CI3704: Civil 3D Survey: What Is Behind the Curtain?

1. CI3704:Civil 3D Survey: What Is Behind the Curtain? Seth Cohen CAD Management Resources Inc. CAD Applications Specialist Autodesk Civil 3D Implementation Expert, Level 5 Geospatial Applications Engineer

2. About Me • Worked for a consulting engineering firm in New Hampshire… • Surveying – Topo, boundary, as-built, landfill closure, GPS, etc. In field and in office. • Design Technician – Worked on STP, bridge (roadway approach work), highway design and Bypass study projects for VTrans, MDOT (Maine) and NHDOT (New Hampshire) • CAD Manager – Managed, trained and supported users in 3 offices, on company and DOT workflows. • Software used - AutoCAD, Softdesk, LDT, MicroStation and InRoads • Work for CADmanage • CAD Applications Specialist • Provide Training, Consulting, Support, and courseware development for Civil 3D, AutoCAD, Map 3D, MicroStation, InRoads. • Train engineers at Ford Motor Company with their use of AutoCAD. • Developed CAD and Design standards for ITD (Idaho DOT), and ALDOT (Alabama DOT). • Worked extensively with FDOT (Florida DOT) in helping them develop an AutoCAD drawing template for utility companies to use for better coordination of CAD files. • Work with FDOT, providing documentation related to their implementation of Civil 3D. • Presenter • National AUGI CAD Camps, Presented at AU

3. Class Summary • In this class, we will discuss the required setup to automate survey functionality in Civil 3D, and how it can help reduce the amount of time needed to bring in points, automate linework graphics, and create surfaces. We will look at the critical importance of styles and settings. We will also examine some of the methods that can be used to create stakeout points for construction, and direct export for automatic machine guidance (AMG).

4. Learning Objectives At the end of this class, you will be able to: • Start using Civil 3D survey functionality • Understand what’s behind the scenes for styles and settings • Create surfaces from survey data • Get the data out of Civil 3D and into real world construction

5. Agenda • Introduction • Civil 3D Interface (As It Relates To Survey Data) • Civil 3D Setup • Collecting Field Data • Survey Database • Survey Database and Drawing Interaction • Survey Toolspace Revisited • Creating a Surface from Survey Data • Getting Data for Construction

6. Introduction

7. Introduction • Survey functionality introduced in Civil 3D 2007 • Some LDT survey concepts have been incorporated

8. Civil 3D Interface • Prospector Tab • Settings Tab • Toolbox Tab • Survey Tab • Ribbon

9. Civil 3D Interface • Prospector Tab • Civil 3D objects (points, figures, etc.) are listed in the Prospector tab

10. Civil 3D Interface • Settings Tab • Styles will need to be developed for survey related data • Styles include: • Point • Figure • Network • Description key sets • Settings tab is where some of the setup is done related to survey functionality • There are several other locations as well (learn about these later)

11. Civil 3D Interface • Toolbox Tab (Reports Manager) • Used for reporting • Example reports • Radially staking out points • Point List

12. Civil 3D Interface • Survey Tab • Main user-interface for survey functionality • All survey related data is managed in the Survey tab • All of the collections in the Survey tab are accessed external to the Civil 3D drawing from the survey database • Opening and Closing the Survey Tab • Enter OST or CST

13. Civil 3D Interface • Ribbon

14. Civil 3D Setup • Setting up Points • Description Key Sets • Linear Features • Figure Styles • Figure Prefix Database • Survey Networks • Equipment Database

15. Civil 3D Setup • Setting up Points • First step, development of point related styles and settings • Point styles automate the placement of symbols (e.g. manholes, trees, hydrants, etc.) • Must create a point style for every type of point data you display on a topo map • Label styles control the display of point information such as the northing, easting, elevation and description

16. Civil 3D Setup • Description Key Sets • Means by which raw points will be created in the drawing • Maps any and all point parameters including point style, full description, label style, layer, scale, and rotate parameters. • Can import LDT description keys (but….) • Two methods to creating description keys

