PLAXIS 3D Command compatibility notes

This page lists the changes in the commands for PLAXIS 3D and its parameters per version.

PLAXIS 3D 2023.1

Soil/Rock

For soil/rock material definition the reference elevation on the vertical axis above which the Young's modulus is equal to the reference value have been updated to follow the CamelCase formatting.

V22.02	2023.1
.verticalRef	.VerticalRef

PLAXIS 3D CONNECT Edition V22.02

Plates

For plate material definition the thickness property has been updated.

V22.00	V22.02
.D2D	.d

User-Defined Soil Models

The enumerated value for a User-Defined Soil Model (UDSM) type is now again in V22.02. This was reverted back from the value in V22.00.

For command logs and Python scripting you are recommended to use the string-based property value instead: "User-defined"

_set SoilMat_1.SoilModel "User-defined"

PLAXIS 3D CONNECT Edition V22

Material definition

The material definition for soil/rock and structures has been enhanced. The changes concern:

• new categories and updated structure in the material data set window (GUI)
• updated property names (GUI and command line)
• material definition requires property name-property value pairs (command line)
• live material definition validation on the side panel (GUI)

For material properties changes, i.e., on objects and commands, check the Commands reference under the Help menu in both Input and Output.

Undrained behaviour is renamed to Excess pore pressure calculation

The soil material category has been updated to better describe the group of properties that can simulate an incompressible soil by selecting the determination of the excess pore pressures to be based on a v-undrained definition, Skempton B based or following the Biot effective stress concept (αBiot).

PLAXIS 3D CONNECT Edition V20

Mesh command

The mesh command no longer requires providing the maximum number of cores as input. PLAXIS 3D uses optimized techniques which does not need to utilize multiple cores while maintaining an efficient mesh generation.

PLAXIS 3D 2017.00

Input

Phases object updates

The phases object in Input has been updated. Below you can see the differences in properties between the versions:

3D 2016	3D 2017
.Deform.SumMWeight	.Deform.SumMweight
.Deform.Loading.SumMStage	.Deform.Loading.SumMstage
.Reached.ReachedTime	.Reached.Time
.Reached.ReachedStiffness	.Reached.RelativeStiffness
.Reached.ReachedForceX	.Reached.ForceX
.Reached.ReachedForceY	.Reached.ForceY
.Reached.ReachedForceZ	.Reached.ForceZ
.Reached.ReachedPMax	.Reached.Pmax
.Reached.ReachedMStage	.Reached.SumMstage
.Reached.ReachedMWeight	.Reached.SumMweight
.Reached.ReachedMsf	.Reached.SumMsf

Output

Commands using curve points

Following the support for an unlimited number of points for curves in Output, the following examples show the commands that have been updated:

• getcurveresults
  • 3D 2016: getcurveresults Node_A Phase_5 ResultTypes.Soil.Ux
  • 3D 2017: getcurveresults CN_1 Phase_5 ResultTypes.Soil.Ux

• getsingleresult
  • 3D 2016: getsingleresult Phases[4] ResultTypes.Soil.Ux Node_A
  • 3D 2017: getsingleresult Phases[4] ResultTypes.Soil.Ux CN_1

• getcurveresultspath
  • 3D 2016: getcurveresultspath Node_A Phases[0] Phases[3] ResultTypes.Soil.Ux
  • 3D 2017: getcurveresultspath CN_1 Phases[0] Phases[3] ResultTypes.Soil.Ux

Note that for all commands you can also use Curvepoints.Nodes[0] instead of CN_1 to retrieve the results for the first selected node.

Phase/Step object compatibility

For more information on the changes in the properties for Phase and Step objects in PLAXIS Output program see PLAXIS Output Phase/Step object compatibility for details.

 

PLAXIS 3D 2016.00

Input

Commands to intersect and combine

The following commands, intersect and combine generate Polygons in 3D 2016 when the generated objects are plane surfaces. In 3D AE the generated objects were Surfaces even if they were plane surfaces.

Generate mesh command

In a fully parametric geometry [link], the command to generate a mesh has changed. This means that the optional parameters for triangulated geometry (angle tolerances) are removed:

• • 3D AE: mesh 0.1 60 3 256 True
  • 3D 2016: mesh 0.1 256 True

Parametric behaviour

All objects are fully parametric in 3D 2016 version, so the removeparametric command has been removed.

