The following is a listing of the major additions, changes and enhancements which have been made in the upgrade of Phase2 from version 5 to version 6.
Note: for a list of changes and bug fixes since the initial release of Phase2 version 6, see the Phase2 version 6 Update History page.
Finite element groundwater seepage analysis
define groundwater boundary conditions - total head, infiltration (with option to specify seepage face condition), zero pressure, nodal flow rate, unknown
material hydraulic properties - hydraulic conductivity, anisotropic permeability, unsaturated permeability (automatic, van Genuchten, Fredlund & Xing, Brooks and Corey, Gardner, user-defined)
multi-stage seepage analysis
stage factors for hydraulic properties
define discharge sections to compute flow across a boundary
Groundwater Compute (toolbar button) to compute seepage analysis only (without computing stress analysis)
Groundwater Compute Only (in Project Settings) - for batch file compute of groundwater only for multiple files
Finite element slope stability (Shear Strength Reduction method)
automated SSR method for finite element slope stability
slope models can be imported from Slide
can be used with Generalized Hoek-Brown and Mohr-Coulomb material types
can restrict SSR analysis to a selected area of the slope
SSR analysis settings can be customized
view results in Interpret (safety factor, shear strain contours, etc)
Material Properties
strength models (Generalized Hoek-Brown, Cam-Clay, Modified Cam-Clay)
elastic properties (Duncan-Chang hyperbolic)
datum dependent properties (young's modulus, cohesion, friction angle)
staged material properties - summary of staged properties is now displayed in dialog, this makes it easier to see the actual properties as the stage factors are entered
unsaturated shear strength parameters - can define phi_b and air entry value for shear strength due to negative pore pressure (matric suction) after a seepage analysis
New support models
grouted tiebacks (user-defined bonded length)
piles and geosynthetics (e.g. geotextiles or geogrids) can now be modeled using the new Structural Interface boundary (a structural element with a joint on both sides)
struts or free-standing liners can now be modeled by turning off the Automatic Liner Removal option, or with the Structural Interface option
Liners
include unit weight of liner in analysis (optional)
when adding liners can first pick property type before adding, and can also choose from regular or composite liners
moment boundary conditions for liners - a non-zero moment load can be applied with the liner moment option; or a zero bending moment condition can be specified with the liner hinge option.
user-defined liner sign convention (positive and negative side of a beam)
liner cross section - can define liner cross-section using thickness (as in version 5) or equivalent area and moment of inertia
geosynthetic properties can be specified in the liner properties dialog
automatic removal of excavated liners is now a user-definable option. If it is turned off, this allows you to model a free-standing support element such as a strut, for example.
sliding gap option - allows liners to freely compress in the axial direction until locking at a user-defined strain (to model steel set support with a sliding gap). Liners will only take on axial load after the gap has closed.
Bolts
grouted tiebacks with a user-defined bonded length can now be modeled
improvement to plain strand cable model - define bulges (25mm Garford bulb or 21 mm Nut Case) at user-defined locations along the cable
pattern bolting - can now specify angle from horizontal for a pattern (in addition to the Normal and Radial pattern bolting methods previously available)
bolt patterns can be applied to material boundaries (in addition to excavation, external and stage)
when adding bolts can first pick property type before adding, and can also assign installation stage (and removal stage) in Add Bolt dialog
stretch bolts option - allows you to change bolt length without changing bolt orientation (useful for changing the length of bolts in a pattern)
bolts can now be added before or after mesh exists
residual tensile capacity for End Anchored and Swellex bolts
Joints
pressurized joints (apply groundwater pore pressure or user-defined constant pressure)
new hyperbolic shear strength model (useful for geosynthetic/soil interfaces)
install joint at any stage - this replaces the "natural" vs. "artificial" joint definition used in version 5 (but old files will still read in ok)
Add Joint dialog - the "pinned" terminology has been replaced by "open" or "closed", and can now define one end open and the other end closed (previously the joint ends were either both open or both closed)
when adding a joint boundary can first pick property type before adding
Staging
maximum number of stages increased from 50 to 300
rename stages (in Project Settings); or right-click on stage tabs to change name
Units
new list of metric and imperial units to choose from (based on stress units: MPa, kPa, tonnes/m2, tons/ft2, ksf, psf)
Boundaries & Editing
Structural Interface boundary for modeling support such as geotextiles and piles (the boundary represents a joint/liner/joint configuration)
new options for creating arcs - point/center/point, point/center/angle; specify (average) discretization length (or number of discretizations, as previously)
new circle option - center/point on circle, center/radius
mirror and close - will automatically close a boundary with a mirror image of the current polyline, useful for defining complicated symmetric boundaries
relative coordinates - new prompt line option to enter relative coordinates @# # (relative x and y), or @#<# (distance and angle) from the previous vertex (for boundaries or bolts)
Copy, Scale, Rotate can now be used for any boundary, not just Excavations
Convert Boundary option to convert an existing boundary into a different type of boundary (e.g. convert a Joint into a Material boundary)
right-click option to edit vertices of individual boundaries (without affecting common vertices on connecting boundaries)
adding boundaries or bolts - tooltip display of coordinates for graphical entry (can turn on or off in Preferences); onscreen interactive display of length and angle
when entering coordinates through the prompt line or coordinate table, if a coordinate is outside of the current viewing region, the view is automatically adjusted to show all data being entered
Loading
Triangular (or Trapezoidal) distributed loads
improved method of defining load orientation (normal, horizontal, vertical, angle from horizontal, angle to boundary)
flip angle option (reverse load by 180 degrees)
ponded water load - define a load due to ponded water (e.g. for a slope or dam model)
distributed loads are now saved if the mesh is reset (previously all applied loads were lost if the mesh was reset)
Nodal forces are now referred to as Line Loads, and the method of specifying the magnitude and orientation is consistent with Distributed Loads (formerly the load was specified using x and y force components)
New Gravity Field Stress option - the initial in-situ stress can now be estimated from the actual ground surface profile, instead of a single datum elevation. This gives a better initial estimate of the vertical in-situ stress, and is useful for surface excavations and slope models.
