The following is a listing of the major additions, changes and enhancements which have been made in the upgrade of Unwedge from version 2 to version 3.
Note: for a list of changes and bug fixes since the initial release of Unwedge version 3, see the Unwedge version 3 Update History page.
Unwedge converted from DOS to a Windows program. Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP compatible
Greatly improved graphics and viewing options (e.g. shading of tunnel and wedges, easily switch between different views)
Interactive CAD data entry and editing system
Rotate/Pan/Zoom 3D views, Pan/Zoom 2D views
Move wedges along failure direction by dragging them with the mouse
Change tunnel and joint orientations in real time with instantaneous changes in the 3D wedges and tunnel
Easily add support (bolts, shotcrete, surface pressures) to perimeter or end wedges
Wedge information panel (Sidebar) for instantaneous viewing of results
Data tips - simply move your mouse over a wedge, bolt, shotcrete etc. and get all pertinent information in a popup window
Customizable view layouts, display options, wedge information, data tips
3D length and angle measurement
Completely new analysis engine. Utilizes Block Theory to determine wedges.
Improved end wedge calculation, more reliable
Improved scaling of wedges according to: Trace lengths, Persistence, Volume/weight, Excavation face area, Apex height, Tunnel length
Scaling now yields exact values of the above required parameters (DOS version was approximate) and hunts for the scaled wedge with the maximum volume
Joints
Additional shear strength models for joints: Barton-Bandis, Power curve (in addition to Mohr-Coulomb)
Incorporate increase in joint strength due to joint waviness
Joint Combination Analyzer: define more than 3 joints and look at all the possible combinations of 3 joints that form tetrahedral wedges. Automatically sort results according to selected criteria (e.g. wedge weight, safety factor, required support pressure)
Incorporate joint tensile strength
Support
New bolt models:
Grout length can be defined
Multiple bolt patterns with different bolt types and spacings
Incorporate bolt shear strength
Incorporate bolt efficiency depending on failure direction and bolt orientation
Multiple shotcrete layers on different parts of the excavation
Multiple types of shotcrete
Add pressure support to all or part of the tunnel boundary
Loading
Gravitational or constant water pressure on the joints
Pseudo-static seismic loading
Apply internal pressure on all or part of the excavation
Active or passive force application
Optimization of tunnel orientation
Optimize tunnel orientation (trend and/or plunge of the tunnel axis) according to:
Support pressure
Minimum factor of safety of all wedges
Wedge excavation area/volume/weight
Wedge failure mode
Number of unstable wedges
Plot results using contour plots, 3d charts or 2d charts
Plot secondary data on 2d charts (bubble plot)
Stress Analysis
Define the in-situ field stress, calculate stresses on joints using the boundary element method
Include the calculated stresses in factor of safety calculation
Boundary element analysis utilizes a "complete plane strain" formulation. Arbitrary 3D far-field stress definition. Far-field stresses do NOT have to be in-plane with tunnel cross-section.
Contour stresses on the joint planes
Documentation
New browser-based Help system. All documentation is now in electronic format
Step-by-step tutorials in printable PDF format
New theory manual
Context sensitive Help "?" button is now available in all main dialogs. Selecting the "?" button in a dialog will take you directly to the appropriate topic in the Help system