Introducing CS2.NET
The specific project need which led to the development of CS2.NET involved the sizing of dredge spoil settling ponds. Since hydraulic dredging can generate large volumes of extremely loose fluid sediments, the needed settling pond or disposal dike size depends partially on how fast the material will settle and consolidate under its own weight. Most consolidation programs are limited to small strain consolidation situations such as those applicable to foundation design. The CS2 numerical model is well suited to model the 1-D large-strain settlement of very loose sediments under their self weight with or without a surcharge load and/or seepage forces.
CS2.NET was developed based on a paper published in 1997:
CS2: A PIECEWISE-LINEAR MODEL FOR LARGE STRAIN CONSOLIDATION
By Dr. Patrick J. Fox & Mr. James D. Berles
Funded by: U.S. National Science Foundation; Grant Number: CMS 9309566, CMS 9622644
Abstract: This paper presents a piecewise-linear finite-difference model for one-dimensional large strain consolidation called CS2. CS2 is developed using a fixed Eulerian co-ordinate system and constitutive relationships which are defined by discrete data points. The model is dimensionless such that solutions are independent of the initial height of the compressible layer and the absolute magnitude of the hydraulic conductivity of the soil. The capability of CS2 is illustrated using four example problems involving small strain, large strain, self-weight, and non-linear constitutive relationships. In each case, the performance of the model is comparable to other available analytical and numerical solutions. Using CS2, correction factors are developed for the conventional Terzaghi theory which account for the effect of vertical strain on computed values by elapsed time and maximum excess pore pressure during consolidation.
International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, July 1997
Reference: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/10021/abstract (accessed 10/3/2009) and the whole article can be purchased online at wiley.com.
The paper includes numerical code written in the Pascal programming language. Since I program in Basic instead of Pascal, the numerical code was rewritten in VB.NET (using the version 2.0 framework) and hence the name CS2.NET. Considerable code was added for Input / Output and to make the program user friendly with the addition of a Windows based GUI (Graphical User Interface).
The Help file does NOT replace the published paper but it does include the four sample problems whose prepared input files are included with the CS2.NET install setup. Each input file is described in some detail along with program operation. (See the Help file's Table of Contents.)
Example CS2.NET Screen Shot showing the Chart tab. A freeware Microsoft Windows compatible copy of CS2.NET can be downloaded by clicking here. The zip file includes two setup files and a ReadMe.txt file with installation instructions and comments on the very modest .NET framework / PC system requirements. => Basically; download and unzip the files then launch the setup executable. CS2.NET version 2.2.1 became available June 11, 2011.
Update (1-11-2014), the 2011 setup files have been successfully tested with Windows 8.0 and 8.1. However, by default, neither version of Windows 8 is installed with the required Microsoft .NET version 2.0 framework operational. On Windows 8.1, it is very easy to enable .Net version 2.0. => Go to the Windows Control Panel and click on the "Programs and Features" choice if in Large or Small icons view mode or "Uninstall a program" if in Category view mode. In either case, select "Turn Windows features on or off" (on your left) which will pop-up a "Windows Features" dialog box. The ".Net Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)" feature can be enabled there by clicking on the box to the left of the feature and then closing the dialog box by clicking on the "OK" button. Once the .NET version 2.0 framework is operational, the CS2.NET setup system will be willing to install CS2.NET on the DESKTOP.
