ITASCA An Itasca International Company ITASCA An Itasca International Company

Consulting Group, Inc. Consulting Group, Inc.

UDEC VERSION 5.0 UDEC VERSION 5.0

Advanced, Two Dimensional Distinct Element Modeling Advanced, Two Dimensional Distinct Element Modeling
for Geotechnical Analysis of Rock, Soil, and Structural Support for Geotechnical Analysis of Rock, Soil, and Structural Support
 UDEC 5.0

ABOUT UDEC

CONTENTS UDEC is an advanced, two dimensional discrete element BACK ANALYSIS OF A SMALL SLOPE FAILURE THAT OCCURRED IN WEATHERED ROCK.
About UDEC . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 modeling code for geotechnical analysis of soil, rock, and
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 structural support in two dimensions.
New in 5.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
UDEC is used in analysis, testing, and design by
Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
geotechnical, civil, and mining engineers. It is designed to
accommodate any kind of geotechnical engineering project
where anlysis of jointed, blocky systems is necessary.
UDEC utilizes an explicit solution scheme that can model
complex, non-linear behaviors. It simulates either the quasi-
static or dynamic response to loading of rock media
containing multiple, intersecting joint structures. Because it is
not limited to a particular type of problem or initial condition,
UDEC may be applied to any case where an understanding of
the two-dimensional response of such structures is needed.

X displacement contours Y displacement contours

ANALYSIS OF GROUND DEFORMATIONS AND GROUND SUPPORT BEHAVIOR ASSOCIATED

WITH TWO ROAD TUNNELS

Speed increases up to 30% faster than the previous version YY Stress Contours Axial Force on Structure

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 UDEC 5.0

FEATURES

UDEC FACTS UDEC simulates large displacements — slip and opening —

UDEC and its 3D counterpart along a discontinuous medium that is treated as an assembly
3DEC have been the subject of of discrete blocks; discontinuities are treated as boundary
three international symposia.
conditions between blocks. Models may contain a mix of rigid
There are also more than 800
publications that describe the or deformable blocks. UDEC provides libraries of materials
application of UDEC and and constitutive models for deformable blocks. Thermal and
3DEC to problems in the fluid flow calculation modes are available, and may be
Backfilling a deep long-wall excavation; stress states, from left to right: at 10m excavated, at 30m
mining, civil, mineral, process, coupled to the base mechanical calculation. The program can
excavated and 20m backfilled, at 50m excavated and 40m backfilled
waste isolation, and petroleum model excavation, backfill simulation, “infinite domain”
engineering industries. A
problems, dynamic problems (with absorbing boundaries and
complete bibliography,
references for the symposia,
wave input). Structural elements are available and may be
and more are available at this coupled to continuum blocks. It also provides a built-in
location on the Itasca web site: scripting language (FISH) to customize or automate virtually all
www.itascacg.com/udec/ aspects of program operation, including user-defined
pubs.html properties and other variables.
The program can be configured with optional modules that
extend the capabilities of the base program (see the Options
section for more information).
The UDEC user interface provides a complete interactive
modeling environment, project management facilities, a built-
in library of materials, easy specification of boundary
conditions and structural elements, movies, extensive plotting
Masonry diaphragm wall in mine entry
capabilities, and run-time monitoring of results.

Model of lithophysal tuff Damage in model (cracks in red;

displacement vectors in green)

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 UDEC 5.0

NEW IN 5.0

UDEC FACTS Speed increases up to 30% faster than the previous version Improvements to structural elements include: greater control
UDEC has been available for (this number can vary; the exact increase is subject to the provided through improved structural liner commands, new
over 26 years and is used by user’s hardware configuration) fixed degrees of freedom for structural nodes to allow lines of
engineers, consultants, and in
Redesigned user interface is more functional, easier to use, symmetry to be used with liners, and an entirely new element
university teaching and
research. UDEC is currently
and easier to configure. Range specification and FISH type — rockbolt — has been added.
licensed to more than 1100 utilization are substantially improved in the interface. The fracture fluid flow logic in UDEC has been expanded to
users in over 55 countries — More accurate plasticity solutions using Nodal Mixed allow the modeling of gas flow. In gas flow the bulk modulus
making it one of the most Discretization. Zone strains at common nodes are averaged, of a gas is equal to its pressure.
widely used two-dimensional which leads to a better plasticity solution by reducing the
numerical modeling tools for
locking effect of lower order elements.
geotechnical analysis in the
world.

