Seequent is the subsurface software company within Bentley Systems. Together, we’re helping build a more resilient future by connecting the built world above ground with the hidden world below it. It’s easy to purchase a Virtuoso Subscription, through Virtuosity, Bentley’s eStore, and still get the expert technical support from Seequent’s subsurface experts.

Model and analyze geo-engineering projects with finite element analysis in 2D

Extend the capabilities of PLAXIS 2D Advanced with additional capabilities for analyzing the effects of vibrations in the soil, such as earthquake and traffic loads; simulate complex hydrological, time-dependent variations of water levels, or flow functions on model or soil boundaries; and assess the effect of transient heat flow on the hydraulic and mechanical behavior of soil.

We offer various versions of PLAXIS 2D, so you can choose which one is best for you:

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PLAXIS 2D

PLAXIS 2D includes all the essential functionalities to perform everyday deformation and safety analysis for soil and rock that do not require the consideration of creep, steady state groundwater or thermal flow, consolidation analysis, or any time-dependent effects.

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PLAXIS 2D Advanced

PLAXIS 2D Advanced includes everything that is included in PLAXIS 2D, plus it offers more advanced features and material models to consider creep, flow-deformation coupling through consolidation analysis and steady state groundwater or heat flow. It also solves your problems faster with the multicore solver.

  • Model diverse geotechnical problems
  • Create FE models quickly and efficiently
  • Simulate various types of soil and rock behavior
  • Achieve consistently accurate results
  • Conduct powerful and versatile post processing
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PLAXIS 2D Ultimate

Extend the capabilities of PLAXIS 2D Advanced with additional capabilities for analyzing the effects of vibrations in the soil, such as earthquake and traffic loads; simulate complex hydrological, time-dependent variations of water levels, or flow functions on model or soil boundaries; and assess the effect of transient heat flow on the hydraulic and mechanical behavior of soil.

  • Dynamic Modeling
  • Groundwater Flow Analysis
  • Thermal Modeling

PLAXIS 2D WorkSuite

PLAXIS 2D WorkSuite is the most comprehensive option of PLAXIS 2D which includes PLAXIS 2D Ultimate and PLAXIS 2D LE. PLAXIS 2D WorkSuite integrates the powerful and user-friendly finite element and limit equilibrium analysis capabilities of PLAXIS applications for the design and analysis of soil, rock, and associated structures.

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“The use of PLAXIS and the help from PLAXIS experts resulted in a very successfully ground freezing project. The measured results were very consistent with the modeled behavior, resulting in cost and energy saving.”
– Joseph A. Sopko, Ph.D., P.E. Director of Ground Freezer, Keller

Technical Capabilities

Modeling Material Models Calculations Results Usage Subscription Entitlement Service Supports

Modeling

  • Spatial variation of preconsolidation
  • Tunnel deconfinement
  • CAD export
  • Nonlinear geogrids: Elastoplastic (N-ε) and Viscoelastic (time-dependent)
  • Cross and parallel permeability in interfaces
  • Polar and rectangular array
  • Nonlinear embedded beam row (M-ĸ diagrams)
  • Easy definition of rock bolts in Tunnel Designer
  • Unlimited combinations of point forces and distributed loads

Material Models

  • Anisotropic Clay Models: S-CLAY1 and S-CLAY1S
  • Concrete
  • Masonry
  • Mixed Isotropic-kinematic Hardening Elastoplastic Models for Structured Clay
  • N2PC-Salt
  • Hoek-Brown with parameter guide
  • Generalized Hardening Soil
  • OC-Clay
  • PM4Sand
  • Soft soil (with and without creep)
  • Sekiguchi-Ohta, viscid and inviscid
  • SHANSEP MC
  • SHANSEP NGI-ADP
  • Swelling Rock
  • NGI-ADP
  • Jointed rock
  • UDCAM-S with cyclic accumulation and optimization tool
  • UDCAM-S
  • User-defined soil models
  • Visco-elastic perfectly plastic
  • CLoE Hypoplastic
  • Creep-SCLAY1S
  • Frozen and Unfrozen Soil
  • Material Models
  • MIT S1
  • Mohr-Coulomb (Linear Elastic Perfectly Plastic)
  • Modified Cam-Clay
  • Hoek-Brown (rock behavior)
  • Hoek & Brown model with softening
  • Hypoplastic model with inter-granular strain
  • Hardening Soil (Isotropic hardening)
  • Hardening Soil with small-strain stiffness (HSSmall)
  • Isotropic Jointed Rock with Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
  • Joined Rock (anisotropy)
  • UBC3D-PLM (based on UBCSAND)
  • Soft Soil
  • Soft Soil Creep (time dependent behavior)
  • Sekiguchi-Ohta
  • NGI-ADP (anisotropic undrained shear strength)
  • NorSand
  • PM4Silt
  • Fluid

Calculations

  • Field stress initial calculation type
  • Well-proven and robust calculation procedures
  • Multicore computing
  • Include or exclude soil clusters and/or structural elements in safety analysis
  • 64-bit calculation kernel
  • Facilities for steady-state groundwater flow calculations, including flow-related material parameters, boundary conditions, drains, and wells
  • Distinguish between a plastic calculation, consolidation, and safety analysis
  • Automatic regeneration of construction stages