Cone command

The cone command has been modified in order to add the possibility of creating also truncated cones by introducing a second radius parameter.

• • 3D AE command structure
    cone [base radius] [height] [position xyz] [direction xyz]
  • 3D 2016 command structure
    cone [base radius] [height] [top radius] [position xyz] [direction xyz]

Import command

The import command has been modified:

1. Import type “structuresurfaceandvolume” is replaced with “structures”
2. Use 1x scale factor is needed instead of 3x: now we only have uniform scaling

For example:

• 3D AE:
  import "structuresurfaceandvolume" "D:\importables\mixed_cylvol.stp" 7 "z" ( 1 2 3)
• 3D 2016:
  import "structures" "D:\importables\mixed_cylvol.stp" 7 "z" ( 1 2 3)

Decompose into surfaces command

It is no longer possible to specify a tolerance angle in the decomposesrf (desf)) command. The command is still valid by specifying a surface or volume object as parameters:

• 3D 2016: decomposesrf (Surface_2 Surface_3)

Command to save objects from geometry

The command __saveobjects has been updated. For more information please check the following article: Can I reuse existing PLAXIS 3D geometrical objects in a new project?

Embedded beam material axial skin resistance table property

The command for the property for the multi-linear table option of axial skin resistance has changed:

• • 3D AE:
    echo Grout.XYListMultiLinear
  • 3D 2016:
    echo Grout.SkinResistanceMultiLinear
    echo Grout.SkinResistanceTable

Material commands for plate and beam

Material commands for plates and beams have been updated to reflect the current options. This means that unused properties to define XY-lists (e.g. XYListMultiLinear, XYListNEpsilon) have been removed.

Enumeration of calculation phases

The enumeration of the calculation types of phases has been updated due to the introduction of a new type: “Field stress”. Below you can see the differences in the enumeration between versions:

Calculation Type	3D AE	3D 2016
K0 procedure	(1)	(1)
Field stress	--	(2)
Gravity loading	(2)	(3)
Plastic	(3)	(4)
Consolidation	(5)	(6)
Safety	(6)	(7)
Dynamic	(7)	(8)
Flow only	(8)	(9)
Fully coupled flow-deformation	(9)	(10)

PLAXIS 3D AE.00

Embedded pile changes to embedded beam

The embedded pile has been renamed to embedded beam to make clear this embedded beam can be used for more than just piles, e.g. grout anchors.

To create a new embedded beam:

 embeddedbeam (x1 y1 z1) (x2 y2 z2)

To create a new embedded beam row material dataset:

 embeddedbeammat

Note: in this version, the old commands for the embedded pile rows will be supported, but may become deprecated in later versions.

Input

GeneratedSoilVolume changes to BoreholeVolume

The soil volumes/polygon generated from boreholes are now renamed to use Borehole as a prefix rather than GeneratedSoil. This is more clear where the soil volume originates from (from the Borehole definition), and also more consistent with the naming of the waterlevels generated in the boreholes (BoreholeWaterLevels).

Cutobjects (staged construction and mesh mode) and manual intersection

Due to an issue in the sorting routine of the cut objects (i.e. the intersected result of soils, volumes, polygons, lines), and the fact that the source of a cut objects was not clear in its naming, the automatic naming of items in the intersected geometry (mesh mode, flow conditions mode, staged construction, or just manual intersection in e.g. Structure mode by using the intersect command) has been changed. This also involves removing the prefix CS_ for these items, see this example:

• PLAXIS 3D 2013: CS_Line_1
• PLAXIS 3D AE: Line_1_1

Also, reference points per volume, surface and line may vary. This is important for when setting reference and incremental values.

