Model Granular Behavior Before it Becomes a Problem
PFC Suite is a 2D/3D distinct-element modeling environment for teams analyzing fracture, flow, and granular material interaction under realworld loading.
Trusted by engineering teams and researchers tackling complex rock and soil problems worldwide.
PFC Suite
What’s New in the Latest Release of PFC Suite?
What is PFC Suite
PFC (Particle Flow Code) is a powerful, versatile distinct‑element modeling (DEM) platform available in both 2D and 3D—giving you the flexibility to solve a wide range of engineering and geomechanics challenges. With the PFC Suite, you get full access to both 2D and 3D in a single package.
The software simulates granular and solid materials using assemblies of rigid particles. It calculates the translation, rotation, and interaction of disks, spheres, clumps, or polyhedra. Use these tools to model complex mechanical behavior through robust contact mechanics and internal force calculations.
What you can achieve with PFC Suite
Capture complex material behavior
Represent particles, clumps, rigid blocks, and discrete fractures. You tune contact and constitutive models to match your site conditions.
Simulate fracture and damage
Evaluate crack initiation, growth, and coalescence in rock and soil. You apply bonded particle models, joint sets, and block systems.
Couple with continuum, thermal, and fluid codes
Combine DEM with continuum stress fields, pore pressures, and heat transfer in a single workflow.
Why Choose PFC Suite?
PFC Suite delivers advanced discrete element modeling with exceptional flexibility and efficiency, enabling accurate simulation of complex material behavior in geotechnical, mining, and industrial applications.
Fast and Responsive Simulations
Two models run simultaneously using optimized shared memory multi-threading. You’ll run simulations up to 5x faster than equivalent 3D models. Interrogate the model while running to build intuition and save time.
Advanced Analysis Options
Add described physical phenomena to your model using Python or FISH scripting. You’ll apply thermal models, fluid coupling methods, and user-defined contact plugins for a true multi-physics solver.
Explicit Dynamics
Represent quasi-static and dynamic processes directly. You simulate stress wave propagation and fracture growth accurately.
Coupled Physics
Coupling PFC and FLAC3D brings together the strengths of particle‑based and continuum modeling, allowing engineers to capture both detailed granular behavior and large‑scale structural response in a single simulation.
PFC Industry Solutions
Explore PFC in action as it tackles diverse geotechnical challenges from different industries with precision. Discover how our solutions empower engineers to achieve efficient, reliable outcomes in real-world applications.
Axial forces along the structural elements supporting an underground tunnel and displacements in the rigid block of the surrounding rock.
Blast movement simulation of the dynamic rock movement and muck pile formation informed by FLAC3D models to predict burden velocity and time-dependent gas pressure.
Sublevel cave min drawpoint simulation showing particle displacements after 120% extraction.
Coupled model to evaluate the damage around boreholes and the impact on nuclear waste repository performance.
Simulation used to assess risks associated with the design and installation procedure of the foundation in contact with the seabed for a subsea tidal turbine.
Coupled lined tunnel model with PFC3D particles along part of the tunnel to model detailed rock damage.
Rockfall along a slope using clumps of particles for a specific coefficient of restitution (COR). Particle traces for several of the clumps are also shown.
Underground facility modeled using Rigid Blocks, the SpringNetwork contact model, and DFNs.
Section through a rotating drum showing DEM aggregate colored by original horizontal layer (left) and by block velocity (right).
Simulation of a UCS test peering inside the sample to reveal displacements and cracks forming in shear (black) and tension (white). Charts of stress, modulus, and Poisson’s ratio.
Three-point strength test showing displacements within an assembly of pressed fibers.
Built for Technical Practitoners
PFC Suite is built for engineers and researchers who live in stress paths, support designs, instrumentation data, and calibration plots—not for generic “CAE” use cases.
Who it’s for
- Geotechnical engineers analyzing tunnels, slopes, foundations, and underground openings.
- Mining engineers evaluating caving, blasting, fragmentation, and ground support.
- Civil and infrastructure teams assessing rockfalls, excavations, and embankments.
- Energy and nuclear waste engineers modeling repository behavior and long‑term rock performance.
- Researchers exploring new contact laws, fracture criteria, and DEM–continuum coupling methods.
Typical workflow
- Import or build geometry, fractures, and material sets.
- Define contacts, loading, and any coupling with continuum models.
- Run explicit dynamics and inspect behavior while the simulation runs.