Results

  • Load-displacement curves
  • Use the Output command line to display plots, or save plots with user-defined resolution
  • Select number of significant digits displayed
  • PLAXIS 2D Viewer
  • Automatic centerline extraction for structural forces plots
  • Structural forces in Volumes (Tunnel lining, retaining wall)
  • Resulting Force View
  • Preview Calculation results
  • Plot Annotations

Usage

  • Rock-mass response and surface settlements due to tunneling, mining, or reservoir depletion
  • Slope stability and seepage analysis for large earth dams, tailing dams, embankments, and pit mines
  • Predicting differential settlements of buildings adjacent to excavation pits
  • Stability of and seepage into excavation pits, lateral displacements of diaphragm walls
  • Calculate necessary consolidation time for pore pressure dissipation in undrained loading problems
  • Bearing capacity and foundation settlement analysis for high-rise buildings, LNG tanks, and other structures

Subscription Entitlement Service Supports

  • Provides a universal ID to link together all activity within Bentley applications
    • Manage license entitlements at a user level, without requiring activation keys or hardware dongles
    • Access personal learn material, paths and history, timely product related news, automatic product updates, and notifications
Modeling

Modeling

  • Spatial variation of preconsolidation
  • Tunnel deconfinement
  • CAD export
  • Nonlinear geogrids: Elastoplastic (N-ε) and Viscoelastic (time-dependent)
  • Cross and parallel permeability in interfaces
  • Polar and rectangular array
  • Nonlinear embedded beam row (M-ĸ diagrams)
  • Easy definition of rock bolts in Tunnel Designer
  • Unlimited combinations of point forces and distributed loads
Material Models

Material Models

  • Anisotropic Clay Models: S-CLAY1 and S-CLAY1S
  • Concrete
  • Masonry
  • Mixed Isotropic-kinematic Hardening Elastoplastic Models for Structured Clay
  • N2PC-Salt
  • Hoek-Brown with parameter guide
  • Generalized Hardening Soil
  • OC-Clay
  • PM4Sand
  • Soft soil (with and without creep)
  • Sekiguchi-Ohta, viscid and inviscid
  • SHANSEP MC
  • SHANSEP NGI-ADP
  • Swelling Rock
  • NGI-ADP
  • Jointed rock
  • UDCAM-S with cyclic accumulation and optimization tool
  • UDCAM-S
  • User-defined soil models
  • Visco-elastic perfectly plastic
  • CLoE Hypoplastic
  • Creep-SCLAY1S
  • Frozen and Unfrozen Soil
  • Material Models
  • MIT S1
  • Mohr-Coulomb (Linear Elastic Perfectly Plastic)
  • Modified Cam-Clay
  • Hoek-Brown (rock behavior)
  • Hoek & Brown model with softening
  • Hypoplastic model with inter-granular strain
  • Hardening Soil (Isotropic hardening)
  • Hardening Soil with small-strain stiffness (HSSmall)
  • Isotropic Jointed Rock with Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
  • Joined Rock (anisotropy)
  • UBC3D-PLM (based on UBCSAND)
  • Soft Soil
  • Soft Soil Creep (time dependent behavior)
  • Sekiguchi-Ohta
  • NGI-ADP (anisotropic undrained shear strength)
  • NorSand
  • PM4Silt
  • Fluid
Calculations

Calculations

  • Field stress initial calculation type
  • Well-proven and robust calculation procedures
  • Multicore computing
  • Include or exclude soil clusters and/or structural elements in safety analysis
  • 64-bit calculation kernel
  • Facilities for steady-state groundwater flow calculations, including flow-related material parameters, boundary conditions, drains, and wells
  • Distinguish between a plastic calculation, consolidation, and safety analysis
  • Automatic regeneration of construction stages
Results

Results

  • Load-displacement curves
  • Use the Output command line to display plots, or save plots with user-defined resolution
  • Select number of significant digits displayed
  • PLAXIS 2D Viewer
  • Automatic centerline extraction for structural forces plots
  • Structural forces in Volumes (Tunnel lining, retaining wall)
  • Resulting Force View
  • Preview Calculation results
  • Plot Annotations
Usage

Usage

  • Rock-mass response and surface settlements due to tunneling, mining, or reservoir depletion
  • Slope stability and seepage analysis for large earth dams, tailing dams, embankments, and pit mines
  • Predicting differential settlements of buildings adjacent to excavation pits
  • Stability of and seepage into excavation pits, lateral displacements of diaphragm walls
  • Calculate necessary consolidation time for pore pressure dissipation in undrained loading problems
  • Bearing capacity and foundation settlement analysis for high-rise buildings, LNG tanks, and other structures
Subscription Entitlement Service Supports

