Object-oriented modeling for three-dimensional multi-block systems

This paper presents an object-oriented computer model for three-dimensional multi-block systems based on the object-oriented programming (OOP) technique. The intricate structures of rock systems are deciphered by implementing an object-oriented analysis (OOA), and a universal class library is developed using an object-oriented design (OOD). The geometries of a multi-block system are created by cutting a computational domain into element-blocks and then combining the element-blocks into complex-blocks (convex or concave). The established multi-block system model would be available for various discontinuum-based methods. A computer program, BLKLAB, is developed based on the proposed method, and a case study is performed on a large-scale, underground, water-tight oil depot.