What’s New in RocPlane

Automation Features

RocPlane introduces powerful new automation features that enable users to run large numbers of analyses and generate results quickly and efficiently. Batch Compute computes and generates results for multiple saved model files while Automate from Excel automates numerical model inputs, computes, and generates results for multiple scenarios.

Batch Compute Model Files

With the new Batch Compute feature, users working with a large inventory of saved model files now have a method of quickly generating results for all the files in one, single process. The new feature can be used to compute multiple Deterministic and Probabilistic analyses models. Files are computed sequentially, and the results are output to a folder, bypassing the process of manually opening and exporting the results for each file. Users can simply add saved model files to the file queue and compute. The results files can then be exported to Excel or other data processing software for further analysis and interpretation.

Automate Model Inputs from Excel

New input automation enables users to obtain large numbers of analysis results with varying input parameters tailored to their needs. The new feature gives users the freedom and efficiency to pre-process numerical inputs, automate the computation of millions of wedges, and generate results for post-processing. Pre-processing can be done directly in or imported into the Excel automation file. Users can analyze several unique Deterministic and Probabilistic scenarios using automated, varying inputs. Numerical inputs for wedge geometry, strength, seismic, water pressure, and scaling can all be automated. Results can be exported to a CSV file or in Excel format for easy post-processing and graphing since results files contain all applicable inputs and calculated values for each wedge scenario that is analyzed.

Robust and Customized Analyses

Automate from Excel can also be used to perform more robust and customized analyses such as:

• Custom Sensitivity analysis by varying any one input parameter or several input parameters simultaneously.
• Custom Probabilistic analysis with random variables generated based on a custom sampling method and probabilistic distribution.
• Custom Bench analysis with a range of bench face angles.

Support and Loading

There are various ways of modeling supports and loading in RocPlane:

• Bolts can be added to the model with the Add Bolt option.
• An average support or loading pressure can be defined with the Pressure option.
• A force can be applied to the wedge with the External Force option.

It is important to remember that all of the methods of modeling support in RocPlane simply represent different ways of applying a force to the wedge. Like all other forces in the RocPlane analysis, support forces are applied through the centroid of the wedge and are specified per unit width of slope.

Probabilistic Analysis

In RocPlane you can carry out probabilistic analyses, where you can define statistical distributions for input parameters, to account for uncertainty in the input parameter values. A probabilistic analysis will provide you with a safety factor distribution and a probability of failure.

An important new addition to the probabilistic analysis capabilities in RocPlane is the ability to define variability of the failure plane shear strength, with respect to the mean strength envelope, rather than the individual strength parameters. This simplifies the probabilistic definition of shear strength and avoids the issue of statistical correlation of random samples of multiple input parameters. You can still define statistics for individual strength parameters; or you can use the new option based on the mean envelope.

Bench Analysis

The Bench Design option is an extension of the probabilistic analysis features in RocPlane. Assuming either a constant bench width or constant inter-ramp angle you can input the design parameters and statistical joint information in order to optimize the bench slope angle according to design constraints. The analysis output allows you to interpret the results according to various methods including:

• managed approach to bench design
• quantitative hazard analysis (QHA)

The following statistics can be plotted for bench design:

• Total Probability of Failure
• Cumulative Frequency of Failed Wedges
• Minimum Bench Width
• Cell Probability of Occurrence
• Cell Cumulative Probability of Occurrence
• Cell Probability of Sliding
• Cell Probability of Failure

Wedge Size Analysis

The Minimum Wedge Size option allows you to exclude the analysis of very small wedges which may be generated by a Probabilistic analysis.

This option is useful because very small wedges can sometimes give misleading analysis results (e.g. very low safety factors) and may be difficult to see on the model (e.g. very thin slivers). In general, it is larger wedges which are of the greatest concern in a RocPlane stability analysis. Although the Minimum Wedge Size option is OFF by default, it is recommended that this option is enabled for Probabilistic analysis to filter out the analysis of very small wedges.

In RocPlane, you can now scale the size of wedges according to:

• Joint or Tension Crack Persistence
• Wedge Volume
• Wedge Weight