Introduction: RS3 Tutorial 9 Dynamic Analysis of Foundation

Welcome to RS3. This tutorial will demonstrate some of the

dynamic analysis features of RS3. Here we simulate a foundation
experiencing cyclic machine loading.

The finished product of this tutorial can be found in the Tutorial

09 Dynamic Analysis of Foundation.rs3dmodel file. All tutorial
files installed with RS3 can be accessed by selecting File
Recent Tutorials folder from the RS3 main menu.

CONTENTS
Introduction: RS3 Tutorial 9 Dynamic Analysis of
Foundation....................................................... 1
Step 1: Starting The Model .............................. 2
Creating A Blank Document ......................... 2
Step 2: Editing The Project Settings................. 2
Configuring The Units, Dynamic & Stages.... 2
Step 3: Defining The Materials ......................... 3
Defining Material Properties ......................... 3
Step 4: Creating Geometry .............................. 4
Creating The Ground.................................... 4
Creating The Foundation .............................. 4
Preparing The External Boundaries.............. 5
Dividing The Model ...................................... 5
Step 5: Setting Boundary Conditions ............... 6
Adding Model Restraints .............................. 6
Step 6: Adding The Dynamic Conditions ......... 6
Loading The Model ...................................... 6
Adding Boundary Conditions ....................... 7
Adding A Dynamic Query Line ..................... 7
Step 7: Meshing .............................................. 8
Configuring And Calculating Mesh ............... 8
Step 8: Computing Results ............................ 10
Compute .................................................... 10
Step 9: Interpreting Results ........................... 10
Displaying The X Displacement Results .... 10
Graphing The Query Line Results.............. 14

Tutorial Key Concepts

Dynamic Analysis
Cyclic Loading
Machine Foundation

Note
The dynamic analysis will take more time to compute than static analyses.

Tutorial 9: RS3 1
Step 1: Starting the Model
CRE ATING A BLANK DOCUMENT

Start RS3 by selecting Programs Rocscience RS3 2.0 RS3 from the Windows
start menu. RS3 opens to a blank screen, which allows you to create a new model by
New pressing the [New Project] button. If the RS3 application window is not already
Project maximized, maximize it now such that the full screen space is available for use.

First, save as Tutorial 09 Dynamic Analysis of Foundation.rs3dmodel: File Save.

Save

Step 2: Editing the Project Settings

CONFIGURING THE UNITS , DYNAMI C & STAGES

The Project Settings dialog is used to configure the main analysis parameters for your
RS3 model. Open the dialog through File Project Settings. This will open the dialog
Project on the first tab: [Units], and set Time Units = Seconds.
Settings

Project
Settings:
Units

Next, select the [Dynamic] tab.

Project
Settings:
Dynamic

Tutorial 9: RS3 2
 Enter Dynamic Analysis = Active, Alpha M = 0.898, Beta K = 0.002, Num Time Steps =
Project Auto, then select the [Stages] tab.
Settings:
Stages

Enter Number of stages = 5, Dynamic (Stages 2- 5) = Active, with time = 0.7, 0.73,
0.75, 1.5 seconds, and names as shown above, select [OK] to close the dialog. Go to
File Project Summary and enter Dynamic Analysis of Foundation as the Project Title.
Do not change any other settings. Select [OK] to close the dialog.

Note
If a static stage is placed between two dynamic stages, the latter dynamic stage
will still proceed from the time the previous time stage ended to the latter stage's
end time.

Step 3: Defining the Materials

DEFINING MATERIAL PROPERTIES

You can assign the materials and properties of the model through Materials Define
Materials.
Define
Materials Enter the following properties for Material 1 and Material 2 in the [Stiffness] tabs
respectively.

Material 1
Properties:
Stiffness

Enter Name = Soil, Initial Element Loading = None, Youngs Modulus = 50000 kPa,
Poissons Ratio = 0.4, then select [Material 2].

Tutorial 9: RS3 3
Material 2
Properties:
Stiffness

Enter Name = Concrete, Initial Element Loading = None, Youngs Modulus = 28000000
kPa, Poissons Ratio = 0.25, then select [OK].

