Download - Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
1/102
Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
Getting Started
23702-010000-5000A September 20
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
2/102
Copyright 2004 Autodesk, Inc.All Rights ReservedThis publication, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form, by any method, for any purpose.AUTODESK, INC., MAKES NO WARRANTY, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANYIMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE REGARDING THESE
MATERIALS, AND MAKES SUCH MATERIALS AVAILABLE SOLELY ON AN "AS-IS" BASIS.IN NO EVENT SHALL AUTODESK, INC., BE LIABLE TO ANYONE FOR SPECIAL, COLLATERAL, INCIDENTAL, ORCONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF PURCHASE OR USE OF THESE MATERIALS.THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE LIABILITY TO AUTODESK, INC., REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION, SHALL NOTEXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE MATERIALS DESCRIBED HEREIN.
Autodesk, Inc., reserves the right to revise and improve its products as it sees fit. This publication describes the state of the product at the timeof publication, and may not reflect the product at all times in the future.
Autodesk TrademarksThe following are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries: 3D Props, 3D Studio, 3D Studio MAX, 3D Studio
VIZ, 3DSurfer, 3ds max, ActiveShapes, ActiveShapes (logo), Actrix, ADI, AEC Authority (logo), AEC-X, Animator Pro, Animator Studio, ATC,AUGI, AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, AutoCAD Map, Autodesk, Autodesk Envision, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk (logo), Autodesk Map, AutodeskMapGuide, Autodesk Streamline, Autodesk University (logo), Autodesk View, Autodesk WalkThrough, Autodesk World, AutoLISP, AutoSketch,backdraft, Biped, bringing information down to earth, Buzzsaw, CAD Overlay, Character Studio, Cinepak, Cinepak (logo), cleaner, Codec Central,combustion, Design Your World, Design Your World (logo), EditDV, Education by Design, gmax, Heidi, HOOPS, Hyperwire, i-drop, Inside Track,IntroDV, Kinetix, lustre, MaterialSpec, Mechanical Desktop, NAAUG, ObjectARX, Physique, Planix, Powered with Autodesk Technology (logo),ProjectPoint, RadioRay, Reactor, Revit, Softdesk, Texture Universe, The AEC Authority, The Auto Architect, VISION*, Visual, Visual Construction,
Visual Drainage, Visual Hydro, Visual Landscape, Visual Roads, Visual Survey, Visual Toolbox, Visual Tugboat, Visual LISP, Volo, WHIP!, and WHIP!(logo).
The following are trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries: AutoCAD Learning Assistance, AutoCAD LT Learning Assistance,AutoCAD Simulator, AutoCAD SQL Extension, AutoCAD SQL Interface, AutoSnap, AutoTrack, Built with ObjectARX (logo), burn, Buzzsaw.com,CAiCE, Cinestream, Civil 3D, cleaner central, ClearScale, Colour Warper, Content Explorer, Dancing Baby (image), DesignCenter, Design Doctor,Designer's Toolkit, DesignKids, DesignProf, DesignServer, Design Web Format, DWF, DWFit, DWG Linking, DXF, Extending the Design Team,GDX Driver, gmax (logo), gmax ready (logo),Heads-up Design, jobnet, ObjectDBX, onscreen onair online, Plans & Specs, Plasma, PolarSnap,Productstream, Real-time Roto, Render Queue, Visual Bridge, Visual Syllabus, and Where Design Connects.
Autodesk Canada Inc. TrademarksThe following are registered trademarks of Autodesk Canada Inc. in the USA and/or Canada, and/or other countries: discreet, fire, flame, flint,
flint RT, frost, glass, inferno, MountStone, riot, river, smoke, sparks, stone, stream, vapour, wire.The following are trademarks of Autodesk Canada Inc., in the USA, Canada, and/or other countries: backburner, Multi-Master Editing.
Third Party TrademarksAll other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.
Third Party Software Program CreditsACIS Copyright 1989-2001 Spatial Corp. Portions Copyright 2002 Autodesk, Inc.Copyright 1996-2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.Printed manual and help produced with Idiom WorldServer.International CorrectSpell Spelling Correction System 1995 by Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products, N.V. All rights reserved.InstallShield 3.0. Copyright 1997 InstallShield Software Corporation. All rights reserved.PANTONE Colors displayed in the software application or in the user documentation may not match PANTONE-identified standards. Consultcurrent PANTONE Color Publications for accurate color.PANTONE and other Pantone, Inc. trademarks are the property of Pantone, Inc. Pantone, Inc., 2002Pantone, Inc. is the copyright owner of color data and/or software which are licensed to Autodesk, Inc., to distribute for use only in combinationwith certain Autodesk software products. PANTONE Color Data and/or Software shall not be copied onto another disk or into memory unlessas part of the execution of this Autodesk software product.Portions Copyright 1991-1996 Arthur D. Applegate. All rights reserved.Portions of this software are based on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.RAL DESIGN RAL, Sankt Augustin, 2002RAL CLASSIC RAL, Sankt Augustin, 2002
Representation of the RAL Colors is done with the approval of RAL Deutsches Institut fr Gtesicherung und Kennzeichnung e.V. (RAL GermanInstitute for Quality Assurance and Certification, re. Assoc.), D-53757 Sankt Augustin.
AnswerWorks 4.0 ; 1997-2003 WexTech Systems, Inc. Portions of this software Vantage-Knexys. All rights reserved.Typefaces from the Bitstream typeface library copyright 1992.Typefaces from Payne Loving Trust 1996. All rights reserved.The Director General of the Geographic Survey Institute has issued the approval for the coordinates exchange numbered TKY2JGD for JapanGeodetic Datum 2000, also known as technical information No H1-N0.2 of the Geographic Survey Institute, to be installed and used withinthis software product (Approval No.: 646 issued by GSI, April 8, 2002).Portions of this computer program are copyright 1995-1999 LizardTech, Inc. All rights reserved. MrSID is protected by U.S. Patent No.5,710,835. Foreign Patents Pending.
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
3/102
Portions of this computer program are Copyright ; 2000 Earth Resource Mapping, Inc.Macromedia Flash Player Copyright 1995-2003 Macromedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Macromedia and Flash are trademarks of Macromedia,Inc.Copyright Stade de France - Macary, Zublena et Regembal, Costantini - Architectes, ADAGP - Paris - 2003OSTN97 Crown Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.OSTN02 Crown copyright 2002. All rights reserved.OSGM02 Crown copyright 2002, Ordnance Survey Ireland, 2002.FME Objects Engine 2004 SAFE Software. All rights reserved.Coordinate Systems Mapping Library 2004 Mentor Software Inc.
GOVERNMENT USEUse, duplication, or disclosure by the U.S. Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in FAR 12.212 (Commercial ComputerSoftware-Restricted Rights) and DFAR 227.7202 (Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software), as applicable.
