FLAC Training Course

Beijing, China
October 17, 2005
Training Schedule
October 17, 2005 (morning)
08:00-09:45 Introduction to FLAC
- Overview of potential applications and capabilites in
geo-engineering analysis and design
- New features in FLAC 5.0 and FLAC3D 3.0
Introduction to the FLAC Graphical Interface
- Menu-driven versus command-driven operation
- Simple tutorial
09:45-10:00 Break
10:00-12:00 FLAC Theoretical Background
- General-purpose versus limited-purpose analysis
- Explicit finite-difference solution
Practical Exercise
- Slope stability analysis





Advanced, Two and Three Dimensional
Continuum Modeling for Geotechnical Analysis
of Rock, Soil, and Structural Support
Basic Features
Nonlinear, large-strain simulation of
continua
Explicit solution scheme, giving
stable solutions to unstable
physical processes
Interfaces or slip-planes are
available to represent distinct
interfaces along which slip and/or
separation are allowed, thereby
simulating the presence of faults,
joints or frictional boundaries
Displacements resulting from
construction of a shallow tunnel
FLAC & FLAC3D




Advanced, Two and Three Dimensional
Continuum Modeling for Geotechnical Analysis
of Rock, Soil, and Structural Support
Basic Features
Built-in material models:
"null" model,
three elasticity models (isotropic,
transversely isotropic and
orthotropic elasticity),
eight plasticity models (Drucker-
Prager, Mohr-Coulomb, strain-
hardening/softening, ubiquitous-
joint, bilinear strain-
hardening/softening ubiquitous-
joint, double-yield, modified Cam-
clay, and Hoek-Brown)
User-defined models written in
FISH (FLAC)
Continuous gradient or statistical
distribution of any property may be
specified

Braced excavation
FLAC & FLAC3D




Advanced, Two and Three Dimensional
Continuum Modeling for Geotechnical Analysis
of Rock, Soil, and Structural Support
Basic Features
Built-in programming language
(FISH) to add user-defined
features
FLAC and FLAC3D can be
coupled to other codes via TCP/IP
links
Convenient specification of
boundary conditions and initial
conditions
Model grid for service tunnel connecting
two main tunnels
FLAC & FLAC3D




Advanced, Two and Three Dimensional
Continuum Modeling for Geotechnical Analysis
of Rock, Soil, and Structural Support
Basic Features
Water table may be defined for
effective stress calculations
Groundwater flow, with full coupling
to mechanical calculation (including
negative pore pressure, unsaturated
flow, and phreatic surface conditions)
Structural elements,such as tunnel
liners, piles, sheet piles, cables, rock
bolts or geotextiles, that interact with
the surrounding rock or soil, may be
modeled

Excavation supported by shotcrete wall,
tiebacks and soilnails
FLAC & FLAC3D




Advanced, Two and Three Dimensional
Continuum Modeling for Geotechnical Analysis
of Rock, Soil, and Structural Support
Basic Features
Automatic 3D grid generator
(FLAC3D) using pre-defined shapes
that permit the creation of intersecting
internal regions (e.g., intersecting
tunnels)
Full graphical user interface in FLAC;
partial gui in FLAC3D (for plotting and
file handling)
Extensive plotting features
contours, vectors, tensors, flow, etc.)
Graphical output in industry-standard
formats includes PostScript, BMP,
JPG, PCX, DXF (AutoCAD), EMF, and
a clipboard option for cut-and-paste
procedures
Sequential excavation and support for a
shallow tunnel
FLAC & FLAC3D




