• Civil 3D

Analyze and edit TIN Surfaces

Analyze and edit TIN surfaces in Civil 3D, including adjusting point visibility, modifying survey and surface points, removing triangles, and rebuilding out-of-date surfaces.


00:03

In Civil 3D. TIN surfaces are made up of triangles that connect data points, creating a detailed terrain model.

00:11

By analyzing and refining these triangles,

00:14

you can ensure that the surface accurately represents real-world conditions;

00:18

that any irregularities in the surface are smoothed out;

00:22

that any errors in your design are minimized;

00:26

and that you have a clear, realistic visualization of the surface.

00:31

To modify a TIN surface in Civil 3D,

00:34

begin with a drawing open and a TIN surface already created from point groups.

00:39

In this example, there is an issue with the contours becoming very steep in certain areas.

00:45

To resolve this type of issue, it is important to discuss with the surveyor what the site looks like.

00:51

In this case, it was revealed that the surveyor took invert elevations on,

00:56

rather than ground shots of, a couple of points.

00:59

To modify these points, the display order of the point groups must be changed

01:04

so that they are visible in the drawing.

01:06

From the Toolspace, Prospector tab, right-click Point Groups and select Properties..

01:14

From the Point Groups dialog, use the directional arrows to change the display order of the point groups.

01:21

In this case, the TOPO group is moved to the top.

01:25

Click Apply, and then click OK.

01:29

The points now display in the drawing and can be modified.

01:33

Right-click a point and select Edit Points to open the Point Editor,

01:37

where you can adjust the point information as needed.

01:41

In this case, the Point Elevation is adjusted using information obtained from the surveyor.

01:47

Click the checkmark to apply the change.

01:51

Notice that in the drawing, the surface issue remains, despite point corrections,

01:56

and in the Toolspace, Prospector tab, you see a warning icon adjacent to Surfaces.

02:03

This indicates that the surface is out-of-date.

02:08

Right-click Surfaces and select Rebuild Out of Date Items.

02:12

The Events Viewer vista displays in the Panorama window.

02:17

Select the checkmark to rebuild the surface.

02:20

The surface is rebuilt and updated in the drawing.

02:25

You can also modify surfaces by modifying the TIN.

02:30

First, the triangles must be visible.

02:33

In the drawing, pick the surface.

02:36

Then, from the contextual ribbon, Modify panel,

02:40

expand Surface Properties and select Edit Surface Style.

02:45

In the Surface Style dialog, open the Display tab.

02:49

From the Component display group, toggle ON the visibility for Triangles.

02:54

Click OK, and the drawing updates.

02:58

In this case, to erase the triangles that are triangulating out to a specific point,

03:04

with the surface still selected, from the contextual ribbon,

03:08

expand the Edit Surface drop-down and select Delete Line.

03:13

When prompted, select the edges of the triangles to be deleted, then press ENTER.

03:20

One was missed, but the surface looks much cleaner now.

03:25

From the ribbon, expand the Edit Surface drop-down again to see that from here,

03:29

you could also select Modify Point.

03:32

If you choose to modify points, please note that these are surface points, not survey points.

03:38

As soon as you modify a surface point, it will override any survey point elevations,

03:44

and no longer connect to the survey points, as seen previously.

03:48

If you need to view the surface in different ways, with the surface still selected,

03:54

right-click it and select Object Viewer.

03:57

In the Object Viewer, you can pan and orbit the surface without changing the world coordinates of the model.

04:05

In this case, you can see an issue in the surface where a few of the contours are going to a point.

04:11

Close the Object Viewer.

04:15

You can resolve this issue by modifying a surface point,

04:19

but first you need to make the surface points visible.

04:23

Open the Point Groups dialog, and in this case, move _All Points to the top of the list,

04:28

which will make the survey points in the drawing no longer visible.

04:33

Back in the drawing, select the surface and open the Surface Style dialog.

04:38

From the Display tab, toggle ON the visibility for Points, and then click OK.

04:45

Now, from the ribbon, expand the Edit Surface drop-down and select Modify Point.

04:52

In the drawing, pick the point to modify, then press ENTER.

04:58

You are prompted to enter a new elevation for the point.

05:02

Adjust the elevation—, which, in this case, was obtained from the surveyor—then press ENTER again to confirm.

05:09

Because this change was made to the surface point and not the survey point,

05:14

the elevation for the survey point was not changed.

