Tutorials

This section introduces numgeo through a sequence of hands-on examples, progressing from elementary element tests to realistic boundary-value problems and, finally, user-defined extensions. Each tutorial is self-contained and can be completed independently.

• Element test simulations: The first steps - you'll learn about the numgeo input file format and structure, basic keywords and special features for the simulation of geotechnical lab tests.
• Strip footing: The first step towards the simulation of more complex boundary value problems. Learn how to create models with more than one body and formulate contact between the two.
• Unsaturated flow: Some examples gently introducing you to the simulation of flow in unsaturated soils
• Strength reduction: learn how to perform strength reduction simulations for the assessment of stability of geotechnical structures.
• Offshore Application: Have a look at these tutorials if you want to know how to perform simulations of monopile or caisson foundations under high-cyclic loading
• User-defined routines: Sometimes the in-build features are just not enough. Learn how to extend numgeo's capabilities with your own code.
• Embedded beams: Learn how to embed anchors and piles into a continuum mesh without matching nodes using the embedded beam formulations
• Staged construction: Learn how to excavate a pit and build an embankment in stages by removing and adding elements during the analysis
• Advanced settings: Learn about some advanced settings such as changing the linear system solver

Before you start learning about the different features of numgeo, make sure to carefully read how to start a simulation with numgeo.

Element test simulations

Example of using numgeo for the back-calculation of the laboratory tests with different advanced constitutive models. How the individual tests are exactly simulated is described in detail in the following sections.

Rigid strip foundation

Example of using numgeo for a simple rigid foundation, including the mesh generation with the software Salome and application of the high-cycle accumulation model.

Unsaturated flow

Slope stability simulations

Dynamic simulations

Offshore applications

Embedded beams

Anchors, nails and piles can be embedded into a continuum mesh without matching nodes. The line coupling (*Embedded region, interaction) is suited for slender inclusions with dominant skin friction, the interaction surface (*Embedded region, interaction-surface) for piles with a physical diameter, base resistance and separation.

Embedded shells

Pile walls, sheet pile walls and large-diameter piles can be modelled with shell elements which are embedded into a soil mesh that does not know the wall (*Embedded region, interaction-surface, section=plate). Both faces of the wall interact with the soil through a frictional contact, and the soil elements cut by the wall are split automatically.

Staged construction

Excavations and embankments are built in stages. With *Model change, remove and *Model change, add elements are removed from the model or added to it at the beginning of a step.

User defined extensions

For many simulations the functions implemented in numgeo are sufficient. However, for more complex problems it may be necessary to extend the existing functionality. For this purpose, numgeo offers the possibility to connect own developments to predefined interfaces and to extend the functionality of numgeo. The following examples are provided:

Advanced settings