& Construction

Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
& Manufacturing

Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Work with design criteria and create check sets for your civil road design projects.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
10 min.
Transcript
00:03
When we design our alignments in civil 3D,
00:06
we will want to know that we are meeting any national or local design standards.
00:12
There are two ways that we can apply checking to our design
00:15
using a design criteria of file and using checks sets.
00:20
The design criteria file generally comes as part of a country kit
00:24
that can be installed with civil 3D.
00:27
The file is in XML format
00:29
and contains tables of standards for highway design
00:33
such as formula for super elevation of the road at different design speeds
00:38
and it can prompt us to enter the correct values during design,
00:42
you can edit or even create your own design criteria file.
00:47
The design criteria file is typically saved on a
00:50
server for the whole design team to access.
00:53
We can assign a table from the design criteria file to individual alignments.
00:59
Additional design criteria that might be desirable but aren't included in
01:03
a design criteria file can be added as design checks.
01:07
Individual design checks are grouped together as a design check set
01:12
and the check set can be applied to the alignment
01:15
checks and check sets are saved in the drawing file
01:18
and would normally be defined in our project template.
01:22
In our model, we have some residential roads.
01:24
These are the subdivision roads, sycamore, heights and woodside view
01:29
and we have a road that leaks neighborhoods.
01:31
This is our collector road mcallister Boulevard.
01:35
We're going to create some design checks so that we
01:37
can see whether our design choices such as curve radii
01:41
or tangent lengths
01:42
meet the standards that we are required to work to
01:45
for our subdivision roads. Our tangents should be a minimum length of 100 ft
01:51
and our curve should have a minimum radius of 100 and 60 ft
01:55
for our collector roads. Our tangents should be a minimum length of 300 ft
02:00
and our curves should have a minimum radius of 1200 ft
02:04
to add the design checks in the drawing.
02:07
Click on the settings tab on the civil 3d tool, space,
02:11
expand alignment and then expand the design checks. Folder,
02:15
design checks are grouped together in a check set.
02:19
Individual checks are created by their element type and then added to a check set.
02:25
First, we're going to add some checks for our alignment. Tangents
02:29
select the line folder right, click and choose new
02:33
in the design check dialogue,
02:35
change the name
02:37
to subdivision
02:38
min length 100.
02:41
The name will be displayed on the warning symbol, tool tip.
02:44
So it's useful to name it. So you know what criteria it has been checked.
02:49
Click on the insert property button
02:52
here,
02:53
you'll find relevant properties for the alignment that you can use in your checks.
02:57
Choose the length property.
02:59
This will add it into the body of the expression.
03:02
Click on the greater than an equal to symbol
03:05
and then type 100.
03:07
This expression tells civil 3d that the length of the
03:10
tangent line should be greater than or equal to 100.
03:13
Otherwise it will display a warning
03:16
expressions can also include visual basic functions
03:19
which can be added used in the functions but
03:25
click. OK? To save the check,
03:30
go back to the line folder in settings, right? Click and choose new
03:36
rename this design check to collector min length 300
03:44
from the expressions add the length property
03:47
then greater than or equal to
03:49
and then 300
03:51
click. OK?
03:55
Now we'll add some curve design checks in the settings.
03:58
Tab click on curve, right click and choose new
04:03
rename this design check
04:05
to subdivision
04:07
min
04:08
rad
04:12
insert the radius property into the expression
04:15
and then add greater than or equal to
04:18
then 160
04:20
click. OK.
04:23
Add another curve check this time for the collector road
04:27
name it collector min
04:29
rad
04:35
at the radius property
04:38
then select greater than an equal to
04:41
then 1200
04:45
click. OK.
04:47
Now we'll group our design checks into check sets
04:53
in the settings.
04:53
Tab click on the design, check sets folder, right click and choose new
05:01
in the information tab rename the checks set to subdivision
05:07
select the design checks tab
05:09
and with the type set to line,
05:11
select the line check, subdivision min length 100
05:15
click. Add
05:16
this will add the design check to the check set,
05:21
change the type to curve and then add the subdivision min
05:24
rad 160 check
05:27
click. OK. To save the check set
05:32
now create a new design check set
05:35
on the information tab,
05:37
change the name to collector
05:39
in the design check tab for type line,
05:42
add the collector min length 300 check,
05:46
change the type to curve and add the collector min
05:50
rad 1200 check
05:52
click. OK. To save the check set
05:55
in the model, select the alignment for the collector road. Mcallister boulevard,
05:59
right click and choose alignment properties.
06:02
Click on the design criteria tab
06:05
on the left side of the dialogue,
06:07
we have a table that shows the design speeds assigned to the alignment.
06:11
A road could have multiple speeds aside along its length and
06:15
each one can have a station value denoting where it takes effect
06:19
the tables in the design criteria file and in your
06:23
own check sets can reference the design speeds in their expressions
06:27
and apply different checking criteria for each one.