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
4/102
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
5/102
Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction........................................................................... 1CD Browser and Installation ................................................................... 2
Installing on a Single Computer ........................................................ 2Installing on a Network ..................................................................... 2
Highlights of Autodesk Civil 3D ............................................................. 3Object Management System .............................................................. 3Easy-to-Use Interface .......................................................................... 4Standard Controls for Styles and Labels ............................................ 5
User Interface Overview ......................................................................... 7Toolspace for Object Management .................................................... 8Menu Standardization ..................................................................... 10Shortcut Menus ................................................................................ 11
Layout Tools ..................................................................................... 12Consistent Editing Methods ............................................................ 12
Migrating Data From Autodesk Land Desktop ..................................... 17Sample Data Provided with the Program ............................................. 18
Tutorial Drawing Files ...................................................................... 18Getting Started Guide Drawing Files ............................................... 18Sample Content Data ....................................................................... 18
How To Learn Autodesk Civil 3D ......................................................... 19Getting Started Guide ...................................................................... 19Online Tutorials ............................................................................... 19Help System ..................................................................................... 20
Chapter 2 General Concepts................................................................ 21Object Model ......................................................................................... 22Design Standards ................................................................................... 24Project Management ............................................................................. 26Settings .................................................................................................. 28Styles 1: Object Styles ............................................................................ 30Styles 2: Label and Table Styles ............................................................. 32Display Management 1: Using Styles ................................................... 34Display Management 2: Styles and Layers ........................................... 36
Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts................................................. 39Points ................................................................................................... 40Points: LiveView Exercise ...................................................................... 42Surfaces .................................................................................................. 44Surfaces: LiveView Exercise ................................................................... 46Grading ................................................................................................ 48
i
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
6/102
Grading: LiveView Exercise ................................................................... 50Parcels .................................................................................................... 52Parcels: LiveView Exercise ..................................................................... 54Alignments ............................................................................................ 56Alignments: LiveView Exercise ............................................................. 58Profiles ................................................................................................... 60Profiles: LiveView Exercise .................................................................... 62Sections ................................................................................................. 64Sections: LiveView Exercise .................................................................. 66Corridors ............................................................................................... 68Corridors: LiveView Exercise ................................................................ 70
Glossary......................................................................................................... 73Index............................................................................................................... 89
ii|Contents
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
7/102
Introduction
Autodesk
Civil 3D 2005 is an easy-to-use design and drafting
program that supports a wide range of civil engineering tasks.
The Autodesk Civil 3D Getting Started Guide introduces the
program and provides some initial hands-on experience, using
the sample data included on the product CD. This first chapter
contains brief descriptions of the most significant features
and provides a quick tour of the user interface.
1In this chapter
CD Browser and Installatio
Highlights of Autodesk Civ
3D User Interface Overview
Migrating Data From
Autodesk Land Desktop
Sample Data Provided wit
the Program
How To Learn Autodesk
Civil 3D
1
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
8/102
CD Browser and Installation
You can install Autodesk Civil 3D from the CD Browser that opens
automatically when you insert the product CD. The CD Browser (see the
illustration below) gives you access to several pages of links, from which youcan open online versions of the documentation and locate other information
to support the product.
Installing on a Single Computer
To install Autodesk Civil 3D on a single computer, click the Install link on
the first page of the CD browser. Then follow the instructions on screen. If
you have ever installed AutoCAD or any Windows software, the installation
process will be familiar.
Click here to
start the
installation
process.
CD Browser showing installation page
Installing on a Network
For more extensive information about deploying Autodesk Civil 3D on a
network, consult the Network Administrator's Guide. To access this guide, in
the CD Browser, click the Network Deployment tab, then click NetworkAdministrators Guide (.chm).
2|Chapter 1 Introduction
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
9/102
Highlights of Autodesk Civil 3D
Autodesk Civil 3D is designed for land-development professionals, such as
civil engineers, surveyors, engineering technicians, and drafters. It features a
consistent, modern interface that is easy to learn and to use. This section
reviews the most significant aspects of the program. For more detailed
information, see General Concepts on page 21 and Feature-Specific
Concepts on page 39.
NOTEIf you have already installed Autodesk Civil 3D, you may want to open thesample file c:\Program Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005\Getting Started Guide\
GSG_introduction.dwgat this point. You can then relate the information in the
rest of this chapter to actual data and begin to explore the interface. Most of the
illustrations in this chapter are taken from this sample drawing file.
Object Management System
Autodesk Civil 3D uses an object-oriented architecture. As a result, each
drawing is composed of intelligent objects, such as points, surfaces, and
alignments, that understand their relationship with each other. For example,
if a breakline in a surface is moved or deleted, the surface can be updated
automatically, or, when a horizontal alignment is modified, any profiles and
sections based on that alignment are also changed.
Section view
Section
Sample line
Profile view
Profile
Alignment
Grading
Parcel
Surface
Point
Site
Corridor
Assembly
Subassembly
Autodesk Civil 3D objects and their icons
Highlights of Autodesk Civil 3D|3
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
10/102
Easy-to-Use Interface
The user interface of Autodesk Civil 3D has been designed to make the program
as easy as possible to use and learn:
Toolspace window shows logical arrangement of objects and providesmanagement functions.
Menus are organized for consistency, with similar commands for all objects.
Layout tools provide quick access to creation and editing commands for
some objects.
Editing methods use consistent commands and grips.
For more detailed information about the interface design, see User Interface
Overview on page 7.
4|Chapter 1 Introduction
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
11/102
Standard Controls for Styles and Labels
Every Autodesk Civil 3D object has a style assigned to it. These styles are
created, assigned, and managed in a consistent way for all of the objects. Stylesalso apply to labels, and tables. All objects must have an object style and can
also have one or more label styles. Some objects have table styles as well. To
browse the collections of styles in a drawing, use the Settings tab of the
Toolspace window.
Each type of object has a
default style, called Standard,
that you can copy and
customize.
The triangle indicates that
the style is currently assigned
to an object.
Each type of label also
has a default style.
Style collection folders on the Settings tab of the Toolspace window
To create a new style or to edit an existing style, right-click the style on the
Settings tab, then choose Edit.
Highlights of Autodesk Civil 3D|5
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
12/102
The Style dialog box for labels is called the Label Style Composer. It contains
a preview window that makes it easy to adjust label location and appearance
until you get the desired results.
Label Style Composer dialog box showing a point label style
For more information about styles and labels, see Styles 1: Object Styles on
page 30 and Styles 2: Label and Table Styles on page 32.
6|Chapter 1 Introduction
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
13/102
User Interface Overview
1
2
3
4
5
Autodesk Civil 3D User Interface
Toolspace. For object management, using two tabs: Prospector, for navigating
through the object collections, and Settings, for managing styles and settings.
1
Item view. For a list view of the contents of the selected folder, or a graphic
view of the selected object.
2
Layout tools. For creating and editing objects, such as gradings or alignments.3
Standardized menus. For consistent access to the full range of commands.4
Tabbed property editors. For easy modification of individual objects.5
User Interface Overview |7
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
14/102
Toolspace for Object Management
The Toolspace window provides an object-oriented view of your engineering
projects. The window is divided into two parts or tabs: Prospector tab and
Settings.
The Prospector Tab
On this tab, all of the objects in a drawing or project are arranged in a hierarchy
that you navigate in standard, Windows-Explorer fashion. A site collection
includes objects that are related to one another because they share topology.
In the following illustration, the Oak Street site folder contains collections for
alignments, grading groups, and parcels. The Parcels folder contains the parcel
objects defined for the Oak Street subdivision.
Objects are managed
in collections.
Expanding folders to the
lowest level shows the
individual objects.
The Prospector tab in Toolspace
8|Chapter 1 Introduction
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
15/102
The Settings Tab
This tab organizes the styles for different object types. Some objects have other
style-related collections that you can define and save for repeated use. For
example, in the following illustration, label and table styles for parcels havebeen defined.
Each type of object can
have an unlimited
number of styles.
Predefined label styles
can be applied to any
parcel in the drawing.
The Settings tab in Toolspace
User Interface Overview |9
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
16/102
Menu Standardization
The menus in Autodesk Civil 3D are designed to be as consistent as possible
for all objects, making it easy to find the command you are looking for. Thisstandardization reflects the fact that the workflow of creating, editing, and
annotating various objects is quite similar.
Comparison of the Points, Parcels, and Alignments menus
10|Chapter 1 Introduction
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
17/102
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
18/102
Layout Tools
Autodesk Civil 3D provides separate dialog boxes, called Layout Tools, for
designing surfaces, alignments, grading, and other features. Each layout toolsdialog box provides access to object-specific design and editing commands in
a floating dialog box.
Layout tools for Grading and Alignments
Consistent Editing Methods
Object editing in Autodesk Civil 3D is consistent, with all objects using the
same, or very similar, editing methods. The main methods are described in
the following sections.
