This training is an introduction to continuous modeling with FLAC2D and FLAC3D. At the end of the course, participants will master the graphical interface, documentation and the main modeling steps. Concepts are illustrated using a tunnel excavation example, from building the model geometry to results analysis. This introductory course provides the foundation for more advanced use of the software, which can be covered in more specific training modules.
The core of the PFC interface is a series of six panes.
Plots are created by combining any number of plot-items and setting their attributes (color scales, line thickness, transparency, etc.).
Each plot-item can also be modified by adding cut-planes, clip-boxes or filters. A large number of pre-defined filters are available, but these can be combined together and Boolean-logic and FISH scripting may also be added to create custom filters.
Filters can be defined either using the dialogs or interactively with the mouse. For example, the spherical filter shown below captures on those clumps with centroid falling inside sphere. This can also be done for the clump extents if that is preferable.
The Editor pane in PFC provides the ability to edit text-based project resources (data files, FISH files) but may be used with any text file. Though users may choose to work with other text editors for creation or modification of project items with no loss of capability, the PFC editor provides advantages that are not available in external editors, including: automatic syntax color-coding; collapsible FISH blocks; and access to the "Execute/Stop" command, which provides an integrated environment for edit- and run-cycle sequences without having to switch between two programs. The main tools for text editing include text search/replace and seek line number. Comments or remarks (denoted by a semi-colon) can be added to any Itasca data file in order to document or annotate your data file. This is also useful for deactivating parts of the data file without deleting the line. User preferences and settings that affect the appearance of the Editor pane and the text appearing in it — including the styles used to indicate PFC command syntax — may be set in the Options dialog.
The control panel becomes a file browser when the project pane is active and can be used to quickly locate your project files and view them in the Windows Explorer. Files may be opened into the current project directly from the browser.
PFC 's manuals,including examples, are now entirely electronic and accessible from the HELP menu. This on-screen reference provides rapid, searchable access to the information contained within the manuals. Help files will be updated periodically, as part of the PFC update releases, to include more examples and content as developed.
The help menu item leads to the main documentation files and to links to the example, tutorial and validation files which can be loaded directly into PFC this way.
Throughout the interface, you will notice question mark icons. Click on these to learn more about that part of the interface.
Click on any command or script function in the editor or the Console panes and press F1 on your keyboard to see its documentation information.
And finally, in the Console pane command prompt you can simply type a command followed by a question mark to see what keywords are available. This can be repeated with each successive keyword.