06:31
This alignment currently has one that is set to 60
06:34
MPH.
06:35
You can add additional speeds using these buttons,
06:40
add a new design speed to mcallister boulevard,
06:44
set the station for the new design speed to 2300.
06:49
This will be at the approach to the roundabout,
06:54
you can also pick the station in the drawing, using the button on the side of the cell
06:59
set, the new design speed to 25
07:01
mph,
07:04
choose use criteria based design and also use design criteria file,
07:10
use the browse button to view the files.
07:12
We'll use the Imperial 2011 design standards
07:18
in the default criteria
07:20
set the
07:21
minimum radius table to E max 4%.
07:25
This table is for a maximum of 4% super elevation
07:30
set,
07:30
the transition length table to two lane and
07:33
the attainment method should be crowned roadway.
07:36
We aren't using any super innovation for our alignment at this stage.
07:39
So only some of the checks from these tables will apply.
07:43
Select use design checks, set and set the checks set to collector
07:47
click. Ok.
07:50
We can now see the result of the design
07:52
checks as warning symbols displayed on the alignment,
07:56
hovering the cursor on the warning symbol will display a
07:59
tool tip showing the design check that was violated.
08:03
This warning is from the design criteria file
08:06
and this warning is from our collector design check set.
08:11
We're now going to apply the subdivision checks set to the residential roads,
08:15
select the alignment sycamore heights, right?
08:18
Click and choose alignment properties
08:21
on the design criteria. Tab
08:24
set the road design speed to 25
08:27
MPH.
08:29
Select use criteria based design.
08:32
We won't be using the design criteria far for these roads.
08:36
So make sure that option isn't selected,
08:39
select, use design checks set and choose subdivision for the checks set.
08:44
Click. Ok.
08:47
Again, we have warning symbols displayed on the alignment.
08:52
The curve radii on this alignment are too small and don't meet our design standard.
08:60
Use the same process to apply design checks to the woodside view alignment
09:06
in the alignment, properties on the design criteria. Tab
09:09
set the design speed to 25
09:11
MPH.
09:13
choose criteria based design
09:16
and select design check set and select subdivision checks set. Click. Ok.
09:23
The design check violations for checks sets we've applied will also
09:27
be visible in the alignment grid view in the geometry editor.
Video transcript
00:03
When we design our alignments in civil 3D,
00:06
we will want to know that we are meeting any national or local design standards.
00:12
There are two ways that we can apply checking to our design
00:15
using a design criteria of file and using checks sets.
00:20
The design criteria file generally comes as part of a country kit
00:24
that can be installed with civil 3D.
00:27
The file is in XML format
00:29
and contains tables of standards for highway design
00:33
such as formula for super elevation of the road at different design speeds
00:38
and it can prompt us to enter the correct values during design,
00:42
you can edit or even create your own design criteria file.
00:47
The design criteria file is typically saved on a
00:50
server for the whole design team to access.
00:53
We can assign a table from the design criteria file to individual alignments.
00:59
Additional design criteria that might be desirable but aren't included in
01:03
a design criteria file can be added as design checks.
01:07
Individual design checks are grouped together as a design check set
01:12
and the check set can be applied to the alignment
01:15
checks and check sets are saved in the drawing file
01:18
and would normally be defined in our project template.
01:22
In our model, we have some residential roads.
01:24
These are the subdivision roads, sycamore, heights and woodside view
01:29
and we have a road that leaks neighborhoods.
01:31
This is our collector road mcallister Boulevard.
01:35
We're going to create some design checks so that we
01:37
can see whether our design choices such as curve radii
01:41
or tangent lengths
01:42
meet the standards that we are required to work to
01:45
for our subdivision roads. Our tangents should be a minimum length of 100 ft
01:51
and our curve should have a minimum radius of 100 and 60 ft
01:55
for our collector roads. Our tangents should be a minimum length of 300 ft
02:00
and our curves should have a minimum radius of 1200 ft
02:04
to add the design checks in the drawing.
02:07
Click on the settings tab on the civil 3d tool, space,
02:11
expand alignment and then expand the design checks. Folder,
02:15
design checks are grouped together in a check set.
02:19
Individual checks are created by their element type and then added to a check set.
02:25
First, we're going to add some checks for our alignment. Tangents
02:29
select the line folder right, click and choose new
02:33
in the design check dialogue,
02:35
change the name
02:37
to subdivision
02:38
min length 100.
02:41
The name will be displayed on the warning symbol, tool tip.
02:44
So it's useful to name it. So you know what criteria it has been checked.
02:49
Click on the insert property button
02:52
here,
02:53
you'll find relevant properties for the alignment that you can use in your checks.
02:57
Choose the length property.
02:59
This will add it into the body of the expression.
03:02
Click on the greater than an equal to symbol
03:05
and then type 100.
03:07
This expression tells civil 3d that the length of the
03:10
tangent line should be greater than or equal to 100.
