Stress Grid Overview

A Stress Grid defines a grid of points at which the boundary element analysis computes the stresses in the rock mass around the excavation(s). The final data contours (stress, displacement, strength factor, strain) are interpolated from the results computed at the grid points.

There are two possible options for defining a Stress Grid:

• The Auto Stress Grid option automatically generates a stress grid, based on the extents of the currently defined boundaries.

• The Add Stress Grid option allows you to manually define a stress grid at any location.

NOTE:

• A Stress Grid must always be defined for an Examine2D model.

• By default, an Auto Stress Grid will be automatically generated when an Excavation boundary is first defined, so that result contours can be viewed immediately.

• You can define multiple stress grids or overlapping grids. This allows you to focus results in multiple locations, or define a finer grid within a coarser grid, for example.

• The accuracy of the result contours (and the apparent compute speed) is directly dependent on the number of grid points within a stress grid.

• Stress grid size, location and grid point density can be easily modified using the Stress Grid Edit options.

• The display of grid points within stress grids can be turned on or off in the Display Options dialog.

• A stress grid can also be imported from a DXF file.