05:17

Refining TIN surfaces in Civil 3D ensures accurate and realistic 3D visualizations.

Video transcript

00:03

In Civil 3D. TIN surfaces are made up of triangles that connect data points, creating a detailed terrain model.

00:11

By analyzing and refining these triangles,

00:14

you can ensure that the surface accurately represents real-world conditions;

00:18

that any irregularities in the surface are smoothed out;

00:22

that any errors in your design are minimized;

00:26

and that you have a clear, realistic visualization of the surface.

00:31

To modify a TIN surface in Civil 3D,

00:34

begin with a drawing open and a TIN surface already created from point groups.

00:39

In this example, there is an issue with the contours becoming very steep in certain areas.

00:45

To resolve this type of issue, it is important to discuss with the surveyor what the site looks like.

00:51

In this case, it was revealed that the surveyor took invert elevations on,

00:56

rather than ground shots of, a couple of points.

00:59

To modify these points, the display order of the point groups must be changed

01:04

so that they are visible in the drawing.

01:06

From the Toolspace, Prospector tab, right-click Point Groups and select Properties..

01:14

From the Point Groups dialog, use the directional arrows to change the display order of the point groups.

01:21

In this case, the TOPO group is moved to the top.

01:25

Click Apply, and then click OK.

01:29

The points now display in the drawing and can be modified.

01:33

Right-click a point and select Edit Points to open the Point Editor,

01:37

where you can adjust the point information as needed.

01:41

In this case, the Point Elevation is adjusted using information obtained from the surveyor.

01:47

Click the checkmark to apply the change.

01:51

Notice that in the drawing, the surface issue remains, despite point corrections,

01:56

and in the Toolspace, Prospector tab, you see a warning icon adjacent to Surfaces.

02:03

This indicates that the surface is out-of-date.

02:08

Right-click Surfaces and select Rebuild Out of Date Items.

02:12

The Events Viewer vista displays in the Panorama window.

02:17

Select the checkmark to rebuild the surface.

02:20

The surface is rebuilt and updated in the drawing.

02:25

You can also modify surfaces by modifying the TIN.

02:30

First, the triangles must be visible.

02:33

In the drawing, pick the surface.

02:36

Then, from the contextual ribbon, Modify panel,

02:40

expand Surface Properties and select Edit Surface Style.

02:45

In the Surface Style dialog, open the Display tab.

02:49

From the Component display group, toggle ON the visibility for Triangles.

02:54

Click OK, and the drawing updates.

02:58

In this case, to erase the triangles that are triangulating out to a specific point,

03:04

with the surface still selected, from the contextual ribbon,

03:08

expand the Edit Surface drop-down and select Delete Line.

03:13

When prompted, select the edges of the triangles to be deleted, then press ENTER.

03:20

One was missed, but the surface looks much cleaner now.

03:25

From the ribbon, expand the Edit Surface drop-down again to see that from here,

03:29

you could also select Modify Point.

03:32

If you choose to modify points, please note that these are surface points, not survey points.

03:38

As soon as you modify a surface point, it will override any survey point elevations,

03:44

and no longer connect to the survey points, as seen previously.

03:48

If you need to view the surface in different ways, with the surface still selected,

03:54

right-click it and select Object Viewer.

03:57

In the Object Viewer, you can pan and orbit the surface without changing the world coordinates of the model.

04:05

In this case, you can see an issue in the surface where a few of the contours are going to a point.

04:11

Close the Object Viewer.

04:15

You can resolve this issue by modifying a surface point,

04:19

but first you need to make the surface points visible.

04:23

Open the Point Groups dialog, and in this case, move _All Points to the top of the list,

04:28

which will make the survey points in the drawing no longer visible.

04:33

Back in the drawing, select the surface and open the Surface Style dialog.

04:38

From the Display tab, toggle ON the visibility for Points, and then click OK.

04:45

Now, from the ribbon, expand the Edit Surface drop-down and select Modify Point.

04:52

In the drawing, pick the point to modify, then press ENTER.

04:58

You are prompted to enter a new elevation for the point.

05:02

Adjust the elevation—, which, in this case, was obtained from the surveyor—then press ENTER again to confirm.

05:09

Because this change was made to the surface point and not the survey point,

05:14

the elevation for the survey point was not changed.

05:17

Refining TIN surfaces in Civil 3D ensures accurate and realistic 3D visualizations.

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