Item View
When you click an object or an object collection on the Prospector tab, for
example, Points or Alignments, an item view appears. An item view can be
either a list view or a graphical view, depending on the object selected.
12|Chapter 1 Introduction
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
19/102
The list view presents a table in which you can review and edit data for each
object in the selected collection. For example, if you select a point group, the
item view table includes a row for each point in the group.
Click a table cell to
edit the value.
Item view showing a set of points
User Interface Overview |13
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
20/102
Grips
When you select an object in the drawing, grips appear on the object. You
can use these grips to edit the object dynamically. For example, when editing
alignments, you can use grips to move points of intersection or points ofline-arc tangency.
Direction of drag
Editing an alignment by dragging the grip in the center of a curve
Panorama Window
Some object types use the Panorama window to display a table of entities that
make up that object. The Panorama window is a floating, dockable window
that you can keep open as you work. It can include several tables, called vistas,
on different tabs. Some of the data in Panorama tables can be edited.
Double-click a table cellto edit the value.
Panorama window showing an alignment
14|Chapter 1 Introduction
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
21/102
Properties Editor
When you right-click any object on the Prospector tab, and then click
Properties, you have edit access to all the properties of that object. For example,
this is one way to assign a different style to the object.
Properties editor showing properties for a surface (above) and a point group (below)
User Interface Overview |15
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
22/102
AutoCAD Properties Editor
When you right-click an object in the drawing, then click Properties, the
AutoCAD Properties dialog box is displayed. This dialog box provides a quick
way to change certain properties, such as the layer on which the object isdrawn. You can also view the style assigned to the object, but you cannot
change it here.
Click a table cell to
edit the value.
Editing AutoCAD properties for an alignment
16|Chapter 1 Introduction
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
23/102
Migrating Data From Autodesk Land Desktop
You can import existing project data and drawings created in Autodesk Land
Desktop. This allows you to use the features of Autodesk Civil 3D for tasks
such as grading design or parcel subdivision. It is not necessary to have
Autodesk Land Desktop installed on the computer to which you want to
migrate the data. You can also import data in LandXML format.
Select the data you wantto import from the project.
Importing surfaces from an Autodesk Land Desktop project
Some content is not imported, such as prototype data, drawing-specific settings,
and label styles. For more information about importing data, see the Help
topics for Migration.
Migrating Data From Autodesk Land Desktop|17
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
24/102
Sample Data Provided with the Program
To help you learn how to use Autodesk Civil 3D and start experimenting with
its features, the product CD includes sample drawings and data files.
Tutorial Drawing Files
These files are provided for use with the tutorials that are part of the Autodesk
Civil 3D Help system.
After installation, the files are located in the following folder:
C:\Program Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005\Tutorial\Civil 3D Tutorials\Drawings
Getting Started Guide Drawing Files
Drawing files are provided for use with Chapter 3 of this Getting Started Guide.
There is one file for each feature-specific concept discussed in that chapter.
You can open these files and follow some simple steps to learn more about
Autodesk Civil 3D concepts.
After installation, the files are located in the following folder:
C:\Program Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005\Getting Started Guide
Sample Content DataAutodesk Civil 3D also provides several drawing files that contain content for
settings, styles, and organization of objects. You can use these files as a basis
for developing your own content.
After installation, the files are located in the same folder as the AutoCAD
templates. To create a file from a template:
1 Click File menuNew.2 In the Select Template dialog box, select the template you want to use.
18|Chapter 1 Introduction
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
25/102
How To Learn Autodesk Civil 3D
Autodesk Civil 3D provides learning materials to get you started using the
software and complete documentation to serve as a reference. User
documentation for Autodesk Civil 3D is in three parts:
Printed Getting Started Guide (also in .PDF format)
Online tutorials
Help system
Getting Started Guide
The Getting Started Guide introduces the most important concepts in AutodeskCivil 3D. After reading through it, and perhaps doing some of the suggested
exercises with the sample files provided, you should feel comfortable enough
with the application to start experimenting on your own.
Online Tutorials
You can access the online tutorials on the Autodesk Civil 3D Help menu. The
tutorials offer a more in-depth guided tour of the major features of the
application, using realistic engineering drawings and data. For a thorough
knowledge of Autodesk Civil 3D, it is recommended that you explore the
tutorials after you have read through the conceptual information provided
by the Getting Started Guide.
How To Learn Autodesk Civil 3D|19
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
26/102
Help System
The Autodesk Civil 3D Help system is a Help file in HTML format with a table
of contents, an index, and two ways of searching for key words. You can printout the Help topics that interest you.
Use the Search tab to look for topics that contain a particular word or phrase.
For the best results when searching for a phrase, enclose the words in quotation
marks, for example, Quantity Takeoff.
The phrase you searched for
is highlighted in the topic.
Using Search to find topics containing a phrase
Use the Ask Me tab to perform searches using a natural-language phrase, such
as, How do I set grading criteria? There is no need to enclose the phrase in
quotation marks.
20|Chapter 1 Introduction
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
27/102
General Concepts
The sections in this chapter present the most important
Autodesk
Civil 3D concepts in graphical form. They can
prepare you for working with the LiveView exercises in
Chapter 3. If you need simply a brief explanation of an
unfamiliar term, try the Glossary at the back of this book.
2In this chapter
Object Model
Design Standards
Project Management
Settings
Styles 1: Object Styles
Styles 2: Label and Table
Styles
Display Management 1:
Using Styles
Display Management 2:
Styles and Layers
21
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
28/102
Object Model
A design team typically spends many hours ensuring that revisions are
transferred correctly between surfaces, alignments, profiles, sections, and other
dependent design data. Redrafting, relabeling, and checking the work can betime-consuming tasks. Autodesk Civil 3D eliminates the need for most of
these tasks by introducing dynamic links between design objects. The
underlying system of links and dependencies is a result of the object model
within the application design.
In the object model, changes in one object can be passed on automatically to
all the objects associated with it. For example, if you redesign an alignment
curve, any profile or section using that alignment is modified accordingly.
This is in addition to all the related stationing, labels, and other
alignment-specific data, which are also modified.
The following table shows which objects are updated when you edit each typeof object:
Objects UpdatedType of Object
Point Group, Surface,Point
Corridor
Grading, Profile, Sec-
tion, Corridor
Surface
GradingParcel
Profile, Section, Cor-
ridor
Alignment
SurfaceGrading
22|Chapter 2 General Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
29/102
Points
Surfaces
Parcels
Alignments
Grading
Exploded representation of the object model, showing dependencies between objects
Object Model|23
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
30/102
Design Standards
Autodesk Civil 3D provides a number of features that you can use to establish
standards compliance throughout the engineering workflow, to ensure
consistency in drawing creation and presentation. The principal featuresinvolved in design standards are as follows:
Object styles. Control the design and display aspects of objects by creating
and applying different object styles. For example, you can have different
styles for existing ground (EG) and finished grade (FG) surfaces, or different
styles for initial drawing/laying out of parcels and presentation/plotting
of parcels.
Label styles. Ensure a consistent look for labels by applying a label style.
The example on the facing page shows a lot-area label that has been defined
to show the lot number, with the area in both square meters and hectares.
Drawing templates. Define a set of standards and save them as a defaultfor the creation of new drawings. Templates (.dwtfiles) typically include
object styles, label styles, and settings such as drafting units, precision,
and coordinate systems.
Layer standards file. Set up labeling and style settings to derive their
layers from a layer standards file (.dws file). By applying styles that refer
to the list of layers in the layer standards file, you can ensure that objects
are drawn on specific layers with standard names.
24|Chapter 2 General Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
31/102
Lot labels are controlled by
a parcel label style, which
could also be defined in the
template file.