Meshing
Discretize and Mesh option (one-click)
Remove Mesh no longer asks if you want to remove discretizations, they are now always removed
Custom discretization is now saved if the mesh is reset
the Discretize option now re-applies custom discretization (if any existed)
to reset custom discretize, you must now use the Reset Custom Discretize option
custom discretize - can now specify a factor to multiply the number (or specify the actual number of discretizations as previously)
if the mesh is reset, liners and boundary conditions are now preserved when the mesh is regenerated
contiguous mesh check (for floating elements or regions)
Automatic (one-click) mapped meshing (if boundaries are appropriately discretized)
Manual Mapped Mesh option is improved, much easier to use (easier to select regions)
Increase Discretization Density allows you to double the discretization density on the boundaries in a selected region, and can be used before or after meshing
default colour of mesh is now lighter, improves visibility of model; can customize mesh colour in Display Options
discretizations are now hidden by default after the mesh is generated, to improve visibility of boundaries
Groundwater
finite element groundwater seepage analysis
Auto Hu method to calculate pore pressure from Piezo lines
Ru values can be used to calculate pore pressure from vertical earth pressure
new Interpolation Methods for Water Pressure Grids - Modified Chugh, Local Thin-Plate Spline, TIN Triangulation, Inverse Distance, Linear by Elevation
when adding a piezo line, a dialog now appears which allows you to assign the piezo to all desired materials in one step. This saves the step of using the Define Hydraulic dialog to assign the piezo to each individual material, and decreases the chance of inadvertently forgetting to assign the piezo to materials.
Assign
assign (materials, bolts, joints) can now be done before OR after the mesh is generated
can now assign properties when initially adding bolts, liners or joints, in the Add dialog. For bolts or liners, the installation / removal stage can be selected in the Add dialog. Therefore it is not necessary to use the Assign option unless you need to change properties or staging after the entities have been added to the model
right-click assign for materials, bolts, liners and joints
materials - assign to "current stage only" option in assign dialog
joints - for a multi-segment joint (polyline), can assign properties to entire polyline or individual segments ("assign by segment" checkbox in assign dialog)
Restraints/Displacements
zero all displacements after any stage
non-zero displacement boundary conditions can now be staged; x and y displacement components can be staged independently
selection mode for applying restraints - can no longer apply to internal mesh nodes, only on boundary nodes (choice is now boundary segment/vertex/node; previously it was boundary segment/boundary node/any node)
name of Restraints menu changed to Displacements
Delete Displacements option is gone (since the Free option can be used for this)
Stress Analysis
tensile failure reduces shear strength to residual (checkbox in Project Settings > Stress Analysis)
Interface / General improvements
right-click editing - extensive new right-click functionality, all entities can now be clicked on for editing, assigning properties, etc etc
improved Snap options (like Slide) - grid/vertex/line/ortho/object snap
undo/redo list for multiple actions (version 5 only had single step undo/redo)
user-defined project summary in Project Settings (used in Interpret for dynamic text)
better Info Viewer display for factored properties, datatips
add customizable header/footer to printouts
recently opened folders list
Files
all input and output files now stored in a single zip file (.fez), simplifies file management
new DXF options for importing geometry - import ARCS from DXF, user-defined epsilon to filter nearly coincident points
Interpret
new drawing tools
automatic saving/opening of drawing tools
lines (e.g. iso-lines, flow lines) are also saved when you save the drawing tools
improved Add Text option (static and/or dynamic text)
Horizontal and Vertical displacement contours can be plotted using actual values or absolute values (i.e. all values positive) as in version 5
Mean stress and deviatoric stress can be contoured
Volume Loss (%) due to excavation reported in Info Viewer
many other improvements...
Documentation
new webhelp help system
new tutorials and example files
new verification examples (includes finite element stress, groundwater and slope stability verification)
tutorials and verification incorporated into webhelp as PDFs, no more paper manual
Miscellaneous changes
the Delete Piezometric option no longer exists, since the Delete Boundary option is now applicable for piezos
piezolines can be edited with right-click even if mesh exists
new option for vertex markers: choose from circle or cross (in File > Preferences dialog)
in the Define Properties dialogs, you can now select a checkbox which will display only the property types which are currently used in the model
name of Restraints menu changed to Displacements in modeler
Tractions are now referred to as Distributed Loads
Nodal Forces are now referred to as Line Loads
new Groundwater menu for (most) of the groundwater related options
name of Define Groundwater Properties dialog changed to Define Hydraulic Properties
new icons for right-click menu options
Interpret - drawing tools are now document based rather than view based (i.e. drawing tools will appear on all open views of a given document, rather than being associated with individual views)