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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
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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
Use the profile tools in Civil 3D to create roadway profiles.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
6 min.
Transcript
00:00
In this session, we will demonstrate some of the profile tools that are available in Civil 3D.
00:08
We'll also show the dynamic nature of the profiles and some of the functions that will help to create and edit profiles with precision.
00:16
Now, Civil 3D allows users to create profiles in a number of ways,
00:20
and we'll briefly go over several of these tools and highlight their utility when it comes to road and highway design.
00:27
We'll begin by creating an existing ground profile.
00:30
Once we've established an alignment, we can select the surface that we want our ground profile to be based on.
00:37
Then, we can adjust several of the parameters for the profile view.
00:40
For now, we'll choose most of the default settings.
00:44
The profiles in Civil 3D are fully dynamic, meaning if we need to make any changes to the horizontal alignment,
00:50
the profile line and profile window update automatically.
00:54
This helps to save time and actually gives us more control.
00:58
Choosing the profile creation tool, we can begin our design profile.
01:03
One of the more common methods for creating a design profile is to lay it out by PVI, or by vertical intersections.
01:10
In the design window, we can choose the location of the vertical intersection and then add the vertical curvature.
01:17
We can define the vertical curves by length, by radius, or even by K Value,
01:22
and here we'll input the initial length of the curve.
01:25
We can easily make revisions to these curves later on in the design process if we need to.
01:31
Civil 3D offers several tools to edit profile geometry.
01:36
Here, we want to add the PVI to our profile, so we do so graphically by selecting the point in our profile window.
01:43
Next, we can add the vertical curve associated with this intersection.
01:47
Here, we actually want to match the existing ground as much as possible, so we'll use the Free Curve Best Fit command.
01:54
We have the option to use either COGO points or entities, or by selecting points in the window.
01:59
That’s what we'll do in this case, we'll choose a few points along the existing ground line, then accept those points.
02:05
Once we do that, Civil 3D creates a curve based on those points that we've selected.
02:11
Now let's go to profile layout parameters so that we can view the geometric details of our profile.
02:18
Here, we can actually edit the exact details of our curve by adjusting the station, the elevation, the K value, the length of our curve,
02:26
and several other parameters.
02:29
This information is available for any of the PVI's that we select, and any changes that we make in this window are updated immediately
02:35
in the profile window.
02:38
We can also edit curves graphically by using the grips associated with each curve.
02:43
So, once we adjust the beginning or the ending of a curve, the labels are updated automatically.
02:49
We can adjust the height or elevation of the profile using the same grip method.
02:55
Now, when we have fixed points on our profile that we want to maintain, we can edit those profile parameters as well.
03:01
In this case, we adjust the profile grade while maintaining the end elevation and station.
03:08
We can also adjust the curve location while maintaining the grade in or out of the curve.
03:14
When we adjust the direction grips, we can move the curve along that same projected profile grade.
03:21
We can do this for either side of the curve.
03:24
If we need to remove any curves or points from the profile, we have a few options.
03:28
We can select Delete Entity from the profile tools, then choose the curve we want to delete.
03:33
This will return the geometry to just the PVI.
03:37
If we want to remove a PVI between the two curves, we can simply choose Delete PVI.
03:42
You may also note that if we delete the PVI of a vertical curve, both the curve and the point will be removed.
03:49
Where we have any intersecting alignments, it is good to show the information in the profile view.
03:54
Here, our South alignment intersects with an access road,
03:57
and we'd like to show the station location and elevation of the intersecting alignments in both views.
04:03
To do this, we go to the profile view, then choose Add Crossings to Profile View.
04:09
We want to select the profile to add, then the profile view where we want to add the crossing label.
04:16
Now we can choose to label any of the profiles associated with the alignments.
04:20
In this case, we only want to pick the design profile.
04:24
Crossings are added, but I want to adjust the call out by moving the grips.
04:28
In this case, we actually have an extra station label that we don't really need, so I'll delete that one.
04:35
Then, we can do the same thing for the other profile window.
04:38
We choose the profile and then the destination view.
04:41
And in this case, we can label the existing ground and the design profile elevation.
04:47
Profile label is positioned at the exact station and elevation of a crossing.
04:53
Now these labels are fully dynamic.
04:55
When we make adjustments to the access profile, the labels are updated automatically in the other view.
05:02
We can revise that again, and we'll see the labels update when we make that change.
05:07
So, this gives us the ability to match those points exactly.
05:11
In a previous session, we created two offset alignments, and here, we're showing the profile for those two offset alignments.
05:17
And we want to match the profile of the northbound alignment to the southbound alignment.
05:22
In order to match the profiles exactly, we will use a superimposed profile.
05:28
To do this, we will select the profile, then Superimposed profile.
05:32
Similar to other functions, we choose the profile that we want and then select the profile window to display it.
05:38
We can make a few modifications to the display, such as the station range or the accuracy if we need to,
05:44
but we'll use the default settings when we add the profile.
05:47
This function automatically creates another profile for the southbound alignment,
05:53
and we can actually use that profile when we create our corridor.
05:57
If necessary, we can also trace that superimpose profile by laying it out and then adjusting it and display it,
06:06
as we would any of our other design profiles.
