Insights

Numerical modeling

to meet the challenges of underground works

«Numerical simulation is a valuable tool for understanding phenomena, but it should not replace reflection.»

Any digital simulation inherently simplifies reality, and it’s crucial to always be mindful of this fact.

In the context of our projects, we often need to employ complex numerical modeling. This requirement predominantly arises from specific geo-mechanical and hydrogeological contexts and/or due to the three-dimensional aspects of the problem.

The primary situations requiring such modeling are as follows:

Hydraulic flows,
time-dependent phenomena like creep, shrink/swell deformation, consolidation, and similar processes,
complex geometries, such as intersections of structures or the proximity of adjacent surface and underground structures,
improved analisys of construction phases, including excavation of varying or segmented-sections and the staggered installation of retaining structures,
in-depth study of reinforcement elements, including the explicit modeling of pre-retaining structures in tunnels, TBM voussoirs, and masonry in older structures.