Screen shot of the new UDEC 5.0 GUI.

Contour of gas pressure in joints

surrounding a pressurized
cavern.

Contours of displacement
magnitude in a tunnel model.
The axial forces on the rockbolt
elements are also plotted.

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 UDEC 5.0

NEW IN 5.0 (cont.)

UDEC FACTS Automatic Voronoi joint generator: A new algorithm has been
Itasca is a global firm implemented that reduces Voronoi block generation time by a
dedicated to providing its factor of approximately 100. The Voronoi block generation
clients better insight into the
range control has been modified to include any range
behavior of the engineered
earth environments where they command that can be used to select blocks.
operate. UDEC is developed New and extended plotting capabilities such as all color
by engineers, for engineers, to scaled vector quantity plots make determination of areas of
solve real world engineering high and low activity more apparent; added joint normal and
problems. We know what those shear stress plots; joint attribute plots are now displayed with Voronoi blocks generated to
problems are, because we simulate a rock bolted beam of
colors scaled to the joint attribute magnitude; new moment-
tackle them every day. loose material.
thrust plot for structural liners; new thrust-shear plot for
structural liners; new displacement magnitude contour plot;
new velocity magnitude contour plot; improved boundary
condition plotting to include fluid settings.
Documentation enhancements include a compiled help
(CHM) file that is available inside the GUI that includes all
commands from the Command Reference volume (and the
FISH User’s Guide too) from the UDEC Manual.
Zone and Joint DLL models are automatically loaded,
providing greater convenience when restoring save files.
New facility for specification of welded construction joints,
and cracks can be specified as construction joints. These UDEC 5.0 compiled help file
cracks are normally used to define excavation boundaries and
to provide zone density control. The new feature allows them
to be included while minimizing the effect on the model
behavior.

Contours of displacement
magnitude in a slope model.

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 UDEC 5.0

OPTIONS

UDEC FACTS Options in UDEC are sold separately from the code license,
In addition to the extensive allowing users to augment the program’s functionality
documentation that appears in according to their analysis needs. Modules available as
the manual provided with the
options for UDEC are Barton-Bandis, Creep Models, and User
program, UDEC is supported
through Itasca’s web site in a Defined C++ Constitutive Models.
number of ways, including: The Barton-Bandis model is a series of empirical relations
free program updates, that describe the effects of surface roughness on discontinuity
demonstration versions, deformation and strength. The model provides calculations for
movies illustrating code joint normal behavior and joint shear behavior. The Barton-
features, alerts for known
Bandis model is an option that is available with the code at an
issues in the code, and more.
Visit the UDEC section of the
additional cost.
web site: The Creep option allows users to model time dependant
www.itascacg.com/udec viscous behavior in the UDEC zones.
The User-Defined C++ Constitutive Model option allows
users to write and compile their own models as DLLs that can
be loaded whenever needed. Models may be shared with Color-scaled displacement vector field in a tunnel model using
other Itasca codes. New DLL models can be obtained from the the improved structural liner. The Axial force on the liner is shown
Itasca web site devoted specifically to model development and in blue.
exchange: www.itasca-udm.com.

Slope fracture flow. Displacement magnitude vectors.

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 ITASCA An Itasca International Company
Consulting Group, Inc.

UDEC VERSION 5.0

Advanced, Two Dimensional Distinct Element Modeling
for Geotechnical Analysis of Rock, Soil, and Structural Support

SUMMARY
Suggested System Minimums Support
Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7; Free: code updates and support information
1 GB free space on hard drive; 512 MB RAM; via web site; free direct support for code
Graphics card with OpenGL 1.3 or higher; installation and general code operation.
1GHz or better processor
Fee-based: Engineering/problem-solving
Standard License Includes support.
UDEC Version 5.0 on accompanying installation
CD, softbound book and PDF copies of the UDEC Sales
Manual: User’s Guide, Command Reference, FISH Varies with Location: Locations of Itasca offices
in UDEC, Theory and Background, Special and agents throughout the world, including a
Features, Verification Problems, Example locator to determine the user’s UDEC sales
Applications, Creep Material Models, Constitutive office/agent, are available from the Itasca web
Models; UDEC code security via USB hardware site: www.itascacg.com/software/sales.php
lock

Separate Options Available*

Barton-Bandis, Creep, UDM/UDMJ

*These options are available at an additional cost

For more information, visit our site:

www.itascacg.com
(612) 371-4711
software@itascacg.com