With the new release of PLAXIS 2D CONNECT Edition V20 Update 1 (V20.01) and PLAXIS 3D CONNECT Edition V20 Update 1 (V20.01) we are introducing new features to take the next step in automating digital workflows by introducing integrations with Bentley System’s ProjectWise and with the Bentley Cloud Services option you can now define the association of a Connected Bentley project to a PLAXIS project.
When starting the application, the first thing you see is that we completely revamped the Quick start window: next to the options to start a new PLAXIS file and load an existing PLAXIS file, the Quick start window also includes a quick overview of the activated licenses, and it will highlight recent news and upcoming events in the newsreader so you can be up to date with the latest information to help you using PLAXIS in the best way possible.
Starting this release, we will include the full set of the PLAXIS User Defined Soil models (UDSM) with the installation, so you will always have the latest versions to use, taking advantage of your Geotechnical SELECT Entitlement [GSE].
And in PLAXIS 3D, the mesh generation has significantly been improved. Biggest quality improvements have been made in the PLAXIS 3D embedded beams to help you with your pile foundations, ground anchors, tunnelling rock bolts and umbrella arches.
The list of new features in PLAXIS 2D and/or PLAXIS 3D.
The Quick select window has been redesigned to show the latest news and the state of licences too. It also has a new look and feel and is renamed to "Quick start". See also the image above
The user interface for the PLAXIS applications has been updated with new Bentley icons and images. A splash screen is now being shown at startup of the Input and Output applications.
In the phase settings, it is now possible to enable compression for result files. Compressed files are smaller in size but there is a small performance overhead when opening them in PLAXIS Output.
It is now possible to change several soil layer levels of a borehole at once, providing better performance for large models.
Mesh generation of embedded beam elements has been improved. Improvements have been made both in performance and in the resulting mesh quality.
The PLAXIS installation now comes with all PLAXIS User Defined Soil Models (UDSM), including these newly developed constitutive (soil) models:
The PLAXIS Python Distribution is now stored in a new location, in the ProgramData folder, allowing for both PLAXIS 2D and PLAXIS 3D applications to use all available modules, while keeping them up to date and fully compatible.
In our ongoing efforts to bring you more and exiting features, the following features are released as Technology Preview features:
SOILVISION's SVSLOPE 2D model geometry and soil material placeholders can be imported from the File menu.
Westergaard’s Added Mass feature has been added, which can be used to model the effects of any liquid against a structure under dynamic loading conditions (earthquakes). E.g. the inertial effects, or additional hydrostatic pressure of a mass of water or liquid against a dam or wall.For more details, see Westergaard's added mass for hydrodynamic pressures: a simple case.
Now it is possible to open a project from a ProjectWise data source or add a local project to it.
PLAXIS 2D to 3D converter has been added in PLAXIS 2D Input’s Expert menu. Now you can easily bring your PLAXIS 2D model into PLAXIS 3D. See here how easy it is to use it: Using the PLAXIS 3D to 3D converter.
The Command-line autocomplete feature makes using the command line easier by automatically suggesting commands and object names. It can be enabled and disabled from the Options menu.
You can download the latest PLAXIS releases via the Bentley Software Download pages:
PLAXIS 2D CONNECT Edition V20.01
PLAXIS 3D CONNECT Edition V20.01
For more details and what technical issues have been solved, please read our release notes: