Advanced FLAC & FLAC3D for Geomechanics

Advanced FLAC & FLAC3D for Geomechanics & Reservoir Engineering

February 1 to March 31, 2026 | Fees: $1,390
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The main objective of this course is the implementation of numerical modeling and geomechanics simulation in reservoir engineering. The course focuses on the advanced and practical applications of numerical modeling for simulation and analysis of geomechanics problems such as wellbore stability, geothermal analysis, and flow analysis. Complex geometry development of reservoirs will be discussed in the course.

Course Schedule

• Course Start Date: February 1, 2026

• Course End Date: March 31, 2026

• Live Q&A Session 1: February 14, 2026 1:00 pm CT

• Live Q&A Session 2: March 14, 2026 1:00 pm CT

• Exam Return Due: April 15, 2026 (only for participants seeking certificate)

• One year full access to the course materials from the course start date

Course Highlights

• Full access to 18 hours of lecture videos
• Full access to lecture notes
• Solved practical examples
• Live question and answer sessions
• Lifetime membership of LinkedIn private computational geomechanics group
• Certificate and 18 PDH credits

Itasca Software

Demo and educational versions (with limits on the number of elements in the model) of FLAC and FLAC3D will be used during the course. Guidelines will be provided to students for installing and using the programs.

Certificate

Certificates will be awarded to the participants upon successful completion of the course requirements and passing the course exam. The certificate includes 18 PDH credits.

Tools Used

FLAC: 2D Finite Difference Analysis
FLAC3D: 3D Finite Difference Analysis
Griddle plug-in and Rhino

Instructor

Siavash Zamiran, Ph.D., P.E.
Dr. Zamiran is a geotechnical and geomechanics engineer with over than 15 years of industry and academic experience in different geotechnical and petroleum engineering disciplines. Currently, Dr. Zamiran is a geotechnical/geomechanics consultant, founder and instructor at Mohr Academy, and Senior Lecturer at University of Houston. Dr. Zamiran is a member of ASCE Geo-Institute Computational Geotechnics Committee. He was the winner of national ASCE Edmund Friedman Award in 2019 and ASCE St. Louis Young Engineer Award in 2018.

A Glance at the Lecture

Course Outline

Several topics including elasticity and plasticity of the rock medium, constitutive models, stress distribution, and permeability considerations will be discussed. Several advanced topics on geometry development and model analysis of reservoir models will be discussed. Detailed topics covered in the course include:

• Introduction to numerical modeling in geomechanics
• Numerical methods and tools
• Finite difference modeling using FLAC
• Finite difference modeling using FLAC3D
• Meshing tools and options
-Structured meshes
-Unstructured meshes
• Octree meshing for developing irregular horizons and fault systems
• Model analysis in FLAC and FLAC3D
-Introduction to FISH programing language
-Using FISH for introducing model variables
-Nonlinear distribution of model properties using FISH
-Initial stress analysis
-Boundary conditions
-Grid size and boundary distances
-Unbalance forces
-Evaluating equilibrium in an analysis
-History monitoring in FLAC
-Assigning properties to a model from field database using FISH
• Geometry development and meshing using Griddle and Rhino
-Introduction to Rhino and Griddle
-Basic geometry modeling in Rhino and Griddle: Single cylinder example
-Irregular surface modeling in Rhino and Griddle
-Generating surface mesh using point coordinates
-Using Grasshopper-Rhino to develop topography surfaces from datapoints
-Polygon mesh generated in STL format
• Fluid and pore pressure modeling
-Fluid modeling in FLAC3D
-Pore pressure initialization: Non-fluid and fluid configuration
-Properties and units
-Biot coefficient and Biot modulus
-Permeability models
-Fluid-flow boundary conditions
-Flow analysis approaches
-Flow-mechanical wellbore stability analysis
-Under-balanced vs. overbalanced drilling
-Fluid modeling codes
-Zone-based pore pressure distribution from field data
-Pore pressure modeling and optimal BHFP for stable vertical well
• Interface and fault modeling
-Introduction to Interface in FLAC3D
-Interface constitutive model and characteristics
-Flow and pore pressure in interfaces
-Interface modeling
-Example: using interface for fault modeling
• Constitutive models
-Isotropic elastic model
-Anisotropic (transversely) elastic model
-Orthotropic elastic model
-Mohr-Coulomb model
-Strain softening/hardening model
-Ubiquitous-joint model
-Hoek-Brown model
-Modified-cam-clay model
-Anisotropic-elasticity ubiquitous-joint model
-Creep constitutive models
-User-defined models
-Modeling of anisotropic and unconventional reservoirs
-Principle stresses in arbitrary directions
-Hysteretic damping

Course Introduction and Notes

Welcome to the course!

