FLAC3D Modeling • Introduction

Fields of Application

FLAC3D was developed primarily for geotechnical engineering applications. [CS: ??? what to do, what to do…] contains a bibliography of publications on the application of |flac3d| to geotechnical problems in the fields of mining, underground engineering, rock mechanics and research.

Some possible applications of FLAC3D are noted below. Because FLAC3D now has essentially the same capabilities as FLAC, many of the FLAC applications can now be extended into three dimensions with FLAC3D.

Table 1: Fields of Application

Area	Project Type	Problems Solved
CIVIL	Tunneling	Factor of safety
	Shafts	Probability of failure
	Caverns	Ground stability and improvement
	Rockfill and concrete dams	Tunnel support and design
	Excavations	Dynamic analysis
	Slopes	Evaluation of liquefaction potential
	Earth retaining structures	Groundwater flow and dewatering
	Harbor structures	Heat transfer
	Foundations	Back analysis and observational method
	Embankments	Ground freezing
	Dewatering	Settlements, consolidation, and creep
	Pavement and subgrade	Coupled thermal-mechanical-flow
	Waste disposal	Factor of safety
MINING	Open pit	Excavation stability
	Underground stope	Infrastructure design
	Room-and-pillar	Slope stability
	Longwall	Subsidence
	Caving	Dewatering
	Solution mining	Blasting efficiency
	Shafts and passes	Cavability
		Recovery and dilution
		Backfill
		Tunneling and mine construction
		Tailings stability
		Tailings dams design and stability
		Pillar sizing / spacing
		Ground freezing
		Excavation damage and disturbed zones
		Ground control / remediation
		Tunnel ground reaction curves / longitudinal profiles​
OIL and GAS	Conventional	Hydraulic fracturing and injection
	Unconventional	Well drilling and completions
	Well completions	Borehole breakout
	Enhanced recovery	Sanding
	Fluid injection	Induced seismicity and microseismics
		Wellbore optimization and stability
		Enhanced oil recovery
		Casing failure analysis
		Cap rock integrity
		Coupled hydro-mechanical-thermal analysis
		Fault stability
		Compaction and subsidence
		Reservoir scale modeling
		Fault movement and Integrity
		Salt cavern formation, stability, and gas storage
		Deep well injection of produced water
POWER GENERATION	Engineered geothermal systems	Factor of safety
	Hydrothermal	Excavation damage and disturbed zones
	Nuclear reactor plants	Foundations
	Nuclear waste isolation	Engineered barrier evaluation
	Wind energy turbines	Dynamic response to earthquakes
	Hydroelectric dams	Groundwater infiltration
	Hydroelectric power houses	Deep well injection of blowdown waters
	Thermal plants	Rock characterization
	CO2 sequestration	Geophysical investigations
		Non-destructive examinations
		Microseismic and acoustic emission
		Cap rock integrity
		Site feasibility and suitability
		In-situ and laboratory testing
		Hydro-mechanical-thermal-chemical coupled effect
MANUFACTURING	Equipment design	High-deformation extrusions
	Process design	High-deformation punches
		Artificial diamond manufacturing