About Itasca

PFC 6 Officially Released

PFC, Version 6.0, is officially released. This new version provides major enhancements for modeling capabilities, software interoperability, and updated graphics.

Particle Flow Code (PFC) is a general purpose, distinct-element modeling (DEM) framework that is available as two- and three-dimensional programs. PFC Suite includes both PFC2D and PFC3D or PFC2D is also available separately. PFC simulates synthetic granular and solid materials as an assembly of variably-sized, rigid particles (disks/spheres, rigidly connected “clumps” of disks/spheres, and/or convex polygons/polyhedra). Material behavior depends on particle-interaction (contact) laws, including at a distance, that update each particle’s movement and rotation and, depending on the contact model, if any particle bonds have yielded or failed. PFC includes 12 contact laws and users may create new contact laws using the C++ Plug-in. FLAC3D Components like zones and structural elements, can be loaded* into PFC 6 to combine the power of DEM and continuum modeling in the same program. While designed with geomechanical and material process engineering in mind, as a general framework PFC has been used beyond these fields in simulations of carbon nanotube mechanics, molecular dynamics, heart cell behavior, 3D printing, tool design, and magnetic materials, to name a few.

The following are some of the new capabilities that have been added to Version 6.0:

• 2D/3D convex rigid blocks
• Bonded Block Models (BBM)
• PFC3D/FLAC3D Interface coupling logic, including structural support elements (beams, cables, and shells)
• PFC3D/FLAC3D overlapping-domains coupling logic
• Generic adhesive contact model
• Soft contact model
• Results files
• A revised material-modeling support package for PFC 6
• PFC 5.0 to PFC 6.0 save file export
• PFC 5.0 to PFC 6.0 data file converter
• Rendering Engine Upgrade
• Visual Studio 2017 and Intel 2017 support
• Update to Python 3.6

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*Requires a valid FLAC3D 6 license.