Create alignments in CivilCAD
Mi previous article it explained something about CivilCAD, a very practical application oriented to both AutoCAD and Bricscad. Now I want to continue the exercise always based on our previous Surveying course With Total Station, working the alignment in a digital model.
In the case of CivilCAD this is called the project axis, although from SoftDesk or Land we have known it as alignment by its name in English. It basically consists of creating a central axis, which can be the line of a pipe, the axis of a road design or simply a cross section line to a terrain.
Following the recent article, where I showed how to create a digital model with contour lines, I will briefly summarize how you create and draw an alignment with your profile.
1. Create a 3D polyline
This, as it must be created from the topography notebook, it is advisable to do it in 2D, indicating the points through which it passes since it generally comes with a polygon of deflections. After you have the traverse, touch the vertices and manually change the elevation in the properties table. (Mo + enter command)
Then, the lines are joined, with the command Pedit, In the option join.
If we have the x, y, x coordinates it is simpler. The points are created, with the command point, then writing the coordinates x, y, z or concatenating them from Excel. Then the polyline is drawn with the snap Activated at the point nodes (point).
2. Define the plant stations
This is done from the menu CivilCAD> Altimetry> Project Axis> Mark Stations
We return a sequence in the command line that only has to follow:
Print scale 1 to <1000>:
This has to do with the size at which we expect to print the drawings or generate the layouts. We write down our interest, in this case 1000, and then enter.
Select project axis:
Here it asks us to select the polyline. You have to touch it near the end where you want the seasons to begin.
Initial station nomenclature0 + 000>:
That is, if we want another modality for the brand of each station, if we do not change it we only do enter.
Right length10.000>:
Left length10.000>:
Here, it asks us what distance we want the system to consider, for the creation of cross sections. Generally, it is the same on each side, but it is not necessarily so, as in the case that we are working on a 2-lane highway, 2 lanes; It is obvious that we will need a greater distance on one side so that it goes beyond the other lane and includes the slope.
Interval/ Distance / Station / Point / End :
Here he is asking us how we expect the stations to be marked along the axis; In our case, we want each 20 meters, we choose the letter I.
Separation between stations20.000>:
Since we have chosen the interval option, we now set the distance. Then we choose the starting and ending stations.
Initial station0 + 000>:
End stationX + XXX>:
From this moment on, that polyline is considered an alignment, in the case of CivilCAD, an Axis, with associated data. A little poor CivilCAD in this part, but simple because the process is defined in a linear way; Of course CivilCAD does more, But the confusion between the Settings and Survey panels wants some patience; Then the number of tabs that have the templates panel and finally the difficulty of passing a template to other jobs.
3. Generate the profile
Now what interests us is to draw the elevation profile of the terrain along the polyline.
This is done with the menu, CivilCAD> Altimetry> Profiles> Terrain> Draw
Then we follow the sequence of the command line:
Axis/ Points / Manual / File / 3d polylineE>:
In this case, we will use the Axis option, however it could have been a 3D polyline if we had not converted it into alignment, points or even a manually drawn line.
Select project axis:
Horizontal scale 1 to1000.000>:
Vertical scale 1 a1000.000>:
It is convenient to change the vertical scale, if we want the elevation change to be noticeable. For example, if you chose a vertical scale of 1,000, you can use a horizontal scale of 200. This would make a 1: 5 ratio that could make the display meaningful.
Position:
Ask us where we will place the profile, choose a point to the right of the drawing, then enter.
4. Generate the grid for the profile
Choose from the menu CivilCAD> Altimetry> Profiles> Grid And then we follow the sequence of the command line:
Select terrain profile:
We indicate in the panel that is displayed, if we want only the natural terrain, or also the alignment. We also define if labels They will be automatic or we will define them manually.
It is called a name and defines data of the stations as dimensioned distance, where it starts, number of decimals and if we want a box around.
With this, our work should be ready. Definitely simple compared to Civil 3D, although somewhat limited in the definition of templates that it does embedded in xml form. There is also some difficulty for the automatic update between the plant and the profile.