Plane strain

Axisymmetric (mechanical)

Small-strain mechanics (gridpoints remain fixed)

Large-strain mechanics (gridpoints move with displacement)

Effective stress (pore pressure)

Automatic factor of safety

Back-analyze failure and calibrate forward-prediction

Multiple, simultaneous failure mechanisms

Zone relaxation for gradual excavation and construction sequencing and out-of-plane closure

Groundwater flow within joints

Material flow

Synthetic Rock Mass (SRM)

Bonded Block Modeling (BBM) for fragmentation and fracturing

Service limit state (SLS) and ultimate limit states (ULS) based on displacements

User-Defined Contact Models (UDC)

Surface subsidence

Recovery and dilution

Coupled ground-structure interaction (beams, cables, piles, shells, geotextiles, liners)

Options available: Thermal, Creep, User-Defined Constitutive Models (UDM), Fluid Flow in Joints, Barton-Bandis Joint Model

UDEC modeling uses a combination of interactive tools and commands. UDEC simplifies modeling with interactive features such as CAD file compatibility and built-in mesh generation. Easily construct models interactively, with commands generated automatically to assign constitutive models and properties using the built-in materials database, select boundary conditions, and assign stresses. Models may be constructed and saved in stages. Additional stages may be built from previous ones, making organizing and running parametric studies simple.

UDEC utilizes multi-threading and optimized solutions for fast, responsive, and accurate simulations. Users may also run two instances of UDEC on the same computer simultaneously, cutting down on overall time to solution for multiple models.

UDEC offers robust hybrid (DEM + continuum) simulation capabilities to model blocks of discontinuous material (jointed rock or masonry bricks). Blocks may be rigid or deformable (zoned) and may slide, rotate, move apart, or come together. Uniquely model groundwater flow within joints and through the ground between them. Couple mechanical, hydro, and thermal solutions. Dynamic analysis to simulate earthquakes and structural elements for ground support are available. Statistical joint set and DFN generation tools are built-in. Advanced plotting tools and FISH scripting provide unparalleled model control and customization, while statistical tools and data import options expand modeling possibilities.

UDEC is available in two styles: the original GIIC (interactive modeling tools) and the common UI (advanced graphics, model inspection, and powerful pre/post-processing tools). UDEC 7 data and save files can be readily exchanged by each program. Enjoy flexibility in your workflow to build and modify your models. Use FISH scripting for model parameterization, custom visualizations, adding new physics, and/or model run control. Use one of the 14 built-in elastic/plastic constitutive models, eight creep models, or four built-in contact models for rich material behavior or develop a custom user-defined constitutive/contact model. UDEC licenses allow for two instances to run on the same computer simultaneously. Licenses are also portable between computers using a USB key or web license.

In conjunction with interactive tools, UDEC uses commands to provide a compact representation of the model (as a data file) for repeatability, to ensure path dependency (excavation sequence and any other sequence of events, such as boundary conditions or material property changes), for flexibility, and for quality control and project archiving. The built-in text editor adds efficiency to creating and running models with commands. Intuitively structured commands, built-in contextual help, and command auto-completion help users learn and work with commands. Most user interface interactions are automatically translated into commands, so you can see how they are composed and reuse them.