Step 4: Creating Geometry

CRE ATING THE GROUND

In order to create the ground, we will draw a rectangular prism, select: Geometry 3D
Primitive Geometry Box.
Box

A Create Box dialog will open, enter First Corner (x, y, z) = (0, 0, 0), Second Corner (x,
y, z) = (140, 70, 70), then [OK].

CRE ATING THE FOUNDATION

Create another box for the foundation: Geometry 3D Primitive Geometry Box.

Box

A Create Box dialog will open, enter First Corner (x, y, z) = (66, 31, 69), Second Corner
(x, y, z) = (74, 39, 70.4), then [OK].

Tutorial 9: RS3 4
PREP ARING THE EXTERNAL BOUNDARIES

Now to capture the extents of the model as the external boundary, the foundation must
be merged with the ground. But as they are made of different materials, we also need to
create a cutting plane between the merged bodies.

Select both bodies in the visibility pane, then Geometry 3D Boolean Union, [OK].
Union
Then, select the Union body in the visibility pane, and select Geometry Set as
External.

Now to define the cutting plane, select: Geometry 3D Primitive Geometry Plane.
Select XY Plane, and under Plane Definition, set Origin (x, y, z) = (70, 35, 70), [Create
Plane Plane], [Done].

DIVIDING THE MODEL

Now to finish the model, Geometry 3D Boolean Divide All Geometry. Now ensure
all bodies have Role = Geology, (can do so by seeing if all bodies have the geology
Divide All icon in the visibility pane). Change the foundation body to Concrete by selecting
Geometry
Union_2 in the visibility pane, and in the properties pane change Applied Property =
Concrete. After doing so, the model should look like:

Current
State of
Model

Tutorial 9: RS3 5
Step 5: Setting Boundary Conditions
ADDING MODEL RESTRAINTS

Move to the Restraints tab to assign restraints to the external boundary of the model.

RS3 has a built in Auto Restrain tool for use on underground models.
Auto
Restrain Select: Restraints Auto Restrain (Surface).
(Surface)

Step 6: Adding The Dynamic Conditions

LO ADING THE MODEL

Move to the Dynamic tab to add dynamic loads to the model.

Select the top foundation face, then select: Dynamic Add Dynamic Loads. Press the
pencil edit icon beside the Dynamic Property dropdown to edit the loading. A Dynamic
Add Load Properties dialog should appear, set Name = Dynamic Load 1, Type = Force,
Dynamic Custom = Active, X: = Active, then press [Define] next to X.
Loads

Edit

In the new Define Dynamic Load Force By Time dialog, select [Import] to import the
Tutorial 09 machine_load.txt provided in the tutorial folder. When all values have been
imported, press [OK] three times to confirm and close all dialogs.

You should now notice that as you flip between Stage 1 and 2, the loading will toggle on
and off, as the load begins to be applied at Stage 2 (the first dynamic stage).

Tutorial 9: RS3 6
ADDING BOUNDARY CONDITIONS

Note
RS3 provides a number of dynamic boundary conditions and elements that are
utilized only in dynamic analysis. For this model absorbing boundaries will be
applied on the lateral and bottom external boundaries of the model in order to
absorb incoming shear and pressure waves travelling in the soil.
The boundaries must be absorbing since the dynamic load is inside the domain
and the model should not have any excess reflecting back from the model
boundaries.

Select all four side faces, and the bottom face of the ground (five faces total), then
Add select: Dynamic Add Dynamic Boundary Conditions. Press the pencil edit icon
Dynamic beside the Dynamic Property dropdown to edit the boundary condition. A Dynamic BC
Boundary Properties dialog should appear, set Name = Absorb, Type = Absorb, then press [OK],
Condition [OK].

Edit

You should now notice that as you flip between Stage 1 and 2, the Absorb BC will
toggle on and off, as the load begins to be applied at Stage 2 (the first dynamic stage).

ADDING A DYNAMIC QUERY LINE

Select: Dynamic Add Time Query. In the Draw Polyline pane that appears to the left
of the viewport, Select Plane Orientation = ZX, ZX Origin = (70, 35, 70), then enter
Add Time
Query U,V Coord (press [Enter] between each pair) =
0 0 [Enter]
0 -70 [Enter]

Close Then press the blue checkmark to finish entering coordinates.