Subscription Entitlement Service Supports

  • Provides a universal ID to link together all activity within Bentley applications
    • Manage license entitlements at a user level, without requiring activation keys or hardware dongles
    • Access personal learn material, paths and history, timely product related news, automatic product updates, and notifications
Features
PLAXIS 2D
PLAXIS 2D Advanced
PLAXIS 2D Ultimate
Available without GSE
PROJECT AND MODEL PROPERTIES
Selection of imperial and SI units for length, force etc.
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Select between plane strain and axi-symmetric models
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Select between 6-noded and 15-noded element types
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Constants tab in Project properties
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GEOMETRY CREATION
SOIL MATERIAL MODELS
SOIL MATERIAL DRAINAGE TYPES
STRUCTURAL ELEMENT MATERIAL TYPES
DYNAMIC, GROUNDWATER AND THERMAL FLOW MATERIAL PROPERTIES
INITIAL CALCULATION TYPES
DEFORMATION CALCULATION TYPES
PORE PRESSURE CALCULATION TYPES
THERMAL CALCULATION TYPES
MISCELLANEOUS FEATURES, TOOLS AND INTEROPABILITY
TIME DEPENDENT FUNCTIONS
DYNAMIC BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
Virtuoso Subscription

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We’ve bundled a 12-month license for trusted Bentley and Seequent software with customizable training from experts and call it our Virtuoso Subscription. With lower upfront costs and flexible support options, businesses of all sizes can now compete with the industry’s heavy hitters.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is PLAXIS 2D Ultimate?

Extend the capabilities of PLAXIS 2D Advanced with additional capabilities for analyzing the effects of vibrations in the soil, such as earthquake and traffic loads; simulate complex hydrological, time-dependent variations of water levels, or flow functions on model or soil boundaries; and assess the effect of transient heat flow on the hydraulic and mechanical behavior of soil.

What does PLAXIS mean? What is PLAXIS used for?

Plaxis is a computer application that performs finite element analyses (FEA) within the realm of geotechnical engineering, including deformation, stability and water flow. The name PLAXIS comes from PLastic and AXISymmetry, indicating the geometric types handled in the original code of the software application.

What is the difference between the various PLAXIS 2D products?

View comparison matrix.

Where can I find PLAXIS 2D tutorial?

Whilst lots of PLAXIS 2D tutorials can be found on Bentley Communities, here are some FREE PLAXIS 2D learning resources available at Virtuosity, Bentley’s eStore.

What is the interface in PLAXIS?

By applying interface elements PLAXIS users can simulate the interaction between a structure and soil. While without an interface no relative displacement (slipping/gapping) will be possible between structure and soil.

When interface applied, node pairs will be created at the interface of structure and soil. Each node pair consists of two nodes – one belongs to the structure and the other belongs to the soil. The interaction between these two nodes consists of two elastic-perfectly plastic springs. One elastic-perfectly plastic spring to model the gap displacement and one elastic-perfectly plastic spring to model slip displacement.

Where can I get PLAXIS 2D training or PLAXIS course?

If you want to receive tailored training or attend a PLAXIS 2D course that is specific to your project requirement, Virtuosity offers extra training and mentoring services. You can choose from tailor-made training, on-demand learning, consulting services, mentoring and more. Learn more about Expert Services at Virtuosity here.

What is the price of PLAXIS 2D? How much does PLAXIS cost?

A practitioner license of PLAXIS 2D costs $3,681 USD, PLAXIS 2D Advanced costs $4,602 USD, PLAXIS 2D Ultimate costs $6,557 USD and PLAXIS 2D WorkSuite costs $7,075 USD. Prices vary per region. While there are various types of licensing available, a common choice is the 12-month practitioner license offered through Virtuosity, Bentley’s eCommerce store. When you purchase through Virtuosity, you get a Virtuoso Subscription which means you get both the software AND the training, expert services, and custom mentoring you need to get started quickly.

What is Seequent?

Seequent, The Bentley Subsurface Company | Seequent is the subsurface software company within Bentley Systems. Together, we’re helping build a more resilient future by connecting the built world above ground with the hidden world below it. It’s easy to purchase a Virtuoso Subscription, through Virtuosity, Bentley’s eStore, and still get the expert technical support from Seequent’s subsurface experts.

System Requirements

Operating System

Supported: Windows 8 Professional 64-bit, Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
Recommended: Windows 10 Professional 64-bit (all with latest service packs applied)

Graphics Card

Required: GPU with 256 MB OpenGL 3.3
Bentley strongly recommends avoiding simple onboard graphics chips in favor of a discrete GPU from the nVidia GeForce or Quadro range with at least 128-bit bus and 1 GB of RAM, or equivalent solution from ATI/AMD.

Processor

Required: Dual Core CPU, Recommended: Quad Core CPU

Memory

Recommended for 2D: minimum 4 GB. Large projects may require more.

Hard Disk

Minimum 2 GB free space on the partition where the WindowsTEMP directory resides, and 2 GB free space on the partition where projects are saved. Large projects may require significantly more space on both partitions.

For best performance, ensure that the TEMP directory and the project directory reside on the same partition.

Video

Required: 1024 x 768 pixels, 32-bit color palette, Recommended: 1920 x 1080 pixels, 32-bit color palette

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