Finding Critical Failure Mechanism LimitState

LimitState:GEO provides unique geotechnical analysis capabilities to rapidly determine the critical failure mechanism and margin of safety for any problem.
LimitState:GEO uses rigorous optimization techniques to identify the critical ultimate limit state failure mechanism for a wide range of geotechnical engineering problems.

One product, many applications 
LimitState:GEO utilizes modern computing technology to identify in seconds failure mechanisms that might take a lifetime to identify manually, and that simply cannot be identified using conventional ultimate limit state analysis software.
The powerful and efficient ‘Discontinuity Layout Optimization’ analysis procedure (DLO) is used to provide an automatic means of identifying very accurate limit analysis solutions.
LimitState:GEO can handle problems of any geometry and with any loading conditions, so that the engineer no longer needs to resort to application specific
hand calculations, or the plethora of spreadsheets and software applications that attempt to automate these.
Unlike other generally applicable analysis methods, such as non-linear finite element analysis, problems can be set up quickly and solutions can easily be verified
manually using the free-body diagrams provided in the report.

Easy to use
The LimitState:GEO user-interface is designed to be intuitive, modern and fully interactive, allowing even novice users to build a model from scratch in a matter of minutes. Predefined wizards are also provided to enable many commonly encountered geotechnical problems to be setup and analysed even more rapidly. It is easy to then change any aspect of the problem geometry, loading, materials or partial factors.

Understand more
LimitState:GEO users can quickly explore ‘what if’ scenarios, each time viewing the corresponding failure mechanism and building up an increasingly clear understanding of both the likely mode of response and the key parameters influencing overall safety...more

LimitState:RING is the industry-leading software application for rapid masonry arch analysis.
LimitState:RING is the latest version of the highly successful RING software for the analysis of masonry arch bridges.

Versatility
In use by major consulting engineering companies, universities and bridge owners across the world, LimitState:RING provides engineers with the level of flexibility and capability associated with finite element packages, yet it is as simple and intuitive to use as traditional assessment methods.
LimitState:RING has been developed in association with the International Union of Railways (UIC) and the software has been extensively validated against  laboratory test data accumulated over the last few decades.
LimitState:RING is the only commercial software to implement the rigid block limit analysis technique, a method described in a key industry report as being:

LimitState:RING can just as easily be used to rapidly check the adequacy of a simple single-span arch bridge as it can be used to perform a full analysis of a complex multi-ring, multi-span viaduct with a variety of defects.

Easy to use
LimitState believe that your time should be spent as productively as possible and have developed LimitState:RING with this in mind. By combining an intuitive user interface with a powerful analysis engine, realistic ultimate load factor or settlement analysis solutions can be obtained quickly and easily.

Understand more
Unlike some traditional arch bridge assessment methods, LimitState:RING users can quickly explore a large number of ‘what if’ scenarios, each time viewing the
corresponding failure mechanism and building up a clear understanding of the likely mode of response and the key parameters influencing overall safety.
Users can also gain an understanding of the underlying causes of existing cracks and easily identify the resulting load paths...more

Analysis Technology
The Discontinuity Layout Optimization (DLO) approach used in LimitState:GEO to solve geotechnical analysis problems is underpinned by rigorous Limit Analysis theory. 

How DLO works…
1. The user specifies the problem geometry, material properties, loading and support conditions.
2. Nodes are distributed across the domain.
3. Potential slip-line discontinuities connect the nodes.
4. The layout of slip-line discontinuities forming the critical collapse mechanism are found using optimization, along with the corresponding margin of safety.