Skip to content

Getting Started

Software Documentation - Coming Soon

This section will host comprehensive documentation for the MPM software tool as it is developed through the project. The documentation will be added progressively as software features are completed and validated.

What to Expect

The documentation section will eventually include:

User Guides

  • Installation Instructions: Step-by-step guides for installing the software on various operating systems (Windows, Linux, macOS)
  • Quick Start Tutorial: Your first MPM analysis from setup to visualization
  • Workflow Guide: Recommended workflows for setting up, running, and post-processing analyses
  • Example Problems: 2D and 3D test cases demonstrating key capabilities

Technical Reference

  • Input File Format: Complete specification of input files and parameters
  • Material Models: Available constitutive models for soil behaviour, including the Abaqus UMAT interface
  • Boundary Conditions: How to specify various boundary and loading conditions
  • Rigid Body Interaction: Using STL files to define structures interacting with the soil
  • Output Options: Customizing output for your specific needs

Application Examples

  • Cone Penetration Tests (CPT): Site investigation modeling
  • Spudcan Analysis: Jack-up vessel penetration and extraction
  • Foundation Installation: Monopiles, screw piles, suction caissons
  • Cable Ploughing: Seabed cable burial simulation
  • Anchor Penetration: Drag, deep penetrating, and mooring anchors

Advanced Topics

  • High-Performance Computing: Running analyses on HPC clusters
  • Cloud Deployment: Using cloud-based computational resources
  • Python Scripting: Automating analyses and parameter studies
  • Visualization with ParaView: Advanced post-processing techniques
  • Custom Material Models: Implementing your own UMAT files

Learning Resources

  • Video Tutorials: Step-by-step screencasts for common tasks
  • MPM Fundamentals: Recorded lectures on the Material Point Method theory
  • Code Architecture: Understanding the Julia implementation for developers
  • Best Practices: Tips and recommendations from experienced users

Current Project Status

The project is currently in the early stages of software development. Key activities underway include:

  1. Base Code Development: Setting up CI/CD infrastructure and maintainable code environment
  2. User Requirements Gathering: Working with industry partners to define software requirements
  3. Front-End Development: Creating Python interfaces for the Julia core code
  4. Test Case Development: Preparing validation and demonstration examples

Staying Updated

As documentation becomes available, it will be published progressively on this site. We recommend:

  • Checking back regularly for updates
  • Joining our mailing list for release announcements (see Contact)
  • Participating in stakeholder workshops if you're an industry partner
  • Following the project's GitHub repository for development updates

Training Workshops

Towards the end of the project, we will offer:

  • In-Person Workshop: 2-day intensive training with hands-on exercises
  • Online Workshop: 2-day remote training accessible globally
  • Workshop Materials: All materials will be made available freely online

Both workshops will be free to attend for members of the offshore renewable energy geotechnical community. Details on registration will be announced as the software development progresses.

For Developers

If you're interested in contributing to the software development or extending the code for your own purposes, additional developer documentation will be provided including:

  • Code architecture and design patterns
  • Julia programming best practices for the project
  • Contributing guidelines
  • Development environment setup
  • Continuous integration and testing procedures

The software is being developed as open source under a GPL License, enabling the community to extend and adapt the tool for diverse applications.

Questions?

If you have questions about the software or would like to be notified when documentation becomes available, please visit our contact page.

This page will be updated regularly as the project progresses. Last updated: December 2025