Autodesk Civil 3D 2005

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Autodesk Civil 3D 2005

Getting Started

23702-010000-5000A September 20


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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10


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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

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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


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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

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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).

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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


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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.



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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


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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.



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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


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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



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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



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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



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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.



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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



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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



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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)



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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



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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


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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.



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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


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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.



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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

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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


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Points

Surfaces

Parcels

Alignments

Grading

Exploded representation of the object model, showing dependencies between objects

Object Model|23


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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.



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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


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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.



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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


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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.



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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


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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.



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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


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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).



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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


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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.



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Early layout phase

Final drawing phase

Using customized surface and alignment styles for different phases of a project

Display Management 1: Using Styles|35


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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.



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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


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38


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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


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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


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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


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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



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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


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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:




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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


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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


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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.



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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


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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


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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:




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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


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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



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



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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


GSG_features_alignments.dwg

The drawing contains two named views, as shown on the opposite page. Togo to a named view, do the following:




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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


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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



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



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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


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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


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:




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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


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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



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.



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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


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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


GSG_features_sections.dwg

The drawing contains two named views, as shown on the opposite page. Togo to a named view, do the following:




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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


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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



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.



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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


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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


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.



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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


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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



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



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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


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72


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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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