ITASCA MCP Server — Claude Code MCP server: setup and tools
Connects AI agents to ITASCA geomechanics software to query syntax manuals, run numerical simulations, and inspect running models.
claude mcp add itasca-mcp -- uvx itasca-mcpWhat ITASCA MCP Server does
This server bridges AI agents with ITASCA modeling software, including PFC, FLAC, 3DEC, MPoint, and MassFlow. It provides ten tools. Five tools handle documentation lookups across engine versions, covering commands and the Python API. These search tools operate independently. They do not require a running simulation engine.
The other five tools manage execution. They submit simulation jobs, read live REPL outputs, monitor progress, and interrupt tasks when needed. An installed ITASCA engine and a running bridge via addon.py are strictly required for any simulation step. Without this active bridge, code execution calls fail immediately.
The agent also tracks activity in the software GUI. It registers console commands, open plots, and executed data files, keeping model adjustments synchronized with user actions.
What it helps with
- search command syntax and Python API references across ITASCA versions
- inspect unbalanced forces and model state without stopping execution
- run slope stability or tunnel excavation models via chat
- generate contact force chain plots and stress-strain curves
Example prompts for the agent
- Look up plot syntax in the documentation and render the contact force chains for the current model
- Model a tunnel excavation in 3DEC and report block displacements around the perimeter
- Check the current unbalanced force in the active simulation without interrupting it
How to install ITASCA MCP Server
Platform CLI
claude mcp add itasca-mcp -- uvx itasca-mcpuvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from itasca-mcp <command>
Platform CLI
codex mcp add itasca-mcp-server -- uvx itasca-mcpuvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from itasca-mcp <command>
Config file
{
"mcpServers": {
"itasca-mcp-server": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"itasca-mcp"
]
}
}
}uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from itasca-mcp <command>
Config file
{
"servers": {
"itasca-mcp-server": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"itasca-mcp"
]
}
}
}uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from itasca-mcp <command>
Platform CLI
gemini mcp add itasca-mcp-server uvx itasca-mcpuvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from itasca-mcp <command>
Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about ITASCA MCP Server
How to install ITASCA MCP Server in Claude Code?
Ensure uv is installed, then run claude mcp add itasca-mcp -- uvx itasca-mcp in your terminal.
What does ITASCA MCP Server do?
It connects AI clients to ITASCA engines like PFC, FLAC, and 3DEC, enabling manual lookups, task execution, and model plotting.
Do execution tools work without the ITASCA GUI running?
No. Running code and monitoring tasks requires an active engine session with the bridge started through addon.py or the itasca_mcp_bridge package.
