While working with Plaxis you may notice that the order of the step numbers in the different phases becomes non-consecutive. Please realise that this behaviour is not wrong but it is a logical result of the current implementation as described below. Also realise that this does not affect output results at all.

The way the program works is as follows:

• the first time the project is calculated the step numbers should be consecutive (if there are no parallel phases present which are calculated in parallel, in this case anything could happen to the step numbers);
• if parts of the project (or the total project) are recalculated, then Plaxis deletes the existing steps per phase at the moment it starts calculating this phase (and then the used step numbers of the phase become "available"). When the calculation is finished and the amount of step numbers are the same as previously then Plaxis will fit these step numbers in the "available space" in the sequence of step numbers. If however due to changes in the model a larger amount of steps are required Plaxis will have to put these steps at the "end of the line". As a result of this the step numbering of different phases may be in a non-consecutive order. Notice that the amount of required steps per phase is not known at the moment the calculation starts: it is a result of the calculation process.

When you remesh your project all steps are deleted and all numbers are again available.

Hint: if you find that you don't have consecutive step numbers and you want to create an output curve of -something- vs. steps then a good alternative is to use a time interval for each phase. Even when the calculation is not time depend then you can still use the (virtual) time in your curve plot to view results of the different consecutive phases.