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Software Tutorials

Loops, Splitting, and Operators

When constructing or running simulations, you may want to query or modify values associated with all, or some of, the objects in your model (such as zones, nodes, blocks, balls, contacts, rockbolts, etc.). This may be to measure results like stress or displacement, to assign a calculated extra variable for plotting or to adjust a property value. There are several ways to identify and navigate across all these objects using loops, splitting, and operators — with each one becoming easier and faster to execute. See how you can apply all of these approaches in a tutorial where a zone property is randomly assigned for strength variability throughout the model. You will also see how much easier and faster these approaches have become. Applying model property distributions via the PROPERTY command is also reviewed.

Working with Building Blocks in FLAC3D 6 (Part 2)

This video demonstrates filling the empty space between key model elements and out to the far field boundary using Building Blocks in FLAC3D 6.

Tutorial: Simple Slope Stability

Using UDEC 6 and the shear-reduction method to calculate the factor-of-safety, this tutorial will show you how to analyze the stability of a simple slope containing: (1) no discrete jointing (continuum), (2) fully-continuous jointing (discrete blocks), and (3) noncontinuous, en echelon jointing.

Technical Papers

Flowback Test Analyses at the Utah Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) Site

Injection testing conducted in 2017 and 2019 at the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy site in Utah evaluated flowback as an alternative to prolonged shut-in periods to infer closure stress, formation compressibility, and formation permeability. Flowback analyses yielded lower inferred closure stresses than traditional shut-in methods and indicated high formation compressibility, suggesting an extensive fractured system. Numerical simulations showed rebound pressure is not necessarily the lower bound of minimum principal stress. Stiffness changes can be identified as depletion transitions from hydraulic to natural fractures. The advantage if flowback is reduced time to closure.

On the Density Variability of Poissonian Discrete Fracture Networks, with application to power-law fracture size distributions

This paper presents analytical solutions to estimate at any scale the fracture density variability associated to stochastic Discrete Fracture Networks. These analytical solutions are based upon the assumption that each fracture in the network is an independent event. Analytical solutions are developed for any kind of fracture density indicators.

Three-dimensional Modeling and Stress Calibration for a Complex Mining Geometry

Study stress situation for potential continued mining towards greater depths; stress calibration against stress measurements using numerical modeling; and use of calibrated model to study stresses at existing infrastructure, study stresses at potential future haulage level locations, and as input to local models.

Latest News
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Upcoming Events
11 Aug
ITASCA Joins Caving 2026 as a Main Sponsor
We are pleased to announce that ITASCA will be participating as a Main Sponsor in Caving 2026, the leading international conference ded... Read More
15 Sep
ITASCA at EUROCK 2026: Advancing Innovation in Rock Engineering
ITASCA is pleased to announce its participation in EUROCK 2026 – ISRM Regional Symposium, taking place from 15–19 September 2026 in Sko... Read More
20 Sep
ITASCA to Participate in CouFrac 2026
ITASCA will be participating in CouFrac 2026, taking place from 20–23 September 2026 in Uppsala, Sweden. The conference brings together... Read More