Decomposed geometry

When decomposing e.g. a volume into surfaces, PLAXIS 3D 2013 would give this response:

 0005>  _decomposesrf Volume_1 Added Polygon_Volume_1_1  Added Face_Volume_1_1  Added Polygon_Volume_1_2  Added DecomposedGeometry_1 

With PLAXIS 3D AE, this naming of the resulting surfaces is now more uniform:

 0005>  _decomposesrf Volume_1 Added Surface_Volume_1_1  Added Surface_Volume_1_2  Added Surface_Volume_1_3  Added DecomposedGeometry_1 

This means that the names of the new surfaces is different than in PLAXIS 3D 2013. Also, reference points per surface may vary. This is important for when setting reference and incremental values.

Local mesh refinements

The local mesh refinement value parameter is now renamed from FinenessFactor to CoarsenessFactor. For now, existing projects and command lines will remain compatible for using this property name. In this version the old naming of the local mesh coarseness will be supported, but may become deprecated in later versions.
Please also note the change in naming of cutobjects for full compatibility.

Default boundary conditions

The deformation boundary conditions have been changed to make it easier to change only one side of the model, instead of all sides as in 3D 2013. Now you can set either side to be Free, Normally fixed, Horizontally fixed, Vertically fixed, and Fully fixed.
Next to that, these boundary conditions now only work on model sides that are parallel to one of the axis and coincide with the minimum or maximum coordinate for each axis.

The command to set UseDefaultFixities is now obsolete and will not work. For example:

 set Deformations.UseDefaultFixities Phase_1 False

In 3D AE, you can change this to:

 deactivate Deformations Phase_1

For more details, please see Modifying boundary condition.

Multiplier on vector based features

The name for the multiplier userfeature has been changed. For point loads and point prescribed displacements, this userfeature name has been changed from .Multiplier_x/_y/_z to .MultiplierFx/Fy/Fz. To set a LoadMultiplier for a dynamic point load using the command line:

• 3D 2013: set DynLineLoad_1_1.Multiplier_x Phase_1 LoadMultiplier_1
• 3D AE: set DynPointLoad_1_1.MultiplierFx Phase_1 LoadMultiplier_1

For line loads, this userfeature name has been changed from .Multiplier_x/_y_z to .Multiplierx/y/z, and this would be the command line:

• 3D 2013: set DynLineLoad_1_1.Multiplier_x Phase_1 LoadMultiplier_1
• 3D AE: set DynLineLoad_1_1.Multiplierx Phase_1 LoadMultiplier_1

For surface loads, this userfeature name has been changed from .Multiplier_x/_y_z to .Multiplierx/y/z, and this would be the command line:

• 3D 2013: set DynSurfaceLoad_1_1.Multiplier_x Phase_1 LoadMultiplier_1
• 3D AE: set DynSurfaceLoad_1_1.Multiplierx Phase_1 LoadMultiplier_1

Parametric geometry: cylinder, cone and arcs

Since PLAXIS 3D AE, parametric geometry is supported. This means that any curved shape made inside PLAXIS 3D does not need a discretization in sections to approximate the 3D curved shape. This has influence on the used commands that needed this discretization angle.

• the cylinder command does not need the number of segments any more:
  • 3D 3013: cylinder <radius r> <height h> <accuracy> <point> <direction vector>
  • 3D AE: cylinder <radius r> <height h> <point> <direction vector>
  • Note, in 3D AE, next to the volume creation for the cylinder, it will automatically assign a Soil feature to the volume. This was not done automatically in 3D 2013.
• the sphere command does not need the number of segments (accuracy) any more:
  • 3D 2013: sphere <radius r> <accuracy> <point>
  • 3D AE: sphere <radius r> <point>
  • Note, in 3D AE, next to the volume creation for the sphere, it will automatically assign a Soil feature to this new volume. This was not done automatically in 3D 2013.
• the cone command also does not need the number of segments (accuracy) any more:
  • 3D 2013: cone <radius r> <coneheight h> <accuracy> <point> <direction vector>
  • 3D AE: cone <radius r> <coneheight h> <point> <direction vector>
  • see also Modelling a tapered pile
• the shape designer does not need an angle discretization for arcs anymore. The command will not fail, but the setting is obsolete.

Gravity value

The gravity value is now a fixed value of 9.81 m/s² and will be converted correctly to the used units in the PLAXIS 3D AE project. This property should be removed from any command to set the general project properties.

