GeoStudio is a sophisticated application that can operate using one or more licenses and entitlements that unlock various capabilities. When launching GeoStudio, the License System can be selected by clicking on the user profile in the top right corner of the GeoStudio window and selecting ‘Change License System’, video tutorials regarding licensing are available here. The three License Systems are:
Subscription Entitlement Service (SES) is Bentley's process for product activation, activating our user's digital workflows and improving our licensing capabilities with many features (for more details on the general principles of Subscription Entitlement Service, see here .
To use this type of licensing, you will need to ensure the following:
1. CONNECTION Client is installed and running – this will be displayed in your status bar.
2. You are signed into the CONNECTION Client with your CONNECT credentials. When you are not successfully signed in, the ‘CONNCETION Client: error’ message is displayed. When you are successfully signed in, the ‘CONNECTION Client: OK’ message is displayed.
3. A GeoStudio version suitable for Subscription Entitlement Service has been installed. This includes GeoStudio 2022.1 (and later).
Six options are available to tailor to the different needs of any geotechnical engineer, including three 2D tiers and three 3D tiers.
GeoStudio 2D offers the fundamental functionality to perform Limit Equilibrium slope stability analysis for soil and rock, which does not require the consideration of groundwater flow, finite element stress-based stability, strength reduction stability, or dynamic stresses.
GeoStudio 2D Advanced offers all the essential capabilities from the GeoStudio 2D tier, extending it with the ability to simulate steady-state and transient groundwater flow, land-climate interactions, seepage faces, isothermal vapour flow through porous media, and varying factor of safety given changing pore water pressures over time.
GeoStudio 2D Ultimate offers everything from GeoStudio 2D Advanced and extends that with the functionality to deal with the most challenging geotechnical projects. It includes features to analyze stress and deformation within soil or rock, coupled consolidation, strength reduction stability, finite element stress-based stability, and the effects of vibrations in the soil, like earthquake and traffic loads.
GeoStudio 2D Flow offers the tools required for geoenvironmental projects. It includes features to simulate groundwater flow, land-atmospheric coupling for water and energy balances, heat transfer and phase change in porous medium, isothermal and thermal vapour movement, solute and gas transport through soil/rock, and pore air movement.
GeoStudio 3D extends the capability of GeoStudio 2D into three-dimensional space, allowing soil and rock to be analyzed using the 3D Limit Equilibrium method with all the core functionality customary in a 2D analysis.
GeoStudio 3D Advanced offers all the essential capabilities from the GeoStudio 3D tier, extending it with the ability to simulate steady-state and transient groundwater flow, seepage faces, isothermal vapour flow through porous media, and varying factor of safety given changing pore water pressures over time.
GeoStudio 3D Flow offers the tools required for complex geoenvironmental projects. It includes features to simulate groundwater flow, heat transfer and phase change in porous medium, isothermal and thermal vapour movement, solute and gas transport through soil/rock, and pore air movement.
The following list shows the traditional GeoStudio products associated with each option.
GeoStudio 2D |
SLOPE/W |
GeoStudio 2D Advanced |
SLOPE/W, SEEP/W |
GeoStudio 2D Ultimate |
SLOPE/W, SEEP/W, SIGMA/W, QUAKE/W |
GeoStudio 2D Flow |
SEEP/W, TEMP/W, CTRAN/W, AIR/W |
GeoStudio 3D |
SLOPE3D |
GeoStudio 3D Advanced |
SLOPE3D, SEEP3D |
GeoStudio 3D Flow |
SEEP3D, TEMP3D, CTRAN3D, AIR3D |