Units and precision for
alignments are set in the
template file.STA=22+00.00
LOT: 1
Area: 8321.86 sq. m
0.83 hectares
Defining standards using a template file and a label style
Design Standards|25
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
32/102
Project Management
Autodesk Civil 3D provides project management that supports shared access
to important project files by the entire design team. Typically, you have a set
of project folders on a server or somewhere on a network. These project folderscontain official copies of surfaces and point groups, as well as a database
containing points. When you want to work on a particular project, you open
a file on your own computer and then download the latest versions of the
official copies that you need. The directory structure of the projects you are
working with is displayed on the Prospector tab of the Toolspace when the
Master View is selected.
For example, in the following illustration,pond-grading.dwgis the current
drawing. A set of points and an existing surface are added to the drawing using
the Get From Project command. This results in a set of local copies of those
objects on your local drive. You then do the grading, save the resulting surface
under a different name, and add it to the project using the Add To Project
command.
If you want to make changes to the official copies of the points, point groups,
or surfaces, use the Check Out command instead of Get From Project. Then,
when you have finished making changes, use the Check In command.
26|Chapter 2 General Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
33/102
Work is done in the localpond_grading drawing,
using copies of the
official points and
surfaces as a basis.
The new surface
created by grading is
saved under a
different name, and
may be checked in
as an official copy.
Copy of official surface
Points
The current open drawing
is pond_grading. Points
and surfaces are brought
in to this drawing.
Master view of Prospector tab, showing official copies of objects
Project Management|27
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
34/102
Settings
Settings in Autodesk Civil 3D provide many preset values, ranging from
drawing units, scale, and coordinate system, to optional defaults, such as the
layers that the different objects are created on. You access the setting dialogboxes by right-clicking the appropriate collection on the Settings tab of
Toolspace, then choosing Edit Settings.
You can work with three levels of settings. Each lower level object in the
settings hierarchy can either inherit or override settings in the level above it:
Drawing settings establish values for the whole drawing.
Feature settings control behavior for a particular feature, such as Parcels
or Grading.
Command settings apply to individual commands within a feature,
such as the CreateParcelByLayoutcommand within the Parcels feature.
Settings can be overridden at lower levels. The following illustration shows
an override set for area units at the Parcels feature level. The arrow in the
Child Override column of the Drawing Settings dialog box (top) indicates that
an override has been set at a lower level. The check mark in the Override
column in the Parcel Settings dialog box (bottom) indicates that the value set
in this dialog box overrides the setting at a higher level.
28|Chapter 2 General Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
35/102
Area units for parcel objectsare acres, overriding the
drawing setting. For other
objects, area units remains
set to square meters.
How feature settings can override drawing settings
Settings|29
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
36/102
Styles 1: Object Styles
The objects in Autodesk Civil 3D model real-world objects. Styles assigned to
these objects control their display and some aspects of their behavior. You
can change the styles applied to the objects as often as you want, giving youconvenient control over the design presentation.
Autodesk Civil 3D comes with a Standard style for each object type. Use this
style as it is, or as a basis for building new styles. You can create styles to meet
the needs of a particular project, a group of users, or any other design
requirement. Groups of styles can be collected into a template (.dwt) file, so
that all drawings based on that template will share the same style
configuration.
All object types have similar style controls, and a similar set of style collections
on the Toolspace Settings tab. You access the style editing dialog boxes by
right-clicking one of the styles an clicking Edit.
30|Chapter 2 General Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
37/102
1 Point style: using a custom
marker
2 Surface style: smoothing
contours
3 Alignment style: changing the
color of the line components
1
2
3
Editing the style for three different types of object
Styles 1: Object Styles|31
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
38/102
Styles 2: Label and Table Styles
Labels are associated with many objects and their content is updated whenever
the object itself is changed. Labels are also controlled by label styles. You can
modify the label styles in the same way that you modify the object styles:right-click a style on the Toolspace Settings tab, then click Edit. Some objects
(parcels, alignments, and surfaces) also have styles for tables. These are
accessible on the Settings tab as well. For alignments, profiles, and sections,
you can create and save label sets, which allow you to apply multiple label
types in one operation. For example, an alignment label set can contain labels
for major stations, minor stations, and geometry points.
Labels can include text, blocks, lines, ticks, and leaders. You can easily create
labels and preview their appearance in the Label Composer dialog box, as
shown in the following illustration.
Some of the features you can work with when composing a label style:
Location. Place a label at any location in relation to the object.
Appearance and Visibility. Define color, lineweight, linetype, and
other aspects of label appearance, and set the visibility of any of the label
components.
Plan readability. Labels can be displayed upside-down if they are
oriented in relation to an object. The plan-readability setting automatically
rotates any upside-down label text elements so that they are readable in
plan view.
Orientation. Set the rotation angle of the labels in relation to the object
you are labeling, the current view, or the world coordinate system (WCS).
32|Chapter 2 General Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
39/102
Alignment station labels and parcel area
labels appear in the drawing as they appearin the preview of the Style Composer.
Table styles can also
be customized.
Previewing customized label styles for alignment stations and parcel area
Styles 2: Label and Table Styles|33
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
40/102
Display Management 1: Using Styles
Styles give you the flexibility needed to control object appearance and
behavior, and to establish design standards. If you are the CAD manager in
your organization, you may find that time spent in creating styles for othersto use pays off in terms of efficiency and standards compliance. If you work
with styles that have been created for you, the additional control that styles
provide is worth the effort of learning how to use them.
Autodesk Civil 3D is an object-oriented program that works with intelligent
objects. The objects reference a style, which can be changed at any time. Any
style can be copied by dragging it from one drawing to another. The new
drawing knows where to put that style. You can then apply the new style to
existing objects.
You can use styles to manage the appearance of objects at different phases of
a project. In the following illustration, the upper drawing uses surface andparcel styles appropriate for a preliminary layout, while the lower drawing
uses completely different styles for the final presentation.
34|Chapter 2 General Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
41/102
Early layout phase
Final drawing phase
Using customized surface and alignment styles for different phases of a project
Display Management 1: Using Styles|35
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
42/102
Display Management 2: Styles and Layers
Most objects in Autodesk Civil 3D have several components. For example, a
surface includes contours, triangles, and points. You can control how these
components are displayed either through layers or by setting the displayproperties directly in the object style.
The Display tab of the Style Editor dialog box provides a number of options
that are similar to those on the Layer Properties Manager, such as visibility,
color, linetype, and lineweight. This duplication of functionality in the Style
Editor means that you can control object appearance using only styles, only
layers, or a combination of the two.
Display properties defined by styles override the settings defined for the
drawing layers in the Layer Properties Manager dialog box. For example, you
can use two different styles to distinguish the display of existing ground and
finished grade surfaces, even if they were drawn partially or completely onthe same layer.
The following illustration shows how you can use both style settings and
traditional layers to control the display characteristics of an object. The style
shown in the upper drawing directly modifies the color and visibility of the
surface components, so that the surface points are turned on and colored red,
even though the layer on which the points are drawn (0) is turned off and
colored white in the Layer Properties Manager.
The style shown in the lower drawing assigns the surface components to layers
already defined in the drawing. In this case, the color of the major and minor
contours is set by the C-TOPO-MAJR and C-TOPO-MINR layers.
36|Chapter 2 General Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
43/102
Visibility and colorof the surfacecomponentsare controlled by thelayer assignment.
Visibility and colorof the surfacecomponentsare controlled bysettings on theDisplay tab of theSurface Styledialog box.
Managing object appearance using style settings (above) and layers (below)
Display Management 2: Styles and Layers|37
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
44/102
38
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
45/102
Feature-SpecificConcepts
This chapter explains the concepts underlying Autodesk
Civil 3D features. Each feature section in this chapter has a
corresponding drawing file. Each drawing illustrates the
concepts introduced in that section. You can open the file to
see actual examples of the objects and their various
components. There is also a LiveView exercise for each feature,
which gives you some basic hands-on experience with
Autodesk Civil 3D.
