Detailed Features of SVSolid 3D

SVSolid implements a comprehensive list of features which are outlined as follows:

Simulation Features

• Five different soil models including linear elastic, Duncan and Chang, as well as a nonlinear model.
• Soil models may vary with soil region. For example, a soil using a linear elastic model may be adjacent to a soil using the Duncan and Chang model.
• Unsaturated deformations of soils may be modeled.
• Customizable solutions through a modifiable governing partial differential equation.
• Initial conditions may be imported from a previous analysis. The OCR of a previous analysis may be specified to determine the initial preconsolidation pressure of the current analysis. Any variable from a previous analysis may be specified as an initial condition for the next analysis.
• Finite element analysis by the Galerkin method. The solver uses advanced features such as preconditioning of the convergence matrix as well as staging and automatic mesh refinement to achieve solutions with greater stability than any other software currently available.
• Solver runs on Red Hat Linux or Windows with support for hyper-threading and multiple processors.
• Anisotropic analysis at any angle in 2D or 3D.
• Axisymmetric analysis.
• Use of Skempton's A and B parameters to compute pore-water pressure build-up.
• Fully automatic mesh generation. Mesh generation may be limited by a maximum number of nodes or by a maximum specified error.
• Fully automatic mesh refinement. Mesh refinement is based on the relative error of the governing equation and therefore automatically locates critical zones. Mesh refinement may be specified to follow any particular variable in the problem. In a transient analysis a different mesh is generated for each time step. SVSolid is currently the only stress/deformation package in the world to offer this feature. Read more about adaptive grid refinement in research published by Mansell, 2002.

Model Design Features

• CAD style entry of geometry.
• Grid, snapping, and object snapping features available.
• Zooming, panning features available.
• Model built as stacked surfaces. Each surface may be imported from Surfer or any XYZ data text file.
• Each surface may have multiple regions defined. Regions are extruded between the surfaces on which they are placed.
• Import AutoCAD .dxf geometry and incorporate it directly in the model. The automatic mesh generation will automatically allign node points with line segment end points.
• Graphically assign boundary conditions.
• Free, fixed, displacement constant or expression, force contant or expression, or water boundary conditions may be specified. Free form equations may be specified as a function of position (i.e. d=0.5+log(x)*0.1)
• Problems may be entered in Metric or Imperial units
• All aspects of all models are stored in a database which may be placed on a server. Multiple users may be "plugged in" to the same modeling database.
• Initial water table may be graphically drawn on the problem or imported from an SVFlux analysis.
• A central database of soil properties for all entered seepage problems is maintained. New problems may draw soils from existing problems.
• Problem geometry may be imported from existing problems.
• Existing problems may be saved under a new name in the database to allow quick generation of multiple scenarios.
• Colors or patterns of soil regions may be specified.
• Manual entry of region coordinate points.
• Sketch text or lines may be added to the model design.
• Graphical model design may be exported as a WMF or DXF file and/or printed.
• Bitmap or DXF geometry may be imported and layered behind model geometry to simplify model creation.
• Lines (extruded into walls) may be added to model to force mesh refinement along a linear object.
• Internal boundary conditions may be set or node density specified along internal wall object.

Output Features without AcuMesh™ Module

• Color 2D contour plots of any problem variable may be produced at any X, Y, or Z plane section through the problem.
• Plots may be zoomed to isolate any region of interest.
• 2D Vector plots of stress or deformation components may be produced at any X, Y, or Z plane section through the problem.
• Mesh plots track general mesh refinement.
• Plots of value versus time may be generated at any coordinate for any problem variable.
• Surface plots of any 2D variable over the problem region may be produced.
• Graphical output may be exported to BMP or PNG formats.

Output Features with AcuMesh™ Module

• Color visualization of 3D mesh is available.
• Transparency allows visualization of internal mesh and/or isosurfaces.
• Cutaways allow user to view internal sections of the model.
• Color 3D contour plots of any problem variable may be placed on any face of the model. Custom color shadings may be specified.
• Isosurfaces may be plotted.
• Overlaying of plots may be performed. For example, vectors may be shown in Region 1 while contours of head may be shown in Region 2.
• 3D Vector plots of stress or deformation components.
• Text and line art may be added to output.
• Graphical output may be exported to WMF, DXF, JPG, or BMP formats.
• Animation of 2D or 3D transient results.
• Overlay of DXF files.

Applications

• Foundation design.
• Regional subsidence due to pumping of aquifers.
• Design of slab foundations subjected to unsaturated shrinking or swelling.
• Embankment or excavation construction.
• Small-strain consolidation analysis when coupled with SVFlux.
• Excess pore-water pressures caused by the placement of fill.
• Modeling of problems with complex geometry.

Documentation

The following manuals document the operation of the SVSolid software. The design of the software makes it simple to learn and use. Most users are able to learn how to use the software effectively to create 2D problems within 30-60 minutes.

• User's manual - documents specific operation of software.
• Tutorial manual - Step-by-step instructions guide the user through creation of 2D and 3D problems.
• Theory manual - documents the theory of the governing partial differential equations used in the solution of the seepage problem.
• Verification manual - benchmarks the SVSolid software against typical seepage problems published in texts, journal papers, or manuals from other software packages.

System Requirements

• SVSolid3D runs on Windows 95/98, NT 4.0, Me, 2000, and XP. The recommended minimum hardware configuration is a P266 with 128MB RAM and 35 MB hard disk space.