Advanced, Two and Three Dimensional
Continuum Modeling for Geotechnical Analysis
of Rock, Soil, and Structural Support
Optional Features
Optional modules include:
thermal, thermal-mechanical, and thermal-poro-
mechanical analysis including conduction and
advection;
visco-elastic and visco-plastic (creep) material
models;
dynamic analysis capability with quiet and free-
field boundaries, and
user-defined constitutive models written in C++
Liquefaction failure of a
pile-supported wharf
FLAC & FLAC3D
FLAC Version 5 & FLAC3D Version 3
New Features
1. Hysteretic damping more realistic and more efficient than
Rayleigh damping for dynamic analysis
2. Built-in Hoek-Brown constitutive model
3. Thermal advection (convection) logic for thermal / fluid-flow
analysis
4. Network key license version
5. More efficient calculation of fluid-flow / mechanical analysis
(FLAC)
6. New structural element types: liner elements, rockbolt elements,
strip elements (FLAC)
7. Increased calculation speed (10-20% faster) due to optimization to
calculation cycle and updated compiler (FLAC3D)
8. New MOVIE facility in AVI or DCX format (FLAC3D)
9. Optional hexahedral-meshing preprocessor (3DShop) to facilitate
creation of complex meshes (FLAC3D)
















MODELLING-STAGE TABS

FLAC Background
1. General-purpose vs Limitedpurpose analysis

2. Explicit finite-difference solution




Geotechnical Software

General-purpose
versus
Limited-purpose methods
Limited-purpose programs are commonly used in geo-
engineering practice because they provide rapid solutions
and are generally very easy to operate. These programs
are based upon simplifying assumptions.
One example of a limited-purpose solution method is the
limit-equilibrium method. This type of program executes
very rapidly, and uses an approximate scheme mostly the
method of slices in which a number of assumptions are
made (for example, the location & angle of inter-slice
forces). Several assumed failure surfaces are tested, and
the one giving the lowest factor of safety is chosen.
Equilibrium is only satisfied on an idealized set of surfaces.
Limited-purpose programs -
Examples of Limited-purpose Programs
Limiting condition
Example program
Forces only
(limit equilibrium)
SLOPE/W
XSTABL
Linear properties
(equivalent linear method)
SHAKE
Subgrade reaction
(Winkler springs)
LPILE
WALLAP
A general-purpose program provides a full solution of
the coupled stress/displacement, equilibrium and
constitutive equations. Given a set of properties, the
change in both the deformation and stress state are
calculated --- e.g., the system is either found to be stable or
unstable, and the resulting deformation is determined.
The general-purpose approach is much slower than
comparable limited-purpose methods, but much more
general. Only in the past few years has it become a
practical alternative to the limited-purpose methods (as
computers have become faster).
General-purpose programs -





Comparison of Limited-Purpose and General-Purpose Solutions
Limiting conditions can be prescribed for general-purpose
programs to approximate the simplifying assumptions built
into limited-purpose programs. In this way, the general-
purpose program can be validated.

Further, when the limiting condition is removed from the
general-purpose program, the influence of the simplifying
assumption in the limited-purpose program can be
assessed.

Comparison of
General-purpose to Limited-purpose programs -
We suggest using both general-purpose and limited-
purpose methods in parallel, to get confidence in the
general-purpose method.
- if they give the same result, this provides reassurance
- if they give different results, then the reasons can be explored; for
example, is there a different mechanism?
The combined approach can be justified in terms of quality
assurance.
Finite Difference Formulation
of FLAC
BASIS OF FLAC
FLAC solves the full dynamic equations of motion even for
quasi-static problems. This has advantages for problems that
involve physical instability, such as collapse, as will be
explained later.

To model the static response of a system, a
relaxation scheme is used in which damping absorbs kinetic
energy. This approach can model collapse problems in a more
realistic and efficient manner than other schemes, e.g.,
matrix-solution methods.
A SIMPLE MECHANICAL ANALOG
m
F(t)
Newtons Law of Motion
dt
u d
m a m F

= =
For a continuous body, this can be generalized as
i
j
ij
i
g
x dt
u d
+
c
o c
=

where = mass density,
x
i
= coordinate vector (x,y)
oij = components of the stress tensor, and
g
i
= gravitation
u , u , u

STRESS-STRAIN EQUATIONS
In addition to the law of motion, a continuous
material must obey a constitutive relation -
that is, a relation between stresses and strains.
For an elastic material this is:
In general, the form is as follows:
where
A GENERAL FINITE-DIFFERENCE FORMULA
In the finite difference method, each derivative in the previous equations
(motion & stress-strain) is replaced by an algebraic expression relating
variables at specific locations in the grid.