3In this chapter
Points
Points: LiveView Exercise
Surfaces
Surfaces: LiveView Exercis
Grading
Grading: LiveView Exercis
Parcels
Parcels: LiveView Exercise
Alignments
Alignments: LiveView
Exercise
Profiles
Profiles: LiveView Exercise
Sections
Sections: LiveView Exercis
Corridors
Corridors: LiveView Exerci
39
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
46/102
Points
The central repository for point information is the project database. The
database is typically located on a central server and shared by a number of
users, who attach the database to their drawings. However, point presentationis handled in the drawing. Point groups reference the point data directly and
are responsible for drawing the points. Point groups have an override that
forces all points in the group to use that groups preferred point style and
preferred point-label style rather than the styles assigned to the individual
points.
You can insert or import points from different sources and in different formats.
For example, you can define sets of description keys to help organize the
insertion of points. Description keys use the raw description of incoming
points to control the creation of each drawing point, including the following
actions:
Assigning the point to a specific layer
Assigning a point style
Assigning a point label style
Translating the raw description into a full description
Rotating or scaling the point symbol
Points can also be created directly in the drawing, using a wide variety of
methods, which are all available in the Create Points dialog box.
LiveView of Drawing for Points
Open the file: C:\Program Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005\Getting Started
Guide\GSG_features_points.dwg
The drawing contains two named views. To go to a named view, do the
following:
1 Click View menuNamed Views.2 In the View dialog box, double-click the view you want. Click OK.
40|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
47/102
Pond point group
Landscape Trees point group
Point style
Tree-20ft Pine
has labels turned off.
Pond point group
uses the Number
and Elevation Only
point label style.
Point label style
Manholes includes an
arrow and leader line.
Road Centerline
point group
Storm
Manholes
point group
Named view: points_all
Named view: points_detail
Some point groups showing different uses of point styles and point-label styles
Points |41
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
48/102
Points: LiveView Exercise
In this exercise, you open a file containing points and examine some of the
ways to manage objects in Autodesk Civil 3D.
Using points as an example, you will learn how to use an item view of objects,
and how to use the Properties dialog box.
To view lists and edit properties in Autodesk Civil 3D
Open the file C:\Program
Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005 \Getting
Started Guide\ GSG_fea-
tures_points.dwgif you have not
already opened it.
Click View menuZoomWindow.Draw a rectangle in the upper left
corner to zoom your view of the
drawing so that it looks like this.
1
Click the Prospector tab in Toolspace.
Expand the list of point groups, as
shown in the illustration.
The icon next to each point group
indicates that you cannot expand the
point group to the level of individual
points. You can view the points in the
item view.
2
Click the Road Centerline point group
in the list.
An item view of all the points con-
tained in the group appears in
Toolspace.
Note that you can edit the individualpoints in the item view.
3
42|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
49/102
Right-click the Road Centerline point
group. Click Properties.
In the Point Group Properties dialog
box, click the Include tab.
The point group contains all the
points with raw descriptions that
match CLRD.
4
In the Point Group Properties dialog
box, click the Query Builder tab.
Both tabs point to the same Raw De-
scription data. These tabs provide two
different ways in which you can
modify a point group.
5
Click the Include tab. Clear the check
box for With Raw Description Match-
ing.
Select With Numbers Matching. Type
755,757 in the text box.
Click OK.
Note that only two points remain in
the point group item view and in the
drawing.
6
Points: LiveView Exercise|43
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
50/102
Surfaces
You can work with two types of surfaces: TIN surfaces and grid surfaces. For
each of these types, you can create volume surfaces, which are differential
surfaces created from two existing surfaces. Surface styles define the appearance
of any surface. They can also be used to control the visibility of any analysis
that has been performed on that surface; for example, the elevation analysis
shown in the following illustration. Watersheds can be drawn on the surface,
with information about the type of drainage area and where each area drains
to.
Boundaries define the visible area of a surface. Only the area within the
boundary is included in calculations, such as for total area and volume. You
can also define regions to mask parts of a surface for editing or presentationpurposes, while still including that area in calculations.
Breaklines are used on TIN surfaces to define linear features that triangles
cannot cross, such as retaining walls or streams. Breaklines affect triangulation
of the surface. You can define different sets of contours, for example, for
different intervals. Smoothing is provided for the surface object as a whole,
which gives better results than simply smoothing the contours.
In Autodesk Civil 3D, the build process for surfaces is incremental. Whenever
data is added or corrected, the surface is updated. Each surface has a definition
list. This list contains all the operations performed on the surface. By turning
the operations on and off, you can return a surface to a previous state ormodify it to support different types of analysis.
LiveView of Drawing For Surfaces
Open the file: C:\Program Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005\Getting Started
Guide\GSG_features_surfaces.dwg
The drawing contains two named views. To go to a named view, do the
following:
1 Click View menuNamed Views.2 In the View dialog box, double-click the view you want. Click OK.
44|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
51/102
Elevation analysis
(colored 3D faces)
Slope arrowsturned on
Breakline
EG surface boundary
FG surface boundary
Contours with smoothing
Watershed analysis
(labels turned off)
Named view: surfaces_all
Named view: surfaces_detail
Some aspects of a surface
Surfaces|45
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
52/102
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
53/102
In the Surface Style dialog box, click
the Display tab.
In the Visible column, click the light
bulb icons to turn on Major Contour
and Minor Contour. Turn off Eleva-
tions and Slope Arrows. Click OK.
You have created a new surface style.
Next, you will apply it to a surface.
4
Click the Toolspace Prospector tab.
Expand the list of surfaces.
Click the Surfaces collection in the list.
An item view of the surfaces in the
drawing appears at the bottom of the
Toolspace.Note that the name of the style as-
signed to the FG surface is Finish
grade.
5
Right-click the FG surface in the list.
Click Properties.
In the Surface Properties dialog box,
click the Information tab. For Object
6
Style, select Finish grade contours
from the list. Click OK.
The new style is applied to the FG
surface. The drawing is updated.
7
Surfaces: LiveView Exercise|47
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
54/102
Grading
You create a grading by selecting a base line in the drawing, then specifying
a projection method and target, for example, grade at 3:1 to meet an existing
surface. You can save time and effort by predefining such values and saving
them as grading criteria. Subsequent gradings you create will use the current
criteria. You can also create named grading styles that combine specific display
properties, such as colors. As well as using the current criteria, any grading
you create uses the current style.
A grading normally consists of a face bounded by a base line, a target line,
and several projection lines. The base line can be any open or closed figure
from which you want to project the grading. It can be a feature line or a lot
line. A feature line is any linear feature in the drawing, such as a ridge line,building footprint, or the bottom of a swale. The target for the grading can
be a surface, a distance, or an elevation (absolute or relative).
Each site can include grading groups, which bundle individual gradings into
named sets. Before creating a grading, you must create a new grading group,
or select one that already exists. A surface can be created from a grading group
and a grading group can be pasted into a surface. The surface will then be
updated if you change the grading.
After you create a grading group, volume tools within Autodesk Civil 3D show
you the amount of cut and fill required for the grading design. You can raise
or lower the grading group incrementally to adjust volume requirements. Youcan also change the elevation of points along a grading base line, change the
grade of a base line, or modify the grading criteria.
48|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
55/102
Criteria uses slope of 3:1with a surface target
Gradings using
different criteria
Grading group
Base line
Feature line
Projection line
Target line
Face
The components of a grading object
Grading |49
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
56/102
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
57/102
Click
to automatically balance cut and
fill volumes. Click OK in the Auto-Bal-
ance Volumes dialog box.
The volumes are balanced, within atolerance factor, and a portion of the
grading is set below the existing
ground. You can identify cut slopes
in the 2D plan view wherever the
4
short lines of the slope pattern are on
the outside edge of the grading.
Click Grading menu Grading Lay-out Tools.