Course Agreement

Course Format

Software Notes and Installation

Handouts

Handout - Section 1 Introduction.pdf

Handout - Section 2 Numerical Tools.pdf

Handout - Section 3 FDM Using FLAC.pdf

Handout - Section 4 FDM Using FLAC3D Part 1.pdf

Handout - Section 5 Meshing Tools and Options.pdf

Handout - Section 6 Octree Meshing.pdf

Handout - Section 7.1 Model Analysis.pdf

Handout - Section 7.2 Model Analysis.pdf

Handout - Section 7.3 Model Analysis.pdf

Handout - Section 7.4 Model Analysis.pdf

Handout - Section 8.1 Griddle & Rhino.pdf

Handout - Section 8.2 Griddle & Rhino.pdf

Handout - Section 9.1 Fluid Modeling.pdf

Handout - Section 9.2 Fluid Modeling.pdf

Handout - Section 10.1 Interface Modeling.pdf

Handout - Section 10.2 Interface Modeling.pdf

Handout - Section 11.1 Constitutive Models.pdf

Section 1. Introduction

Preface.mp4

Section 1 Introduction.mp4

Section 2. Numerical Methods and Tools

Section 2.1 Numerical Methods.mp4

Section 2.2 Numerical Methods.mp4

Section 2.3 Numerical Methods.mp4

Section 2.4 Numerical Methods.mp4

Section 2.5 Numerical Methods.mp4

Section 3. FDM Using FLAC

Section 3.1 FDM Using FLAC.mp4

Section 3.2 FDM Using FLAC.mp4

Section 3.3 FDM Using FLAC.mp4

Section 3.4 FDM Using FLAC.mp4

Section 3.5 FDM Using FLAC.mp4

Section 3.6 FDM Using FLAC.mp4

Section 3.8 FDM Using FLAC.mp4

Section 3.7 FDM Using FLAC.mp4

Section 4. FDM Using FLAC3D

Section 4.2 FDM Using FLAC3D.mp4

Section 4.1 FDM Using FLAC3D.mp4

Section 4.3 FDM Using FLAC3D.mp4

Section 5 Introduction to Meshing

Section 5.2 Introduction to Meshing.mp4

Section 5.1 Introduction to Meshing.mp4

Section 6 Octree Meshing

Section 6.1 Octree Meshing.mp4

Section 6.2 Octree Meshing.mp4

Section 6.3 Octree Meshing.mp4

Octree Meshing Files.zip

Section 7 Model Analysis

Section 7.1 Model Analysis.mp4

Section 7.2 Model Analysis.mp4

Section 7.3 Model Analysis.mp4

Section 7.4 Model Analysis.mp4

Section 7.5 Model Analysis.mp4

Section 7.6 Model Analysis.mp4

Section 7.7 Model Analysis.mp4

Section 7.8 Model Analysis.mp4

Section 7.9 Model Analysis.mp4

Section 7.10 Model Analysis.mp4

Property Assignment Files (Section 7.10)

Section 8 Rhino and Griddle

Section 8.1 Rhino and Griddle.mp4

Section 8.2 Rhino and Griddle.mp4

Section 8.3 Rhino and Griddle.mp4

Section 8.4 Rhino and Griddle.mp4

Section 8.5 Rhino and Griddle.mp4

Section 8.6 Rhino and Griddle.mp4

Irregulare Surface Modeling.zip

Rhino Tutorial.pdf

Section 9 Fluid Modeling

Section 9.1 Fluid Modeling.mp4

Section 9.2 Fluid Modeling.mp4

Section 9.3 Fluid Modeling.mp4

Section 9.4 Fluid Modeling.mp4

Section 9.5 Fluid Modeling.mp4

Section 9.6 Fluid Modeling.mp4

Section 9.7 Fluid Modeling.mp4

Section 9.8 Fluid Modeling.mp4

Section 9.9 Fluid Modeling.mp4

Section 9.10 Fluid Modeling.mp4

Section 9.11 Fluid Modeling.mp4

Section 9.12 Fluid Modeling.mp4

Fluid Modeling Examples.zip

Section 10. Interface Modeling

Section 10.1 Interface Modeling.mp4

Section 10.2 Interface Modeling.mp4

Section 10.3 Interface Modeling.mp4

Section 10.4 Interface Modeling.mp4

Section 10.5 Interface Modeling.mp4

Section 10.6 Interface Modeling.mp4

Section 10.7 Interface Modeling.mp4

Section 10.8 Interface Modeling.mp4

Interface Modeling Examples.zip

Section 11. Constitutive Models

Section 11.1 Constitutive Models.mp4

Section 11.2 Constitutive Models.mp4

Section 11.3 Constitutive Models.mp4

Section 11.4 Constitutive Models.mp4

Section 11.5 Constitutive Models.mp4

Section 11.6 Constitutive Models.mp4

Section 11.7 Constitutive Models.mp4

Mohr-Coulomb Model.pdf

Section 12. Additional Notes

Zone Relax Command.mp4

Final Notes, Certificate, and Exam

Thank you for taking the course!

Preview

FLAC Advanced GMC Exam File.docx

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