17. Civil 3D Setup • Linear Features (old way) • There are methods that a surveyor can adopt that automate linework creation (e.g. EP, Tree line, TBC, etc.) when the survey data is brought into Civil 3D

18. Civil 3D Setup • Linear Features (new way) • No longer need to use old survey command syntax • Import … • Field Book File • LandXML File • Point File • Civil 3D points • Creates figures automatically using active linework code set and figure prefix database

19. Civil 3D Setup • Linework Code Sets • Civil 3D 2010 included additional functionality to automate linework creation • Interprets field codes entered from surveyors into figures in the survey database • Linework Code sets are displayed in the Toolspace under the Survey tab. • The linework code sets are stored in a separate file that has an F2f_Xdef extension.

20. Civil 3D Setup • Figures • A figure is a linear object (breakline, parcel line, graphical line) • Figure Styles • Figure style controls the display, layers, and 3D geometry of a figure • Displayed under the Survey collection in the Settings tab.

21. Civil 3D Setup • Figure Prefix Database • Figure prefixes are the means by which linework is connected to the appropriate figure style, layer, and whether or not the figure should be a breakline or a parcel segment • Similar to description keys • Can also be set up in two different methods • Stored in a Figure Prefix Database (FPD)

22. Civil 3D Setup • Survey Networks • Network style controls the display of the different components of a survey network

23. Civil 3D Setup • Equipment Database • Where survey equipment properties are defined • Only used when performing a traverse analysis (e.g. Compass Rule, Least Squares, etc.)

24. Collecting Field Data • Line Coding • Linework Code Set

25. Collecting Field Data • Automatic linework can save time completing the final drawing • Has been around since the old DCA days (pre-LDT) • Autodesk Fieldbook Language (.FBK) • Field crews are the key to linework automation • When survey is collected properly Civil 3D will automatically draw the survey data with little manipulation from the office technician • Automation occurs because of specific line coding and field collection techniques that instruct the software to connect the dots automatically • Depending on the equipment, specific codes are entered before or after the raw code,

26. Collecting Field Data • Line Coding • The command to begin drawing a line is B or BEG. You only need to use this code once per figure. It is also important that you place a numeric identifier at the end of the figure name to make it unique (e.g. EP1, EP2, TOP1, TOP2) • To end the line, simply move on to the next figure number, or enter E or END at the end of the figure • Can also use the CONT command to continue a figure. • Some equipment have line work commands already programmed into them

27. Collecting Field Data • Line Coding (cont.) • Additional line codes that can be used are listed in the table below • For a full list of available commands and their parameters, review the file cmdhelp.ref. This file is typically stored in the C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\C3D 2012\enu\Survey folder

28. Collecting Field Data • Line Coding (cont.) • Some examples of codes are listed below • TBC1 BEG • TBC1 CONT • EP3 BEG • CL1 BEG C3 • <three consecutive points for the curve (PC, POC, PT)> • CL1 CONT • CL1 END • Again, verify how data is entered into your equipment. You may want to test a small project to determine exactly how your equipment translates the field data into drawing data

29. Civil 3D Setup • Linework Code Set • Provides very powerful ways to create linework with minimal input from the survey upon collection time • Example… • TBC H.5 V0 H.67 V-.5 H2.0 V-.47 H-5 V.02 • H and V codes tell Civil 3D to create additional lines based on the horizontal and vertical offsets defined in the description. • In Civil 3D Survey Toolspace, additional figures appear as <description>.n, where n is equal to the number offset.

30. Survey Database • Survey User Settings • Survey Database Settings • Survey Database Collections • Import Events Collection • Networks Collection • Figures Collection • Survey Points Collection

31. Survey Database • Contains all survey-related data • External of AutoCAD • .SDBX extension • Data in the .SDBX are stored in Meters, angles are stored in Radians. • Survey database stores survey project settings • Project’s coordinate zone • Distance unit • Angle unit • Direction type • Coordinate zones same as defined by the Civil 3D Drawing Settings • Survey data stored in the .SDBX will be transformed into the current drawing automatically

32. Survey Database • Survey User Settings • Controls how the current Civil 3D user interacts with the survey features in the drawing • Survey user settings are organized into categories and are stored in the CURRENT_USER hive of the Windows® registry • User settings can be exported (.SET file)

33. Survey Database • Survey Database Settings • Specific to each survey database • Can modify project specific… • Coordinate zone • Distance and angle units • Measurement corrections such as scale factor.