The algebraic expressions are fully explicit; all quantities on the right-hand
side of the expressions are known. Consequently each element (zone or
gridpoint) in a FLAC grid appears to be physically isolated from its neighbors
during one calculational timestep.





This is the basis of the calculation cycle:
(The time-step is sufficiently small that information
cannot propagate between adjacent elements
during one step)
Basic Explicit Calculation Cycle
Equilibrium Equation
(Equation of Motion)

Stress - Strain Relation
(Constitutive Equation)

For all gridpoints (nodes)
For all zones (elements)
L n F
j ij i
o =
new stresses
nodal forces
Gauss theorem
strain rates
velocities
i
j
ij
i
g
x dt
u d
+
c
o c
=

e.g., elastic
FLACs grid is internally composed of triangles. These are
combined into quadrilaterals. The scheme for deriving
difference equations for a polygon is described as follows:
Overlaid Triangular element Nodal force vector
Elements with velocity vectors
FLAC:
For all elements...
Gauss theorem,
} }
c
c
=
S A
i
i
dA
x
f
fdS n
is used to derived a finite difference formula for elements of arbitrary shape.
) b (
i
u

nodal velocity
b
a
) a (
i
u
nodal velocity
AS
For a polygon the formula becomes

A ~
c
c
S
i
i
S n f
A
1
x
f
This formula is applied to calculating the strain increments, Ae
ij
, for a zone:
( )
t
x
u
x
u
2
1
e
S n u u
A 2
1
x
u
i
j
j
i
ij
S
j
) b (
i
) a (
i
j
i
A
(

c
c
+
c
c
= A
A + ~
c
c

FLAC:
For all gridpoints...
Once all stresses have been calculated, gridpoint forces
are derived from the resulting tractions acting on the
sides of each triangle. For example,
Then a classical central finite-difference formula is used
to obtain new velocities and displacements:
( in large strain mode)
Overlay & Mixed-Discretization Formulation of FLAC:
+
/2 =
Each is constant-stress/constant-strain:
Volume strain averaged over
. Deviatoric strain evaluated for
and separately
(Mixed discretization procedure)
Solution is Updated Lagrangian (grid moves with the material), and
explicit (local changes do not affect neighbours in one timestep )
Methods of solution in time domain
displacement
u
force
F
Ax
F
stress
o
u
numerical grid
EXPLICIT
All elements:
{ } { } ( ) o A = A , u f F
(nonlinear law)
All nodes:
{ } t
m
F
u A
)
`

E
= A
Repeat for
n time-steps

No iterations
within steps
Information cannot physically
propagate between elements during
one time step
Assume (u)
are fixed
Assume (F)
are fixed
Correct if
p
min
C
x
t
A
< A
p-wave speed
IMPLICIT
{ } | |{ } u K F =
element
| |{ } | |{ } { } F u K u m E = +

global
Solve complete set of equations
for each time step

Iterate within time step if
nonlinearity present
Methods compared
Explicit, time-marching Implicit, static
1. Can follow nonlinear laws without
internal iteration, since
displacements are frozen within
constitutive calculation.

2. Solution time increases as N
3/2
for
similar problems.

3. Physical instability does not cause
numerical instability.

4. Large problems can be modeled
with small memory, since matrix is
not stored.

5. Large strains, displacements and
rotations are modeled without extra
computer time.
1. Iteration of the entire process is
necessary to follow nonlinear laws



2. Solution time increases with N
2
or
even N
3
.

3. Physical instability is difficult to
model.

4. Large memory requirements, or disk
usage.


5. Significantly more time needed for
large strain models.
DYNAMIC RELAXATION
In dynamic relaxation gridpoints are moved according to
Newtons law of motion. The acceleration of a gridpoint is
proportional to the out-of-balance force. This solution scheme
determines the set of displacements that will bring the system
to equilibrium, or indicate the failure mode.

