GeoStudio 2021.3 is now available.
This video summarizes the new features and improved functionality of GeoStudio,
which includes new SLOPE/W and SIGMA/W material models,
improvements to SEEP/W and BUILD3D, and
increased interoperability with other Seequent products.
Two new SLOPE/W material models are available in GeoStudio 2021.3.
A Hoek-Brown material model has been added to SLOPE/W to replace the shear-normal estimation routine.
The Hoek-Brown input parameters can be defined directly or estimated from rock parameters and disturbance.
A dynamically updated graph can be used to visualize updates to the function as parameters are modified.
The Compound Strength material model provides the ability to assign strength material models
to specified ranges of slice base angles.
It is particularly useful in modelling jointed rock mass
where the strength model for the intact rock varies considerably from that used for the discontinuities.
With this release, a Hoek-Brown model can be used to define the intact rock,
while a conventional Mohr-Coulomb material model could be used for the joints.
The SLOPE/W solver now implements an under-relaxation technique
to improve convergence for trial slip surfaces that are subject to concentrated point loads,
such as simulating steeply dipping anchors in a tie-back wall.
New material models are also available in SIGMA/W.
The new simple anisotropic clay plasticity model, also known as SANICLAY,
is able to simulate softening response of clays under undrained compression
following Ko consolidation.
This model allows for the simulation of both undrained and drained
rate‐independent behaviour of normally consolidated sensitive clays
and over-consolidated clays to a satisfactory degree of accuracy.
SANICLAY is beneficial for analysing geotechnical structures
constructed on soft clays such as levees, embankments, and dykes.
The Hardening Soil material model is known to produce more realistic
displacement patterns for excavation and tunneling problems
into over-consolidated soils.
This material model captures hardening behavior in which plastic strains develop at the onset of shearing.
The model also simulates non-linear pre-failure stiffness variations
that is different for both loading and unloading/reloading conditions.
Improvements were made to the SIGMA/W NorSand material model.
The initial density can now be defined using either the void ratio
or the state parameter, making it possible to easily simulate
increasing or constant density with depth.
Dependence of the shear modulus on the void ratio
can now also be defined via a new customisable built-in function.
Finally, new result categories have been added to the Draw Contours and Draw Graph commands
for visualisation of the mobilised strength as soils approach their critical state.
Add-ins constitutive models have been re-enabled in SIGMA/W.
The add-in interface has been simplified and the functionality has been improved
so that state parameters can be saved and persisted through time,
from one analysis to another
and plastic states can be set within the add-in and
painted in the UI to track the evolution of yield and failure zones.
The SEEP/W Land-Climate Interaction boundary condition
has been updated with an option to allow for evaporation during rainfall events.
This option can be used to reduce deep infiltration
in arid and semi-arid climates.
Changes in vapour density now account for changes in saturated vapour pressure
with respect to temperature,
allowing for accurate analysis of liquid water and water vapour transfer processes.
SeequentID licensing is now supported for all GeoStudio products.
SeequentID support opens up access to the Seequent cloud-based licensing system,
which introduces the use of GeoStudio subscription licenses,
as well as access to GeoStudio resources via the mySeequent customer portal.
A Seequent ID will also be required to access the new
GeoStudio self-paced online learning courses.
Interoperability between BUILD3D and Leapfrog is now available through
Seequent’s cloud based collaboration tool, Central.
BUILD3D can directly connect to a Leapfrog geological model via Central
in order to import mesh-based topographic or lithology contact surfaces
into BUILD3D to use as a background mesh geometry
or for parametric surface fitting.
Changes to the Leapfrog Geological Model surfaces
can be reloaded into your BUILD3D project,
which will automatically update your 3D geometry.
BUILD3D has improved parametric surface fitting,
providing the ability to efficiently fit surfaces to
imported triangle- and quad-mesh-based surfaces
from Central, DXF/DWG, or STL files.
Multiple surface meshes can now be imported simultaneously.
The parametric surface fitting feature can also be used to create surface geometry
from imported point cloud data.
BUILD3D includes a new transformation tool.
Mesh and geometry items imported into BUILD3D
may need to be rotated, scaled, or translated to
match the model coordinate system and units.
A simple, new transformation tool
provides the ability to swap coordinate axes, for example,
such that the positive y-axis points upwards.
The tool also allows for the translation from distant datum to a local origin.
Transformation settings can be named and reused
when importing additional data from the same source location.
When exporting surface meshes and STEP file geometry from BUILD3D,
the inverse of a named transformation can be applied
so the exported BUILD3D model will be transformed
to the original coordinate system.
That concludes our review of the new features and improved functionality
available in GeoStudio 2021.3.
For more information, please contact the GeoStudio Sales Team
at sales@geoslope.com or you can submit technical questions
through our online support portal.
Thank you for watching and enjoy using GeoStudio 2021.3.