5
On the Grading Layout Toolbar, on
the middle menu, click Edit Eleva-
tions. Click any point along the rect-
angular base line of the grading.
A triangular marker appears at the
nearest corner of the base line. The
command line shows elevation, sta-
tion and grade data for this point. The
starting point for station distances is
the lower left corner of the rectangle.
6
To see this data for other corners,
press Enter. You can directly edit the
elevation values, or enterg on the
command line to edit the grade val-
ues.
Click
to open the Grading Elevation
Editor, where you can view and edit
the data for all points.
7
Grading: LiveView Exercise|51
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
58/102
Parcels
Autodesk Civil 3D provides a site topology that includes intelligent parcel
objects. Each parcel is an independent object that does not duplicate boundary
lines. You can also import parcels as simple polylines and then convert them
to parcel objects. Parcels consist of a series of segments that can be edited
individually. Editing parcel segments dynamically updates the parcel properties.
Deleting a segment results in one parcel merging with another.
Each site contains one collection of parcels. The hierarchy of parent site and
child parcels is managed on the Prospector tab in Toolspace. The parent site
represents the original area to be subdivided. By creating a number of separate
sites, you can manage large projects with many lots grouped in separate blocks.
You can create parcels one at a time or as a group, with settings for the default
area and minimum frontage of each parcel. Parcel layout tools give you precise
control over parcel area and the angle of each lot line.
Parcel styles determine the appearance of the parcel, including fill patterns
for the area and linetypes for the segments. There are separate label styles for
parcel areas and parcel segments.
LiveView of Drawing For Parcels
Open the file: C:\Program Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005\Getting Started Guide\
GSG_features_parcels.dwg
The drawing contains two named views, as shown on the opposite page. To
go to a named view, do the following:
1 Click View menuNamed Views.2 In the View dialog box, double-click the view you want. Click OK.
52|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
59/102
Segment label
Area label
Parcel style
uses area
fill
Right-of-way parcel
Region for
residential lots
Named view: parcels_all
Named view: parcels_detail
Parcels and parcel components
Parcels|53
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
60/102
Parcels: LiveView Exercise
In this exercise, you create a series of equal-sized parcels and apply two different
styles of labels to them.
Using parcels as an example, you will learn how Autodesk Civil 3D has
automated some routine tasks in the design process.
To create parcels and their labels in Autodesk Civil 3D
Open the file C:\Program
Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005 \Getting
Started Guide\ GSG_features_par-
cels.dwgif you have not already
opened it.
Zoom in to the extents of the largeblue parcel, Oak Street_1.
1
Click Parcels menuCreate by Lay-out.
In the Parcel Layout Tools dialog box,
if necessary, click to see the de-
fault settings for parcel creation. Set
Automatic Mode to On.
2
Click (Slide Angle - Create).
In the Create Parcels - Layout dialog
box, set the Parcel Style to Residential
and the Area Label Style to Parcel
Name & Area.
3
54|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
61/102
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
62/102
Alignments
Horizontal alignments are used to represent roads and other linear objects
that follow a path across a surface. Alignments can include lines, curves, and
clothoid spirals, which can be joined by constraints. When you edit an
alignment, for example, by dragging a grip, the components of the alignment
can maintain tangency to one another. You can create alignments from existing
polylines, or by using alignment layout tools in Autodesk Civil 3D. You can
edit an alignment by grip editing or by using the edit commands. Some of
the creation and editing options are as follows:
Draw single lines, curves, and spirals.
Draw a series of tangents, then add curves or spiral-curve-spiral groups at
the PIs (Points of Intersection).
Apply superelevation to the curves along an alignment.
View and edit the dimensions of alignment components.
Station equations allow you to change station-distance references at any point
without physically changing the geometry of the alignment.
LiveView of Drawing For Alignments
Open the file: C:\Program Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005\Getting Started Guide\
GSG_features_alignments.dwg
The drawing contains two named views, as shown on the opposite page. Togo to a named view, do the following:
1 Click View menuNamed Views.2 In the View dialog box, double-click the view you want. Click OK.
56|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
63/102
Design speed label
Station label
Major road uses
different line and
label styles from
local roads
Station reference
point at start of
alignment
Alignments drawn
with tangent-to-
tangent curves
Parallel alignment
labels used for
local roads
Preliminary center
lines sketched
using lines and
curves
Named view: alignments_all
Named view: alignments_labels
Alignments: lines, curves, and labels
Alignments|57
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
64/102
Alignments: LiveView Exercise
In this exercise, you open a file containing alignments and look at some ways
to work with drawing settings in Autodesk Civil 3D.
Using alignments as an example, you will learn how to edit the drawing
settings to specify the default layer on which new objects will be created.
To set up object layers in Autodesk Civil 3D
Open the file C:\Program
Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005 \Getting
Started Guide\ GSG_features_align-
ments.dwgif you have not already
opened it.
On the View menu, click ZoomWindow. Draw a rectangle thatincludes the sketch lines at the bot-
tom. Your view of the drawing should
look like this.
1
Click the Toolspace Settings tab.
Right-click the name of the drawing
and click Edit Drawing Settings.
2
In the Drawing Settings dialog box,
click the Object Layers tab.
This tab shows the default layers on
which the various objects are created.
You will change the default layer for
alignments.
3
58|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
65/102
On the Object Layers tab, in the
Alignment row, click the C-ROAD
value.
In the Layer Selection dialog box, se-
lect the C-ROAD-CNTR row. Click OK
twice to exit the Settings dialog
boxes.
4
Click Alignments menuCreateFrom Polyline.
In the drawing, click the green poly-
line at the bottom of the drawing.
5
In the Create Alignment dialog box,
for Alignment Style, select Major
Road.
Note that the Alignment Layer is set
to C-ROAD-CNTR. New alignments
will be placed on this layer.
Click OK.
6
The new alignment is drawn on the
C-ROAD-CNTR layer, using the Major
Road style.
7
Alignments: LiveView Exercise|59
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
66/102
Profiles
Profiles (also known as vertical alignments), are derived from horizontal
alignments in the drawing. There are two types of profiles. Surface profiles,
often called existing ground (EG) profiles, are extracted from a surface. Layout
profiles, often called finished grade (FG) profiles, represent a designed surface
such as a road. A profile can be dynamic, in which case it is linked to a surface
to reflect updates to the surface or the horizontal alignment. It can also be
static, to preserve a record of a surface at a particular time. You can use three
types of vertical curves in a profile: parabolic, asymmetric parabolic, and
circular.
You can create static profiles in various ways, such as importing a text file,
importing an XML file, or by using the Profile Layout Tools dialog box. Youcan edit a profile by grip editing or by using the edit commands in the Profile
Layout Tools dialog box. Some of the creation and editing options are as
follows:
Draw tangents end-to-end with options to place curves between them.
Add, delete, or modify PVIs (points of vertical intersection).
Add, delete, or modify vertical curves.
View and edit the specifications of profile components.
Profiles are displayed in graphs called profile views. Profile views are separate
objects that have their own sets of styles. You can add data bands to annotatethe profile view with stations and elevations, horizontal geometry points, or
other useful data. You can save several data bands in a set that can be easily
applied to other profile views.
LiveView of Drawing For Profiles
Open the file: C:\Program Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005\Getting Started Guide\
GSG_features_profiles.dwg
The drawing contains two named views, as shown on the opposite page. To
go to a named view, do the following:
1 Click View menuNamed Views.2 In the View dialog box, double-click the view you want. Click OK.
60|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
67/102
Surface and
layout
profiles
Profile label shows a tangent grade
Grade break and elevation profiles
defined by profile label styles
Axes and grid
defined by
profile view styles Data bands
defined by
profile view
band styles
Named view: profiles_all
Named view: profiles_detail
Surface and layout profiles displayed in a profile view
Profiles|61
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
68/102
Profiles: LiveView Exercise
In this exercise, you open a file containing profiles and experiment with grip
editing in Autodesk Civil 3D.