03:13
Otherwise it will display a warning
03:16
expressions can also include visual basic functions
03:19
which can be added used in the functions but
03:25
click. OK? To save the check,
03:30
go back to the line folder in settings, right? Click and choose new
03:36
rename this design check to collector min length 300
03:44
from the expressions add the length property
03:47
then greater than or equal to
03:49
and then 300
03:51
click. OK?
03:55
Now we'll add some curve design checks in the settings.
03:58
Tab click on curve, right click and choose new
04:03
rename this design check
04:05
to subdivision
04:07
min
04:08
rad
04:12
insert the radius property into the expression
04:15
and then add greater than or equal to
04:18
then 160
04:20
click. OK.
04:23
Add another curve check this time for the collector road
04:27
name it collector min
04:29
rad
04:35
at the radius property
04:38
then select greater than an equal to
04:41
then 1200
04:45
click. OK.
04:47
Now we'll group our design checks into check sets
04:53
in the settings.
04:53
Tab click on the design, check sets folder, right click and choose new
05:01
in the information tab rename the checks set to subdivision
05:07
select the design checks tab
05:09
and with the type set to line,
05:11
select the line check, subdivision min length 100
05:15
click. Add
05:16
this will add the design check to the check set,
05:21
change the type to curve and then add the subdivision min
05:24
rad 160 check
05:27
click. OK. To save the check set
05:32
now create a new design check set
05:35
on the information tab,
05:37
change the name to collector
05:39
in the design check tab for type line,
05:42
add the collector min length 300 check,
05:46
change the type to curve and add the collector min
05:50
rad 1200 check
05:52
click. OK. To save the check set
05:55
in the model, select the alignment for the collector road. Mcallister boulevard,
05:59
right click and choose alignment properties.
06:02
Click on the design criteria tab
06:05
on the left side of the dialogue,
06:07
we have a table that shows the design speeds assigned to the alignment.
06:11
A road could have multiple speeds aside along its length and
06:15
each one can have a station value denoting where it takes effect
06:19
the tables in the design criteria file and in your
06:23
own check sets can reference the design speeds in their expressions
06:27
and apply different checking criteria for each one.
06:31
This alignment currently has one that is set to 60
06:34
MPH.
06:35
You can add additional speeds using these buttons,
06:40
add a new design speed to mcallister boulevard,
06:44
set the station for the new design speed to 2300.
06:49
This will be at the approach to the roundabout,
06:54
you can also pick the station in the drawing, using the button on the side of the cell
06:59
set, the new design speed to 25
07:01
mph,
07:04
choose use criteria based design and also use design criteria file,
07:10
use the browse button to view the files.
07:12
We'll use the Imperial 2011 design standards
07:18
in the default criteria
07:20
set the
07:21
minimum radius table to E max 4%.
07:25
This table is for a maximum of 4% super elevation
07:30
set,
07:30
the transition length table to two lane and
07:33
the attainment method should be crowned roadway.
07:36
We aren't using any super innovation for our alignment at this stage.
07:39
So only some of the checks from these tables will apply.
07:43
Select use design checks, set and set the checks set to collector
07:47
click. Ok.
07:50
We can now see the result of the design
07:52
checks as warning symbols displayed on the alignment,
07:56
hovering the cursor on the warning symbol will display a
07:59
tool tip showing the design check that was violated.
08:03
This warning is from the design criteria file
08:06
and this warning is from our collector design check set.
08:11
We're now going to apply the subdivision checks set to the residential roads,
08:15
select the alignment sycamore heights, right?
08:18
Click and choose alignment properties
08:21
on the design criteria. Tab
08:24
set the road design speed to 25
08:27
MPH.
08:29
Select use criteria based design.
08:32
We won't be using the design criteria far for these roads.
08:36
So make sure that option isn't selected,
08:39
select, use design checks set and choose subdivision for the checks set.
08:44
Click. Ok.
08:47
Again, we have warning symbols displayed on the alignment.
08:52
The curve radii on this alignment are too small and don't meet our design standard.
08:60
Use the same process to apply design checks to the woodside view alignment
09:06
in the alignment, properties on the design criteria. Tab
09:09
set the design speed to 25
09:11
MPH.
09:13
choose criteria based design
09:16
and select design check set and select subdivision checks set. Click. Ok.
09:23
The design check violations for checks sets we've applied will also
09:27
be visible in the alignment grid view in the geometry editor.
How to buy
Privacy | Do not sell or share my personal information | Cookie preferences | Report noncompliance | Terms of use | Legal | © 2025 Autodesk Inc. All rights reserved
Sign in for the best experience
Save your progress
Get access to courses
Receive personalized recommendations
May we collect and use your data?
Learn more about the Third Party Services we use and our Privacy Statement.May we collect and use your data to tailor your experience?
Explore the benefits of a customized experience by managing your privacy settings for this site or visit our Privacy Statement to learn more about your options.