Finite element modelling is becoming an everyday expectation in geotechnical practice—but when does it add real value, and when does it simply add cost and complexity?
Drawing on real projects in New Zealand, Dave Sullivan shares how he uses MIDAS GTS NX not as an “answer machine,” but as a practical space for testing assumptions, visualising failure mechanisms, and turning engineering judgement into defensible evidence.
Through two case studies—a punching failure assessment beneath a residential development and an independent review of a debris-flow barrier—Dave demonstrates what FEM can reveal beyond conventional calculations. He also shares candid lessons from his first year using FEM, including the shift from strength- to stiffness-based parameters, the risks of over-modelling, and the importance of knowing when a model is sufficiently reliable.
The key message is simple: a failed model is not always a failed analysis—sometimes, revealing failure is exactly the point.
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