There are two important considerations with dynamic relaxation:
1) Choice of timestep
2) Effect of damping


TIMESTEP
In order to satisfy numerical stability the timestep must satisfy the
condition:


where C
p
is proportional to 1 /m
gp
. For static analysis, gridpoint
masses are scaled so that local critical timesteps are equal ( )
which provides the optimum speed of convergence. Nodal inertial
masses are then adjusted to fulfill the stability condition:




Note that gravitational masses are not affected.
1 = At
p
C
x
t
min
A
< A
DAMPING
Velocity-proportional damping introduces body forces that can
affect the solution.

Local damping is used in FLAC --- The damping force at a
gridpoint is proportional to the magnitude of the unbalanced
force with the sign set to ensure that vibrational modes are
damped:

LOCAL DAMPING
The damping force, F
d
is:



| |
m
t
u F F u
i i i i
A
E E = A ) ( sgn | | o
Damping forces are introduced to the equations of motion:


where F
i
is the unbalanced force
In FLAC the unbalanced force ratio (ratio of unbalanced force, F
i
, to the
applied force magnitude, F
m
) is monitored to determine the static state.

By default, when F
i
/ F
m
< 0.001, then the model is considered to be in an
equilibrium state.
) sgn(
i i d
u F F

E = o





PRACTICAL EXERCISE
SLOPE STABILITY ANALYSIS





Training Schedule
October 17, 2005 (afternoon)
01:00-02:45 FLAC Operation
System requirements, installation structure,
manual volumes, files, nomenclature, system of units
Grid Generation : [Build], [Alter] and [Interface] tools
Material Models : [Material] tool
Practical Exercise
Biaxial load tests
02:45-03:00 Break
03:00-05:00 Boundary Conditions / Initial Conditions : [ In Situ] tool
Histories / Tables / Fish Library : [Utility] tool
Global Settings : [Settings] tool
Solution : [Run] tool
Result Interpretation : [Plot] tool
Practical Exercise
Determination of failure




SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR FLAC
Processor Recommended minimum clockspeed of 1 GHz
Hard Drive Recommended minimum disk space of 100 MB
RAM RAM required to load FLAC is 60 MB; 24 MB is provided
by default for models and memory can be increased by
the user if needed
Display Recommended screen resolution is 1024 x 768 pixels
and 16-bit color palette
Operating System Any Intel-based computer running Windows 98
and upward is suitable
Operation on PC Networks A network-license version of FLAC 5.0
is available











FLAC 5.0 MANUAL





FLAC 5.0 MANUAL





FLAC 5.0 MANUAL





FLAC 5.0 MANUAL





FLAC 5.0 MANUAL




FLAC Files

Project File (*.prj) ASCII file describing state of model and GIIC at the
stage the file is saved; includes FLAC commands,
link to save files, and plot views for the project
Save File (*.sav) Binary file containing values of all state variables
and user-defined conditions at stage that file is saved
Data File (*.dat) ASCII file listing FLAC commands that represent
the problem being analyzed
History File (*.his) ASCII file record of input or output history values
Material File (*.gmt) ASCII file containing material properties (can be updated).
Plot File Graphics plot file (in various standard formats)
Movie File (*.dcx) String of PCX images that can be viewed as a movie







FLAC Nomenclature

Zone Numbers
Gridpoint Numbers




System of Units










GRID GENERATION
Build Tools
Alter Tools










BASIC MATERIAL MODELS
FLAC CONSTITUTIVE MODELS
Model Representative material Example application
Null
void

holes, excavations, regions in which
material will be added at later stage
Elastic
homogeneous, isotropic continuum;
linear stress- strain behavior
manufactured materials (e.g. steel)
loaded below strength limit; factor of
safety calculation
Anisotropic thinly laminated material exhibiting
elastic anisotropy
laminated materials loaded below
strength limit
Drucker-Prager

limited application; soft clays with
low friction
common model for comparison to
implicit finite-element programs
Mohr-Coulomb

