomb
  • Mohr-Coulomb-2
  • Hypoplastic+IGS
  • HCA-Hypoplasticity
  • Hypo-ISA
  • HCA Hypo-ISA
  • SANISAND
  • HCA-SANISAND
  • Modified-Cam-Clay
  • Barotropic Elasticity
  • Matsuoka-Nakai
  • AVHP (Anisotropic Visco-Hypoplasticity)