Material sets

The reference to LoadCase items (LoadCaseRef0, LoadCaseRef1, LoadCaseRef2, etc) should now be removed from the command when setting up material datasets or when changing properties.

Re-applying same materials set

In PLAXIS 3D 2013, re-applying the same material set to a soil or structural element fails, see also this related known issue. This is now fixed in PLAXIS 3D AE.00

Calculation type for initial phase: flow only

When performing a groundwater flow calculation only (so when you are not interested in deformations), the calculation type of the Initial Phase now needs to be set to "Flow only" (it was "Groundwater flow only" in previous versions):

 set InitialPhase.DeformCalcType "Flow only"

Groups in staged construction

When grouping items in Staged construction mode (or any of the green modes), groups are now called S_Group_#, instead of CS_Group_# with # the number of group.

Cannot manually intersect mixed objects

When having mixed objects (parametric and non-parametric), it is not possible to manually intersect these using the intersect command.

To check if a geometric item is parametric or not, we can use this command for e.g. Volume_1:

 echo Volume_1.ParametricBehaviour

Also, to remove the parametric setting and fall back to the non-parametric (internally triangulated) geometry, use this command:

 removeparametric Volume_1

Nonplanar polygon is now invalid

When using the surface command, if one or more points are not defined in the original plane of the surface (defined by the first three points), the surface will not be valid. To fix this, you can use the option to project the points onto the plane, via right click on the invalid polygon, or use this command:

 projectpoints Polygon_1

You can recognize such invalid polygons by blue corner points and dashed lines:

Cannot import step files with anisotropic scale factors

When importing parametric geometry (e.g. STEP file), it is not possible to use different scale factors for the x, y and z direction.

PLAXIS 3D 2013.00

Input

Water levels from boreholes: BoreholeWaterlevel

In 3D2012 and earlier, water levels created by the water definition in boreholes were called GeneratedWaterLevel_1, GeneratedWaterLevel_2, etc. However, this was somewhat confusing where this data originated from. Since PLAXIS 3D 2013 this is now clearer: such waterlevels are now called BoreholeWaterlevel_1, BoreholeWaterlevel_2, etc.

Surface Contractions

The collection of surface contractions used to be called Contractions, which was inconsistent with the name of individual surface contractions (e.g. SurfaceContraction_1). This collection name is now changed into SurfaceContractions.

Groundwaterflow boundary conditions

The general boundary conditions for flow and consolidation to tell which side (x_min, x_max, y_min, y_max, z_min, z_max) was open or closed are no longer part of the phase settings but are now part of the global boundary conditions, or under Model Conditions in the Phase Model Explorer.

Example: The command to open the x_min boundary is now changed to:

set GroundwaterFlow.BoundaryXMin Phase_1 "Open"

Impermeable interfaces

Interfaces now have an independent setting to define an interface as permeable or impermeable, whereas this was an implicit setting in PLAXIS 3D2012 and earlier.

Example to set an interface to impermeable, use:

set PositiveInterface_1_1.Permeable Phase_1 False

Note that when activating an interface, it will automatically change its permeability setting to False (so making it impermeable), but not the other way around:  when deactivating an interface, the permeability setting will remain as it was.

PLAXIS 3D 2012.00

Input

Phase object

In PLAXIS 3D 2012, the Phase object has been completely revised in order to allow for more control on calculation parameters and iterative settings. Also, the whole graphical user interface for phases has been updated, taking advantage of this new structure. This also means that a great deal of all phase-object properties are changed. For details, please see the object reference via the program's Help menu. Some examples:

• the enumeration for the calculation type has been changed
• the calculation types Plastic and Plastic Drained are now merged into Plastic. You can still switch the option Ignore undrained behaviour on or off again to get the same options available

PLAXIS 3D 2011.00

Geotextile materials

When trying to play back PLAXIS 3D 2010 commands that create/modify geotextile materials, an error may be given because of the new anisotropic functionality. The EA property has been split into EA1 and EA2 (which are identical if the new IsIsotropic property is set to True), and the Np property has been split into Np1 and Np2 (which are identical if the new IsIsotropic property is set to True). When (re)using these geotextile material commands, please adjust these according to the new specifications. For more details, please see the command “geogridmat” in the commands reference.