loose and cemented granular materials
soils, rock, concrete
general soil or rock mechanics
(e.g., slope stability and underground
excavation)
Strain-hardening/softening
Mohr-Coulomb
granular materials that exhibit nonlinear
material hardening or softening
studies in post-failure (e.g., progressive
collapse, yielding pillar, caving)
Ubiquitous-joint thinly laminated material exhibiting
strength anisotropy (e.g., slate)
excavation in closely bedded strata
Bilinear strain-hardening/
softening ubiquitous-joint
laminated materials that exhibit non-
linear material hardening or softening
studies in post-failure of laminated
materials
Double-yield
lightly cemented granular material in
which pressure causes permanent
volume decrease
hydraulically placed backfill
Modified Cam-clay
materials for which deformability and shear
strength are a function of volume change
geotechnical construction on soil
Hoek-Brown * isotropic rock material geotechnical construction in rock
*new in FLAC 5
CONSTITUTIVE MODELS
FOR CONTINUUM ELEMENTS
NULL all stresses are zero: for use as a void - e.g., for excavated regions
ELASTIC isotropic, linear, plane strain or plane stress
ANISOTROPIC elastic,assumes that the element is transversely anisotropic:
o
|
o| planes are planes of symmetry. The o, | axes may be at any angle | to the x, y axes:
o
|
|
x
y
FLAC PLASTICITY MODELS
Drucker-Prager
Mohr-Coulomb
Ubiquitous-Joint
Strain-Hardening-Softening
Double-Yield
Modified Cam-clay
Hoek-Brown
1. All models are characterized by yield functions, hardening/softening functions and flow rules.

2. Plastic flow formulation is based on plasticity theory that total strain is decomposed into elastic
and plastic components and only the elastic component contributes to stress increment via the
elastic law. Also, elastic and plastic strain increments are coaxial wuth the principal stress axes.

3. Ducker-Prager, Mohr-Coulomb, Ubiquitous Joint and Strain-Softening models have a shear yield
function and non-associated flow rule.

4. Drucker-Prager, Mohr-Coulomb, Ubiquitous Joint and Strain-Softening models define the tensile
strength criterion separately from the shear strength, and associated flow rule.

5. All models are formulated in terms of effective stresses.

6. Double-yield and modified Cam-clay models take into account the influence of volumetric change
on material deformability and volumetric deformation (collapse).

7. Hoek-Brown incorporates a nonlinear failure surface with a plasticity flow rule that varies with
confining stress.
CONSTITUTIVE MODELS DRUCKER-PRAGER
Drucker-Prager elastic/plastic with non-associated flow
rule: shear yield stress is a function of
isotropic stress
C
o
t

k
|
/q
|

B
k
|


f
t
=0
A
t
o
Drucker-Prager Failure Criterion in FLAC
CONSTITUTIVE MODELS MOHR-COULOMB
Mohr-Coulomb elastic / plastic with non-associated flow rule: operates on
major and minor principal stresses
C
B
A
|
N
c 2
o
t

| tan
c
o
1

f
t
=0
o
3

Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion in FLAC
t
shear
stress
slope = G
(for constant o
n
)
shear strain
CONSTITUTIVE MODELS UBIQUITOUS-JOINT MODEL
Ubiquitous-Joint Model uniformly distributed slip planes embedded in a
Mohr-Coulomb material
element
Mohr-Coulomb
u
u
o
n

rigid-plastic, dilatant
| o + = t tan c
n j max
Note: u rotates with the element in large-strain mode
t
j
o C
B
j
j
tan
c
|
22
o'
f
t
=0
c
j

t
A
CONSTITUTIVE MODELS STRAIN-SOFTENING / HARDENING
Strain-softening / hardening identical to the Mohr-Coulomb model except that |, C and
are arbitrary functions of accumulated plastic strain (
p
)*
produces
|

p

|

p


Input by user
Output

t

c
v

( )
( )
( )
( ) ( ) { }

A + A + A = -
2
1
2
P
12
2
d P
22
2
d P
11 p
e e e
CONSTITUTIVE MODELS
BILINEAR STRAIN-HARDENING/SOFTENING MODEL
Bilinear model a generalization of the ubiquitous-joint model. The failure envelopes for
the matrix and joint are the composite of two Mohr-Coulomb criteria with
a tension cut-off. A non-associated flow rule is used for shear plastic flow
and an associated flow rule for tensile-plastic flow.
D
C
B
A
N
|2

