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