- Post‑process displacements, stresses, fractures, and flows for design decisions.
One DEM Software for 2D & 3D Modeling
PFC is a general‑purpose distinct‑element framework available in both 2D and 3D, so you can use the same modeling logic for a quick 2D slope profile or a detailed 3D tunnel face stability study.
| Versatility in 2D & 3D | Beyond Spheres: realistic grain shapes | Multi-physics built-in |
| Start with fast 2D sections to screen concepts, then carry the same contact laws, material parameters, and scripts into full 3D geometries when you need face advance, out‑of‑plane effects, or complex reinforcement layouts. This enables you iterate quickly without losing physical fidelity. | Represent material as disks or spheres when throughput matters, or switch to rigid clumps, convex polygons, and polyhedra when grain shape, interlocking, and anisotropy control behavior. This lets you move from idealized “ball piles” to more realistic rock blocks, ballast, or aggregate without leaving the PFC environment. | Use built‑in thermal analysis and fluid coupling to capture heat transfer and fluid effects such as drilling mud or groundwater around your particles. You can run thermal‑only or thermal–mechanical simulations and account for how temperature and pore pressure influence stresses and displacements. |
What Makes PFC Suite Different
Where many DEM and CAE tools prioritize broad coverage, PFC Suite focuses on depth for rock, soil, and granular materials, with unique coupling and fracture capabilities.
| Aspect | PFC Suite | Generic DEM / CAE Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Rock, soil, and granular materials in geotech, mining, civil, and energy projects | Generic bulk solids, process, or structural crash scenarios |
| Fracture & Damage | Bonded‑particle models, discrete fractures, rigid blocks, and jointed rockmass representation | Often limited or indirect treatment of fracture, focused on non‑fracturing flows or shell/solid failure |
| Coupling | Native links to continuum stress, pore‑pressure, and thermal fields, with a shared scripting environment | Typically, loose or external co‑simulation with structural solvers |
| Customization | Python and FISH scripting, user‑defined contact and constitutive models, programmable fracture control | Limited or proprietary extension points, often fixed material libraries |
| Visualization & Interactivity | Inspect contacts, fractures, displacements, and stresses while simulations run | Often post‑processing only, with less visibility into evolving contact states |
PFC Includes All Options
PFC Suite now incorporates several formerly paid options, enhancing the software’s capabilities and providing powerful tools to address diverse engineering challenges.
Thermal
Simulate heat transfer with conduction and advection models. Ideal for geothermal and nuclear waste applications with variable boundary conditions.st boundary conditions and fast model run times.
- One-way coupling to mechanical stress and pore-pressure calculations
Included with license
User-Defined Models (UDM)
Develop custom material models tailored to specific project needs using C++. Enhance simulation flexibility with downloadable templates, advanced parameters, and user-defined constitutive behaviors for greater accuracy.
- Modify existing or create new constitutive models
- Distribution via DLL files
- Access to ITASCA’s User Defined Model Library
- Ideal for specialized material behaviors like liquefaction analysis
Included with license
Case Studies
Explore PFC Suite in action as it tackles diverse geotechnical challenges from different industries with precision and innovation. Discover how our solutions empower industries to achieve efficient, reliable outcomes in real-world applications.
Hear from Satisfied Users
Selected by World-Class Organizations
Software Support and Education Hub
We’re here to help you maximize the potential of ITASCA software and tackle any geotechnical challenge with confidence. Explore the resources below to get started.
Free PFC Training Courses
Common Questions from Teams like Yours
Answer: PFC Suite includes example models, guided tutorials, and recommended workflows by application, so engineers can build useful models quickly without being DEM experts.
Answer: You can couple PFC with your continuum tools and use Python/FISH to integrate with your current data, scripts, and reporting workflows.
Answer: Many practical 2D and 3D models run on well‑configured workstations; you can scale up hardware or clusters only when model size demands it.
Answer: PFC Suite is available as node‑locked or network licenses, with maintenance that includes updates, technical support, and access to training resources.
Answer: Yes. Python, FISH, and user‑defined contact and constitutive models let you implement, test, and share new behaviors while still using the core PFC environment.
Ready for the Next Steps?
Explore our PFC Suite licensing options & pricing plans
Find the Right Solution for your Modeling Challenge
If you’re exploring the best solution for your project, you can find the right software, talk with an expert, request a tailored quote, or download a free demo to try PFC firsthand.