Add Search Plane

If the Surface Type = Multi-Planar in the Slip Surface Options dialog, then you must define the search planes with the Add Search Plane option.

1. First, you must define one or more planar surfaces with the Create Plane option. Generally, you will need at least two planes to form wedge-type failure surfaces.
2. Select an existing planar geometry surface.
3. Select Add Search Plane by Surface from the Surfaces menu.
4. You will see a dialog which allows you to enter Name, Material, Maximum Offset Distance and Surface. See below for details.
5. Select OK to add the Search Plane.
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 to add additional search planes.

Material

Search planes can have their own material strength properties, assigned when you add or edit the search plane.

Maximum Offset Search Distance

The Maximum Offset Search Distance is measured Normal to the plane. It defines the plus/minus limits of the search range for that particular plane. During the Cuckoo Search or Particle Swarm search, plane locations are generated by sampling locations which are within the maximum offset distance on either side of the mean plane location.

Surface

When you add a search plane you can choose which surface will be used to create the search plane.