Video transcript
00:00
In this session, we will demonstrate some of the profile tools that are available in Civil 3D.
00:08
We'll also show the dynamic nature of the profiles and some of the functions that will help to create and edit profiles with precision.
00:16
Now, Civil 3D allows users to create profiles in a number of ways,
00:20
and we'll briefly go over several of these tools and highlight their utility when it comes to road and highway design.
00:27
We'll begin by creating an existing ground profile.
00:30
Once we've established an alignment, we can select the surface that we want our ground profile to be based on.
00:37
Then, we can adjust several of the parameters for the profile view.
00:40
For now, we'll choose most of the default settings.
00:44
The profiles in Civil 3D are fully dynamic, meaning if we need to make any changes to the horizontal alignment,
00:50
the profile line and profile window update automatically.
00:54
This helps to save time and actually gives us more control.
00:58
Choosing the profile creation tool, we can begin our design profile.
01:03
One of the more common methods for creating a design profile is to lay it out by PVI, or by vertical intersections.
01:10
In the design window, we can choose the location of the vertical intersection and then add the vertical curvature.
01:17
We can define the vertical curves by length, by radius, or even by K Value,
01:22
and here we'll input the initial length of the curve.
01:25
We can easily make revisions to these curves later on in the design process if we need to.
01:31
Civil 3D offers several tools to edit profile geometry.
01:36
Here, we want to add the PVI to our profile, so we do so graphically by selecting the point in our profile window.
01:43
Next, we can add the vertical curve associated with this intersection.
01:47
Here, we actually want to match the existing ground as much as possible, so we'll use the Free Curve Best Fit command.
01:54
We have the option to use either COGO points or entities, or by selecting points in the window.
01:59
That’s what we'll do in this case, we'll choose a few points along the existing ground line, then accept those points.
02:05
Once we do that, Civil 3D creates a curve based on those points that we've selected.
02:11
Now let's go to profile layout parameters so that we can view the geometric details of our profile.
02:18
Here, we can actually edit the exact details of our curve by adjusting the station, the elevation, the K value, the length of our curve,
02:26
and several other parameters.
02:29
This information is available for any of the PVI's that we select, and any changes that we make in this window are updated immediately
02:35
in the profile window.
02:38
We can also edit curves graphically by using the grips associated with each curve.
02:43
So, once we adjust the beginning or the ending of a curve, the labels are updated automatically.
02:49
We can adjust the height or elevation of the profile using the same grip method.
02:55
Now, when we have fixed points on our profile that we want to maintain, we can edit those profile parameters as well.
03:01
In this case, we adjust the profile grade while maintaining the end elevation and station.
03:08
We can also adjust the curve location while maintaining the grade in or out of the curve.
03:14
When we adjust the direction grips, we can move the curve along that same projected profile grade.
03:21
We can do this for either side of the curve.
03:24
If we need to remove any curves or points from the profile, we have a few options.
03:28
We can select Delete Entity from the profile tools, then choose the curve we want to delete.
03:33
This will return the geometry to just the PVI.
03:37
If we want to remove a PVI between the two curves, we can simply choose Delete PVI.
03:42
You may also note that if we delete the PVI of a vertical curve, both the curve and the point will be removed.
03:49
Where we have any intersecting alignments, it is good to show the information in the profile view.
03:54
Here, our South alignment intersects with an access road,
03:57
and we'd like to show the station location and elevation of the intersecting alignments in both views.
04:03
To do this, we go to the profile view, then choose Add Crossings to Profile View.
04:09
We want to select the profile to add, then the profile view where we want to add the crossing label.
04:16
Now we can choose to label any of the profiles associated with the alignments.
04:20
In this case, we only want to pick the design profile.
04:24
Crossings are added, but I want to adjust the call out by moving the grips.
04:28
In this case, we actually have an extra station label that we don't really need, so I'll delete that one.
04:35
Then, we can do the same thing for the other profile window.
04:38
We choose the profile and then the destination view.
04:41
And in this case, we can label the existing ground and the design profile elevation.
04:47
Profile label is positioned at the exact station and elevation of a crossing.
04:53
Now these labels are fully dynamic.
04:55
When we make adjustments to the access profile, the labels are updated automatically in the other view.
05:02
We can revise that again, and we'll see the labels update when we make that change.
05:07
So, this gives us the ability to match those points exactly.
05:11
In a previous session, we created two offset alignments, and here, we're showing the profile for those two offset alignments.
05:17
And we want to match the profile of the northbound alignment to the southbound alignment.
05:22
In order to match the profiles exactly, we will use a superimposed profile.
05:28
To do this, we will select the profile, then Superimposed profile.
05:32
Similar to other functions, we choose the profile that we want and then select the profile window to display it.
05:38
We can make a few modifications to the display, such as the station range or the accuracy if we need to,
05:44
but we'll use the default settings when we add the profile.
05:47
This function automatically creates another profile for the southbound alignment,
05:53
and we can actually use that profile when we create our corridor.
05:57
If necessary, we can also trace that superimpose profile by laying it out and then adjusting it and display it,
06:06
as we would any of our other design profiles.
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