N
|1

1
1 o
t

1
1
| tan
c
2
2
| tan
c
o
1

o
3

FLAC bilinear matrix failure criterion
A
B
D
C
t
o
33

C
j1

C
j2

o
j
t

|
j1

|
j2

FLAC bilinear joint failure criterion


CONSTITUTIVE MODELS DOUBLE-YIELD MODEL
Double-yield model extension of the strain-softening model to simulate
irreversible compaction as well as shear yielding.

CONSTITUTIVE MODELS - MODIFIED CAM-CLAY MODEL
Modified Cam-Clay model incremental hardening/softening elastic-plastic model,
including a particular form of non-linear elasticity and
a hardening/softening behavior governed by volumetric
plastic strain (density driven).
v

v
k
A

v
k
B

ln p
v
N
A
B k
1

1
ln p
1

swelling lines
normal
consolidation line
Normal consolidation line and swelling line
for an isotropic compression test
plastic compaction
p
0 >
p
e

plastic
dilation
0 <
p
e

q
2
c
cr
p
p =
2
c
cr
p
M q =
p
c

Cam-Clay failure criterion in FLAC


CONSTITUTIVE MODELS HOEK-BROWN MODEL
Hoek-Brown model empirical relation that is a nonlinear failure surface which
represents the strength limit for isotropic intact rock and
rock masses. The model also includes a plasticity flow
rule that varies as a function of confining stress.

FLAC Interface Model
FLAC (OR CONTINUUM CODE)
Use for problems at either end of the joint-density spectrum
single or isolated discontinuities multiple, closely-packed blocks
interface ubiquitous jointing
problems
INTERFACES
Interfaces represent planes on which sliding or separation can occur:
- joints, faults or bedding planes in a geologic medium
- interaction between soil and foundations
- contact plane between different materials

To join regions that have different zone sizes

Elastic-plastic Coulomb sliding:
- tensile separation of the interface, and
- axial stiffness to avoid inter-penetration
INTERFACE MECHANICS
Each node on the surface of both bodies owns a length, L, of interface for the purpose of converting
from stress to force. L is calculated in the following way
Body 1
Body 2
A
1

D
1

E
2

B
1
C
1

C
2
B
2

A
2

D
2

L
B2
L
C2
L
B1
L
D2
L
C1
L
D1

LINEAR MODEL
Ao
n
= -K
n
Au
n

At = -K
s
Au
s

t = max (t
max
, |t|) sgn (t)
t
max
= o
n
tan |+c
F
n
= o
n
L
F
s
= t L
[K
n
]=stress/disp
INTERFACE ELEMENTS
PROCEDURE
1. Form interface using grid generation commands
2. Null out region
3. Move grid halves together
4. Declare interface
int n aside from i1, j1 to i2, j2 bside from i3, j3 to i4, j4
5. Input the interface properties
int n Ks =... Kn = ... fric =... coh =...

(i3, j3)
(i1, j1)
(i4, j4)
(i2, j2)
bside
aside
INTERFACE PROPERTIES
Kn : normal stiffness
Ks : shear stiffness
coh : cohesion of the joint
fric : friction angle of the joint
ten : tensile strength of the joint

If the interface is used to attach two sub-grids,it is necessary to declare it glued.
Properties estimation
Sub-grids attach:
- declare glued
-

Geologic joints
- shear tests; considering the scale effect
- Kn and Ks for rock mass joints, can vary between 10-100 MPa/m for joints with soft
clay in-filling, to over 100 GPa/m for tight joints in basalt or granite.
(
(
(
(

A
|
.
|

\
|
+
> ~
l
G K
max K K
s n
3
4
. 10





Boundary and Initial Conditions
Histories, Tables, FISH Library
Global Settings





Result Interpretation - Plotting
Solution