Real-time, realistic simulation of soil interaction can add significant value in offshore industries where simulators are used for training and operational purposes. For that reason, accurate simulation of soil interactions in subsea environments is something we continuously research and develop here at Tree C Technology.

Modeling interactions between different soil types and machinery used for digging, cutting, and trenching isn’t easy. When delivering realistic and real-time simulations of soil interactions, there’s always a need for compromise between computational power, visual quality, and real-world physics. 

But get that blend right, and a simulator becomes a powerful tool for improving the skills of operators and driving operational efficiency, predictability, and accuracy. 

Why simulating realistic soil interactions matters

In developing accurate simulations of marine environments, any operational activity that involves interaction between terrain and machinery – like an excavator, trencher, or cutter suction dredger – requires realistic soil interactions. 

In real life, this type of machinery interacts with multiple types of terrain. The terrain continuously changes. Along the seabed, machinery can pass through different layers of marine soil. Until quite recently, most subsea simulations were limited to a single soil type. This meant trainees could only experience one type of terrain at a time (typically sand or clay). 

Thanks to ongoing research from Tree C, it’s now possible to simulate different types of terrain inside a single, virtual, marine environment. Being able to simulate realistic seabed soil interactions, and ever-changing terrain, has three key advantages:

1. Trainees get an accurate feel for real-life operations, including hardware-in-the-loop.
2. Companies avoid potential damage to real machinery and equipment.
3. Simulators with real data can be used as a digital twin alongside actual missions.

The challenge of simulating realistic soil interactions

Both physical and visual realism are vital for developing an effective simulator for offshore operations. For example, let’s say an excavator is being used on the seafloor. When the crane removes the soil, it’s met with an opposing force and decelerates as the bucket moves through the soil. Visually, it leaves a hole in the seabed. 

If there were no barriers to the computing power needed to simulate realistic, real-time soil interactions in marine environments, then science provides a computational answer in the form of the Finite Element Method (FEM) – a powerful theory that breaks complex shapes or systems into smaller, simpler elements to understand and solve problems in physics and engineering. 

But this creates a technical challenge: how to balance the speed of FEM with the need for real-time performance. Although it provides scientific accuracy, this method would put too much strain on the simulator hardware. It also produces a level of detail that’s unnecessary, especially for real-time simulation. That’s because in the real world, the bucket contains millions of particles. In reality, the computing power needed to perform these calculations in real-time would currently be unfeasible from a practical and cost perspective.

On today’s standard simulator hardware, a physics engine can handle thousands of particles. And that’s okay because simulating millions of them isn’t necessary to experience realistic effects. Instead, what we do is simulate the right forces with fewer virtual ‘balls’, using smart algorithms, and making visual adjustments to make the bucket look like it contains soil. 

The end product is a fruitful combination of what the AgX physics engine can offer, enhanced by dedicated physics modules developed by Tree C. The result? Soil interactions optimized for complex real-time simulations with a level of realism relevant for advanced operator training in dredging, trenching, and ploughing.

Mapping different layers of soil into a virtual marine environment is one thing. Simulating how machinery responds to different types of soil realistically adds another layer of technical complexity to the simulator. That’s something Tree C’s simulations are adept at, having built simulators for some of the biggest names in the offshore industries.

Safely prepare operators for subsea operations

By accurately mimicking the real-world physics around marine soil and machinery, a Tree C simulator becomes a realistic and safe training environment for operators. The alternative is to let them loose on real-world operations where there is a risk to equipment, project timelines, and even human safety.   

As we’ve already explained, like all the other components of a virtual marine environment, simulated soil interaction needs to happen realistically and in real-time. Ensuring the computational speed required for real-time interactions means compromising on certain aspects of the visual quality. But it’s also important that the visuals are realistic enough for trainees to suspend their disbelief, and actually feel like they’re operating machinery for real.

When trainees have completed a task, the simulator gives trainers the chance to provide feedback to operators, analyzing what they did and how to improve it.

This concept can also be extended into the operation itself. If the marine environment has been generated from real-world data points, then it acts as a digital twin. If visibility is limited, operators can use the digital twin to get a clearer picture of the terrain. They can also use it to rehearse complex maneuvers before performing them for real, getting a feel for the way the equipment will interact with the soil. 

And thanks to Tree C’s innovation in ‘material stack terrain’ our simulators can faithfully recreate multiple soil types within a virtual terrain. Not only that, but any spill – say from an excavator bucket – is accurately simulated and added to the terrain.

The Tree C simulator framework now includes material stack terrain, so you can generate and interact with realistic, digital recreations of seabed soil. To discover more about the innovative features of our simulators, why not book a demo? Contact Tree C