Using profiles as an example, you will learn how objects can be dynamically
updated in response to changes in another object.
To make dynamic updates in Autodesk Civil 3D
Open the file C:\Program
Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005 \Getting
Started Guide\ GSG_features_pro-
files.dwgif you have not already
opened it.
1
Click View menuZoomExtents.Click View menuZoomWindow.Draw a rectangle that includes the
profile view at the top and the East-
West alignment at the bottom.
2
In the AutoCAD Layers toolbar, click
.
In the Layer Manager dialog box, click
the light bulb next to the C-ROAD-
PROF-FGRD layer to turn it off. Click
OK.
3
This turns off the FG profile in the
profile view and makes the green EG
profile easier to see.
62|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
69/102
In the drawing, click the alignment
so that the blue grips appear, as
shown in the illustration.
You will drag the grips to modify the
alignment dynamically. As you modify
4
the alignment, the profile will update
at the same time.
The green profile in the profile view
at the top of the drawing represents
the intersection of the alignment with
the existing ground surface.
The profile looks like this before you
modify the alignment.
5
Click the square grip at the far left of
the alignment
(Try to watch the green profile as you
complete the following step.)
The grip turns red to show that it is
active. Drag it a little farther to the
left and then release it.
6
Note that the profile has been exten-
ded to include the addition to the
alignment. It now looks something
like this.
(You may want to experiment further
and see the effect of editing the
alignment curves before you close this
drawing.)
7
Profiles: LiveView Exercise|63
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
70/102
Sections
Sections, or cross sections, are cut across a linear feature to a specified distance
on the left and right of a center line. Sections are typically sampled at given
stations along a horizontal road alignment. Edits to an alignment update the
sections as well.
Sections are located on sample lines that cut across the alignment. Sample
lines have their own styles and can be labeled. A set of sample lines makes up
a named collection called a sample-line group.
Sections are displayed in a graph called a section view. A section view is very
similar to a profile view. It consists of a grid or graph with attributes that are
controlled by section-view styles. You can also display data bands above or
below the section view. You can plot individual sections for a specific sample
line, or all the sections for a group of sample lines. To plot multiple sections,
use a paperspace viewport to set up the sheet.
Sections, like alignments and profiles, support label sets. Label sets allow you
to save and apply an unlimited number of different types of labels.
LiveView of Drawing For Sections
Open the file: C:\Program Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005\Getting Started Guide\
GSG_features_sections.dwg
The drawing contains two named views, as shown on the opposite page. Togo to a named view, do the following:
1 Click View menuNamed Views.2 In the View dialog box, double-click the view you want. Click OK.
64|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
71/102
Center line
Right swath width
Data band
Section line
Stations and sample-line
names are displayed by
the sample-line-group labelstyle
Sample lines belong to
the East-Westsample
line group
Section view
for this sample
line is shown
below
Named view: sections_detail
Named view: sections_view
A group of sample lines and a section view across one of them
Sections|65
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
72/102
Sections: LiveView Exercise
In this exercise, you open a file containing sections and revisit the process of
applying custom styles in Autodesk Civil 3D.
Using sections as an example, you will learn how to select an individual object
and apply a new label style to it.
To change label styles in Autodesk Civil 3D
Open the file C:\Program
Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005 \Getting
Started Guide\ GSG_features_sec-
tions.dwgif you have not already
opened it.
The drawing looks like this. There areseveral sample lines crossing an
alignment.
1
Click the Toolspace Prospector tab.
Expand the list of alignments (under
Sites/Conway Farms).
Expand the East-West Drive alignment
until you can see the list of sample
lines, as shown in the illustration.Next, you will select one of the
sample lines and change the style of
the label to an AA section.
2
Right-click the SL-8 sample line in the
list and then click Properties.
In the Properties dialog box, click the
Sample Line Data tab and then, for
Label Style, select Section AA.
3
Click OK.
66|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
73/102
The sample line is updated in the
drawing, as shown in the illustration.
Next, you will update the existing
section view for this sample line.
From the View menu, choose Named
Views, double-click sections_view.
Click OK.
4
On the Toolspace Prospector tab, ex-
pand the section views for the SL-8
sample line.
Right-click the section view 3+50.00
(1). Click Properties.
5
In the Section View Properties dialog
box, on the Information tab, for Ob-
ject Style, select Standard. Click OK.
6
The section view is updated in the
drawing, as shown in the illustration.
7
Sections: LiveView Exercise|67
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
74/102
Corridors
Corridors are used for roads and similar structures that follow a designed route
across the terrain.
A corridor is a detailed three-dimensional design that combines data from a
horizontal alignment, a profile view, and an assembly. The corridor can
automatically reflect changes to any of the parent data.
Subassembly objects such as road lanes, curbs, and shoulders form the building
blocks for an assembly. When you apply the assembly to an alignment and a
profile, a corridor is generated in three dimensions. At each point along its
linear path, the corridor adapts to conditions such as superelevation and cut
or fill requirements.
LiveView of Drawing For Corridors
Open the file: C:\Program Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005\Getting Started Guide\
GSG_features_corridors.dwg
The drawing contains three viewports. The corridor, profile view, and assembly
are all within the same drawing, but the viewports helps you see the object
relationships.
In the left pane, the horizontal alignment starts at the top of the corridor and
runs to station 1658 at the bottom. In the profile view, station 0 is on the left
side, and green vertical lines across the grid show the start and end points ofthe horizontal curves. In the assembly view, you can see that the corridor
assembly includes two road lanes, a curb on the left, a sidewalk on the right,
and side slopes on each side. The side slope subassembly
(BasicSideSlopeCutDitch) is designed to create a ditch only on cut slopes, and
the ditches are visible along the corridor.
You can use the Object Viewer to see the corridor in a three-dimensional view
that shows the cut and fill regions. Click the corridor, then right-click and
click Object Viewer. Click near the bottom of the Object Viewer window, then
click and move the cursor up to tilt the corridor. If you want to pan or zoom
the display, right-click inside the Object Viewer window.
68|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
75/102
Assembly is a template
for corridor cross-sections
Profile shows the vertical
layout and the surface
Corridor shows the design
in relation to the surface
Elements of a corridor design
Corridors|69
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
76/102
Corridors: LiveView Exercise
In this exercise, you examine the section views along a corridor and
dynamically update the corridor by changing the layout profile.
Using corridors as an example, you will learn how to review and edit a design.
To review and edit corridor sections
Open the file C:\Program
Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2005 \Getting
Started Guide\ GSG_features_cor-
ridors.dwgif you have not already
opened it.
1
Click Corridors menu View Cor-ridor Section.The corridor is replaced with a view
of the corridor cross-section and the
existing ground surface at station 0.
Note that the fill slopes are shown at
this point.
2
On the View Corridor Section Tool-
bar, select station 5+50.
You see the section view at this sta-
tion, which is in a filled area along the
first curve.
3
70|Chapter 3 Feature-Specific Concepts
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
77/102
Select station 9+50.
This station is on the second curve,
where the corridor has deep cut
slopes. In the section you can see the
ditch that is automatically inserted on
cut slopes.
If you want to see other sections in
this part of the corridor, click the ar-
4
rows on the View Corridor Section
Toolbar.
In this step, you change the cut slope
near the beginning of the corridor to
a fill slope.
In the profile view, click the layout
profile. The points of vertical intersec-
tion (PVIs) are marked with red tri-
angles. Click and drag the first PVI
upward until the profile is completely
above the surface, then click to place
it in the new location.
5
The corridor rebuilds, and the cut
slope with ditches is replaced with a
fill slope.
Click the corridor, then right-click and
click Corridor Properties.
In the Corridor Properties dialog box,
on the Surfaces tab, Click the Surface
Style entry (Standard) and change it
to Border & Contours.
When the corridor is rebuilt, contour
lines are displayed on the corridor
surface.
