AutoBlock
CAD based Program for
Analyzing the Stability of Rock Slopes and -Foundations

Topic

The rock mass - as encountered in nature - embodies a variety of discontinuities as joints and bedding planes. They weaken the rock mass and may give rise to potentially unstable blocks. If such blocks may - from kinematical considerations - move, a potentially hazardous situation may exist with regard to the stability of a slope, which needs further investigation, taking into account the loads acting and the strength properties of the contact areas.
In an area with many discontinuities a great amount of potentially unstable blocks may be found. Because often they may visually not be recognized due to the complicated and not easily surveyable topography, it is indispensable to determine potentially unstable blocks analytically using a digital terrain model as close to reality as possible.

The program "AutoBlock" covers both problems by means of a single tool. It is an add-on to the popular CAD program "AutoCAD", which allows to exploit its visualization features to its full extent. Thanks to automation and visual tools tailored for this purpose, AutoBlock allows to determine potentially unstable blocks with minimum expenditure and maximum reliability.

Documentation

AutoBlock Exercise Schartenfels 2020

An introduction to the computer program AutoBlock, which has to be used in the exercise, is given in the red link below.
The exercise itself is discussed in the next link.
In addition to the Videos detailed instructions are given in the following guidance.
 

Introduction to AutoBlock
	Overview and Motivation		MP4	FLV	*)	7 min.
	Introduction to AutoBlock		MP4	FLV	*)	32 min.
	Example Backcalclulation Landslide Schartenfels		MP4	FLV	*)	19 min.
	Example Portal Zones Chlus Tunnel		MP4	FLV	*)	11 min.
	HowTo-Tutorial: simple Example using AutoBlock		MP4	FLV	*)	17 min.
	HowTo-Tutorial: setup and install AutoBlock		MP4	FLV	*)	3 min.
Theoretical Fundamentals
	Limit Equilibrium Method		MP4	FLV	*)	10 Min.
	Comparison of various Analysis-Methods		MP4	FLV	*)	11 min.
Publications
	Manual		PDF		*)
	Helpfile		CHM		*)
	Introduction to AutoBlock		PDF		*)
	Example Portal Zone of Tunnel Chlus, Switzerland		PDF		*)
	All IGT-Publications concerning AutoBlock		Webpage
	All Lectures given concerning AutoBlock		Webpage
	All IGT-Publications concerning Stability of Rock Slopes		Webpage
Continuing Education Course
	All Presentations with pictures and narration		Webpage

^* Used Formats:

Obtaining AutoBlock

An evaluation version of AutoBlock may be downloaded from our FTP server (24 MB). This version is fully functional, except that the terrain surface may be modeled with up to 100 faces only. On request an unlimited version may be obtained (which may be used during one month).

If desired the evaluation version may be upgraded by inputting a valid serial number, which must be puchased from IGT:

Prerequesites: AutoBlock is compatible with AutoCAD from version 2004 up to 2015. Later versions of AutoCAD are currently not supported.

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Contact

For administrative or technical questions about AutoBlock please send us an e-mail.