Master Plaxis 3D – From Fundamentals to Advanced Geotechnical Applications
🌍 About This Tutorial
Plaxis 3D is a finite element software package specifically developed for the analysis of deformation, stability, and groundwater flow in geotechnical engineering projects.
🎥 What You’ll Learn
This free video tutorial series demonstrates how to:
Quickly create complex finite element models with the Graphical Input program
Visualize results in detail using the Output program
Apply numerical modeling techniques to practical geotechnical problems
📚 Covered Applications
The tutorials include real-world case studies, such as:
Foundation settlement
Excavation in sand
Suction pile analysis
Diaphragm wall stability
Shield tunnel construction
Road embankment modeling
Dynamic analysis: generator vibration and building earthquake resistance
🛠️ Key Skills You’ll Gain
Defining soil stratigraphy
Creating structural elements
Generating finite element meshes
Setting up calculation phases
Evaluating and interpreting output results
👉 Whether you are a beginner or an experienced engineer, this tutorial will help you master Plaxis 3D effectively in a short time.
Tutorial 1. Foundation in overconsolidated clay
This tutorial describes the general procedures for creating geometry, generating a finite element mesh, executing calculations, and evaluating output results, which are utilized in subsequent tutorials.
Case A: Rigid foundation
This case simulates a very stiff building’s basement using non-porous linear elastic volume elements.
Case B: Raft foundation
This case models structural forces as loads on a raft foundation, allowing for the calculation of structural forces in the foundation.
Case C: Pile-Raft foundation
This case incorporates embedded beams to reduce displacements, representing bored piles.
Tutorial 2. Excavation in sand
This tutorial describes the construction of an excavation pit in soft clay and sand layers, utilizing struts, walings, and ground anchors
Tutorial 3. Loading of a suction pile
This tutorial investigates the displacement of a suction pile under working load conditions, considering four different angles of the working load
Tutorial 4. Stability of a diaphragm wall excavation
This tutorial focuses on the excavation process of a diaphragm wall, modeled in a specific sequence, with stability evaluated through a phi-c reduction procedure
Tutorial 5. Phased excavation of a shield tunnel [GSE]
This case models the tunnel boring process with a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), including the conical shape of the TBM, excavation of soil, tunnel lining installation, and grouting. This tutorial is available for users with a Geotechnical SELECT subscription.
Tutorial 6. Construction of a road embankment [ADV]
This tutorial analyzes the construction of a road embankment on soft soil, involving consolidation analysis and the calculation of a safety factor. It also includes the modeling of drains to speed up consolidation. This tutorial is for users with a PLAXIS 3D Advanced license
Tutorial 7. Rapid drawdown analysis [ULT]
This tutorial concerns the stability of a reservoir dam under rapid drawdown conditions, performing fully coupled flow-deformation analysis and defining time-dependent hydraulic conditions. This tutorial is for users with a PLAXIS 3D Ultimate license.
Tutorial 8. Dynamics analysis of a generator on an elastic foundation [ULT]
This tutorial studies the influence of a vibrating source on its surrounding soil, performing a dynamic calculation and defining dynamic boundary conditions and loads. This tutorial is for users with a PLAXIS 3D Ultimate license.
Tutorial 9. Free vibration and earthquake analysis of a building [ULT]
This tutorial demonstrates the natural frequency of a building under free vibration and earthquake loading, employing different dynamic boundary conditions and modeling hysteretic behavior. This tutorial is for users with a PLAXIS 3D Ultimate license.