UC Davis GeoSystems Lab Releases blockWorks & bimLab Apps Featured

blockWorks and bimLab — two new software tools for geotechnical and geological engineers — have been released by the UC Davis GeoSystems Lab, led by Prof. Michael Gardner. The apps help researchers and geopractitioners visualise complex geology to solve geoengineering problems.

Both tools are browser-based and free to use.

blockWorks

blockWorks uses kinematic and limit-equilibrium methods to analyse rock masses, based on Goodman and Shi's (1985) Block Theory. The app allows users to analyse excavation block shapes, ease of removal, and stability. It was created and developed by Prof. Michael Gardner, who specialises in the characterisation of discontinuous rock masses.

bimLab

bimLab allows users to create 3D bimrock masses and explore the "stereological gap" inherent in characterising chaotic 3D rock masses with 1D borings and 2D slices. It was created and developed by Dr Edmund Medley, an expert in the characterisation and analysis of block-in-matrix materials.

Please visit the UC Davis GeoSystems Lab Software webpage to try both applications.