Polyline
Pane

Tutorial 9: RS3 7
 Draw
Polyline

A Specify Query Locations dialog will open, keep the defaults, [OK].

Specify
Query
Locations

Step 7: Meshing
CONFIGURING AND CALCULATING MESH

Next, move to the Mesh tab, we need to customize the mesh: Mesh Mesh Settings.

Mesh The Mesh Settings dialog appears. Enter Element Type = 4-Noded Tetrahedra, Mesh
Settings Gradation = Graded, [OK].

Press [OK], then mesh the model: Mesh Mesh.

Mesh The mesh is now generated, your model should appear as below:

Meshed
model

Tutorial 9: RS3 8
 Now we need to refine the mesh, select the ground body (Union_1) in the visibility
pane, then select Mesh Define Refinement Regions, changing Element Size = 6,
Define [OK].
Refinement
Regions

Define With nothing selected in the visibility pane or viewport, select Mesh Define
Refinement Refinement Regions. In the Create Box dialog, Enter First Corner (x, y, z) = (50, 15,
Regions 70), and Second Corner (x, y, z) = (90, 55, 35), [OK].

A red box should appear in the viewport, right click it, and select [Done]. In the Mesh
Refinement dialog, enter Element Size = 3, [OK].

Finally, recalculate the mesh by selecting: Mesh Refine Graded Mesh. The re-
Refine meshed model should look like the following:
Graded
Mesh

Re-meshed
model

Tutorial 9: RS3 9
Step 8: Computing Results
COMPUTE

Next, move to the Compute tab. From this tab we can compute the results of our model.
First, save: File Save.
Save
Use the Save As dialog to save the file. Next, you need to save the compute file: File
Save Compute File.

Note
The dynamic analysis will take more time to compute than static analyses.

Were ready to compute the results: Compute Compute.

Compute

Compute
Engine

Step 9: Interpreting Results

DISPLAYING THE X DISPLACEMENT R ESULTS

Next, move to the Results tab. From this tab we can analyze the results of our model.
First, refresh the results: Interpret Refresh Results.
Refresh On the top right corner of the Results tab, you should see two drop down menus:
Results

Ensure [Solids] is selected from the Element drop down menu.

Tutorial 9: RS3 10
 We will analyze the X Displacement results, select Data Type = X Displacement. Add a
plane contour such that we can see some results: Interpret XZ Plane, Center (x, y, z)
= (70, 35, 35.2), Normal (x, y, z) = (0, 1, 0), then press [OK].
XZ Plane

Create
Plane

The x displacement results should look like the following (showing shear waves
propagating through the ground):

Stage 2, 3,
4&5
Results:
X Displ

Tutorial 9: RS3 11
 Toggling through the Intermediate stages one can observe the progression of the shear
wave as it travels down and the formation of a new negative displacement zone at the
surface as the foundation translates left.

You can also see the propagation of the shear waves outwards laterally, Interpret
Exterior Show Exterior Contour. The results through the stages should appear as below:
Contour

Tutorial 9: RS3 12
Stage 2, 3,
4&5
Results:
X Displ

Tutorial 9: RS3 13
GRAPHING THE QUERY LINE RESULTS

The results along a query line can be plotted, select PolyLine1_dynamic in the
visibility pane, then in the properties pane press [Graph Data]. A new tab should open
with a graph. This default plot is not what were interested in, on the top left Chart
Options pane, press [Change Plot Data].

A Chart Options dialog will open, Check Primary Data = X Displacement [m], and
Horizontal Axis = Distance [m]. Then under the stage selection, check all dynamic
stages (all but Stage 1), then press [OK].

Chart
Options

For further tweaking, under the Chart Options pane, and in the Settings heading, Swap
Axes = Active, Reverse Y-Axis = Active, and X Alignment = Far. The resulting plot
should appear as below:

Tutorial 9: RS3 14
Distance vs
Displ Plot

This is a plot visualizing the shear waves travelling through the depth of the ground.

Other results are available to view as well. Thank you, this concludes the tutorial.

Tutorial 9: RS3 15