Soil-Simulator scripts: Bridging the gap for beginners in soil testing simulations

ABSTRACT: Soil testing is an essential component of geotechnical engineering, as it helps engineers determine soil properties and assess its behavior under different loading conditions. In recent years, the use of numerical simulations has become a key component, as it allows engineers to predict the behavior of soil in complex situations without the need for expensive physical testing. One widely-used numerical platform in the geotechnical community and industry is the finite difference numerical software FLAC3D. However, using numerical platforms can be challenging, especially for beginners who are not familiar with the programming languages. To address this issue, the Soil-simulator scripts were developed by SRK Consulting to provide an open source and convenient solution for simulating basic and advanced soil lab tests using a single element. These scripts do not require any prior knowledge of Python or FISH, the programming languages of numerical platform, making it accessible to both beginners and advanced users. To demonstrate the capabilities of the Soil-Simulator scripts, a series of examples were conducted using a cube element subjected to monotonic and cyclic, drained and undrained compression using conventional triaxial and direct simple shear configurations. Numerical simulations results were compared with available experimental laboratory results. Overall, the paper provides a clear and concise introduction to the use of Soil-Simulator scripts to simulate the soil responses at the element test level under various loading and drainage conditions, allowing for the assessment of characteristic properties of soils.