Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
January 30, 2026
ITASCA Software v9.6 Revolutionizes Large-Strain Modeling with Automatic Remeshing
TLDR
- ITASCA Software's FLAC2D v9.6 gives engineers a competitive edge by enabling faster, more stable simulations of large deformations for superior risk assessment and design efficiency.
- FLAC2D's automatic remeshing rebuilds the mesh when strain thresholds are exceeded, transferring data to maintain continuity and ensure accurate modeling of large progressive deformations.
- This technology helps engineers design safer mines and civil structures by improving stability analysis, potentially preventing failures and protecting communities and the environment.
- ITASCA's update lets engineers simulate massive ground movements like tunnel collapses with automatic mesh rebuilding, using advanced models like the 'gold standard' for salt creep.
Impact - Why it Matters
This advancement fundamentally changes how engineers approach complex geomechanical challenges involving large deformations. For mining professionals, it enables more accurate prediction of catastrophic events like pit collapses and subsidence, potentially preventing accidents and optimizing extraction strategies. Civil engineers gain enhanced tools for assessing structural failures in slopes, tunnels, and foundations, leading to safer infrastructure design and better risk management. The automation reduces manual intervention and computational errors, saving significant time and resources while improving simulation reliability. As climate change and urban development increase pressure on geological structures, these tools become essential for sustainable engineering practices that protect both human safety and environmental integrity.
Summary
ITASCA Software has launched version 9.6, featuring a groundbreaking automatic remeshing capability in FLAC2D that revolutionizes large-strain modeling for civil and mining engineers. This innovation automatically rebuilds the computational mesh when deformations exceed user-defined thresholds, maintaining simulation stability and accuracy while dramatically reducing complexity and accelerating workflows. Jim Hazzard, ITASCA Software Manager, explains that this addresses a longstanding challenge where traditional fixed grids become distorted during large displacements, causing simulation failure or loss of accuracy.
The new remeshing capability enables reliable simulation of complex phenomena involving massive strain, from mining applications like subsidence, open pit failures, and tunnel collapses to civil engineering scenarios involving slope failures and tunnel face instabilities. By automatically maintaining mesh quality as geometry evolves, engineers can analyze complete structural evolution from stability to large-scale movement with improved efficiency and accuracy. This supports more robust risk assessments and long-term performance evaluations in challenging geomechanical environments.
Beyond the flagship remeshing feature, version 9.6 includes significant enhancements across multiple domains. Advanced material modeling introduces a structural concrete constitutive model for realistic soil-structure interaction and the Munson-Dawson Creep model for high-fidelity salt mechanics. Hybrid solver capabilities now allow FLAC3D and FLAC2D coupling with ITASCA's Material Point Method (MPM) solvers for extreme deformation simulations. Workflow improvements include automated domain generation that reduces setup time from hours to minutes, enhanced sketch tools with hard nodes for precision meshing, and imported fluid flow architecture for 3DEC. Engineers can learn more about these advancements by visiting itascasoftware.com or requesting a technical demo.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by 24-7 Press Release. Read the original source here, ITASCA Software v9.6 Revolutionizes Large-Strain Modeling with Automatic Remeshing