6
That brings us to the end of the Autodesk Civil 3D LiveView exercises. We
recommend that you continue with the online tutorials to gain more
understanding of the features that have been introduced in this chapter.
For assistance at any time while you are using Autodesk Civil 3D, click the
Help button.
Corridors: LiveView Exercise|71
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
78/102
72
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
79/102
Glossary
2D polyline A polyline with all vertices at the same elevation.
3D face A 3D face is an AutoCAD object that represents the surface of a 3- or
4-sided area, with each vertex potentially at a different elevation. You can
view TINs (Triangulated Irregular Networks) as 3D faces. Using the SHADE
command, you can shade 3D faces. Using the RENDER command, you can
render the 3D faces. See also TIN surface.
3D polyline A polyline with vertices at varying elevations.
A.A.S.H.T.O. American Association of State, Highway, and Transportation
Officials.
acre A measure of land: 160 square rods; 4,840 square yards; 43,560 square
feet.
alignment A series of 2D coordinates (northings and eastings), connected by
lines or curves, used to represent features such as the road centerlines, edges
of pavement, sidewalks, or rights-of-way.
angle The difference in direction between two convergent lines measured in
the units of degrees, radians, or grads.
area The quantity of plane space in a horizontal plane enclosed by the
boundary of any polygonal figure.
assembly The combination of one or more subassemblies forming a typical
section. The assembly is applied along a horizontal/vertical alignment to form
a singular path-like structure.
azimuth A clockwise angle measured from a reference meridian. Also known
as north azimuth. It can range from 0 to 360 degrees. A negative azimuth is
converted to a clockwise value.
base line The object to which grading criteria are applied. A base line can be
an open or closed 2D or 3D geometric figure that is a feature line or a lot line.
See also control region, feature line.
base surface An existing ground or undeveloped terrain. Specified when
creating volume surfaces. See also comparison surface.
bearing An angle measured from North or South, whichever is nearest, with
the added designation of East or West. The angle is always less than 90 degrees
(PI/2 radians or 100 grads) and is usually referenced by a quadrant number.
Glossary|73
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
80/102
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
81/102
COGO Short for Coordinate Geometry.
COGO points The point objects that you create using the point-creation or
point-import commands. COGO points are referred to simply as points in
this documentation. The pieces of data associated with a point, such as point
number, northing, and easting, are referred to as properties. See also properties.
comparison surface A proposed or existing terrain surface used in the creation
of volume surfaces. See also base surface, volume surface.
composite volumes A method of calculating volumes using top and bottom
surfaces (a surface pair) to establish cut, fill, and net volume values.
compound curve A curve consisting of two or more arcs of different radii
curving in the same direction, and having a common tangent or transition
curve at their point of junction.
compound spiral A spiral that provides a smooth transition between two
adjoining curves of different radii but in the same direction. It has a finiteradius on either side/end. See also clothoid spiral, compound spiral.
control region A region that is defined by applying grading criteria to a base
line. A base line can have a single region along its entire length, or it may be
subdivided into a number of control, transition, and void regions. See also
base line.
contour A line that connects points of the same elevation or value relative
to a specified reference datum.
coordinates Values that specify exactly where a point is in space in terms of
three planes: X, Y, and Z (easting, northing, and elevation).
corridor Any path, the length and location of which is typically governed by
one or more horizontal and vertical alignments. Examples are roadways,
railways, traveled ways, channels, ditches, utility runs, airport runways, and
taxiways.
crest curve In a profile, a vertical curve on the crest of a hill or similar location
where the grade leading into the curve is greater than the grade leading out
of the curve. In a crest curve, the point of vertical intersection (PVI) for the
tangents is above the curve. See also sag curve.
cross section See section.
CS See curve to spiral.
curve to spiral A point on a horizontal alignment where a curve meets a spiral.
Glossary|75
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
82/102
cut slope The slope created when the base line falls below the existing ground
line. The resulting slope matching up into the existing ground is called a cut
slope because the existing ground must be cut (removed) during construction.
data band A graphic frame that is associated with a profile view object or
section view object. The data band contains annotations for the profile or
section view, as well as for the parent horizontal alignment. Some common
annotations include elevation data, stations, and cut/fill depths.
datum A reference value. All elevations or coordinates are set relative to this
value. In surveying, two datums (horizontal and vertical) are generally used.For
global coordinate systems, a datum refers to the ellipsoid information and the
techniques used to determine positions on the Earths surface. An ellipsoid is
part of a datum definition.
daylight line A line showing the line of zero cut or fill within the job area.
Daylight lines are also known as match lines.
decimal degree The measure of an angle in decimal units. For example,330'36" equals 3.51 decimal degrees.
definition list A list that contains all the operations performed on a surface.
By turning the items in the list on and off, you can modify the surface, return
it to a previous state, and so on.
degrees, minutes, seconds (DMS) A representation of an angle in degrees,
minutes, and seconds in which a full circle contains 360 degrees, each degree
60 minutes, and each minute 60 seconds. A typical bearing in DMS
measurement looks like: N4545'58"E. Using this format, 330'36" is entered
as 3.3036.
Delaunay triangulation A calculation method used in the creation of TIN
networks. Given a set of data points, Delaunay triangulation produces a set
of lines connecting each point to its natural neighbors.
DEM (Digital Elevation Model) An array of elevations taken on a regularly
spaced horizontal grid.
description keys A method of translating descriptions to help standardize
point data when a variety of data sources are used. For example, descriptions
of EROAD, EPAVE, ERD, and EDGEROAD can all be translated to a description
of EOP. The layer, point style, and point label style options can greatly enhance
automatic base plan generation and the overall organization of the drawing.
design rule A set of automatic constraints for some objects in the drawing
that are enforced by applying a specific style. For example, if you are laying
out alignments, you can specify a rule for a curve radius. See also constraint.
76|Glossary
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
83/102
drawing object An object that exists in a single drawing. See also project object.
easting A linear distance eastwards from the North-South line which passes
through the origin of a grid. Equivalent to the X coordinate in an XYZ
coordinate system.
elevation The vertical distance from a datum to a point or object on the Earth'ssurface. The datum is generally considered to be at sea level. Equivalent to the
Z coordinate in an XYZ coordinate system.
face A three-dimensional surface triangle. A face is represented by either a
3D face object or 3D line objects.
feature line An object in Autodesk Civil 3D that the grading commands can
recognize and use as a base line. Usually, a line that marks some important
feature in the drawing, such as a ridge line, or the bottom of a swale. See also
base line.
fill slope The slope created when the base line falls above the existing groundline. The resulting slope matching down into the existing ground is called a
fill slope because material must be brought in to fill the area during
construction.
fixed entity An alignment entity with a fixed position, not necessarily tangent
to another entity for the definition of its geometry. See also float entity, free
entity.
float entity An alignment entity that is tangent to one other entity (before or
after) for the definition of its geometry. See also fixed entity, free entity.
footprint vertices The endpoints that define the segments of a footprint with
an XYZ location and stationing starting at the first vertex.
free entity An entity that is tangent to two other entities (before and after)
for the definition of its geometry. See also fixed entity, float entity.
full description The expanded description of a point after description key
matching has taken place.
geodesic On a surface, the shortest line between two points, either a line or
curve from one point along an ellipsoid to another.
geodetic A basic relationship to the Earth that takes into account the curvature
of the Earths sea level surface. For example, a geodetic distance is a distanceor angle in which the Earth's curvature is taken into account, versus a distance
or angle measured on a flat paper map.
Glossary|77
-
7/31/2019 Autodesk Civil 3D 2005
84/102
grade A method of reporting ground inclination in which the change in
elevation is expressed as a percentage of the horizontal distance travelled. For
example, if the ground rises one linear unit (meter or foot) over a horizontal
distance of five units, the grade is 20%. See also slope.
grade line See layout profile.
grading The process used to model the finished gr