34. Survey Database • Survey Database Collections • A survey database expands to display data hierarchy into three root collections • Import Events • Networks • Figures • Survey Points

35. Survey Database • Survey Database Collections • Import Events Collection • Displays each of the imports a user has done, and is stored in the .SDB file • Import survey data into a survey database using the Import Survey Data wizard • Once data is imported, an import event is created in the survey database. • The import events functionality not only gives you a record of the imported survey data, it allows you to quickly reprocess the survey data if the external survey files or Civil 3D settings/styles change.

36. Survey Database • Survey Database Collections • Networks Collection • Displays each of the survey networks that are contained in the .SDB • Survey observation management is done at the survey network node • Each network contains the components you will use to manage it • A network contains components • Control points • Non-control points • Directions • Setups • Traverses • To bring data into a survey database, right-click on the Import Events collection. • You can have multiple networks in one survey database. However, each network must contain unique point numbers

37. Survey Database • Survey Database Collections • Figures Collection • Figures are stored in the survey database • Can be inserted into any drawing from the database • Established from survey points • Will update if points are changed

38. Survey Database • Survey Database Collections • Survey Points Collection • Displays the different point information contained in the survey database • Point collection consist of the following and will display an icon that tells you the state of the survey point • Control Point – Survey points displaying this icon represent control points in a survey network. • Non-Control Point – Survey points displaying this icon represent non-control points in a survey network. • Setup Point – Survey points displaying this icon represent setups and have not been adjusted. • Adjusted Point – Survey points displaying this icon represent points whose coordinates are a result of an adjustment, such as a traverse or least squares analysis. • Observation Side Shot Point – Survey points displaying this icon represents side shot observations.

39. Survey Database and Drawing Interaction • Survey Objects • Networks • Figures • Points • Inserting and Removing Data from the Drawing • Zooming, Panning and Browsing Survey Data • Updating Survey Data in the Drawing from the .SDB • Updating the .SDB from Survey Data in the Drawing

40. Survey Database and Drawing Interaction • Three types of objects represent data inserted from a survey database • Networks • Figures • Points • Each survey object has an object style to manage its visibility properties • When survey data is inserted into the current drawing, the Prospector tab is used to manage and will list the inserted objects

41. Survey Database and Drawing Interaction • Survey Objects • Network Objects • When a network or traverse is placed into the drawing, a survey network object is created. If a network or traverse is inserted into the drawing, a network or traverse icon respectively is displayed next to the object in the Prospector tab

42. Survey Database and Drawing Interaction • Survey Objects • Figure Objects • When a figure is inserted into a drawing from the survey database, a Civil 3D Figure object is created

43. Survey Database and Drawing Interaction • Survey Objects • Point Objects • When a survey point is inserted into a drawing from the survey database, a Civil 3D COGO Point is created • Points will have a special attribute that indicates that is was created from the survey database • Survey points cannot have their locations and raw descriptions changed in the drawing because they are locked and set by the survey database (kind of ) • You can still change the point style, rotation, or layer • Points can be controlled by the description key set defined in the active drawing

44. Survey Database and Drawing Interaction • Inserting and Removing Data from the Drawing • Survey tab provides convenient methods to insert and remove survey data into the drawing • Insert/Remove options at each of the collection nodes

45. Survey Database and Drawing Interaction • Inserting and Removing Data from the Drawing • Inserting Survey Data into the Drawing • Two ways to insert survey data • Right-click on collection node • In some cases, “drag-and-drop” operation • Just right-click anywhere

46. Survey Database and Drawing Interaction • Inserting and Removing Data from the Drawing • Removing Survey Data into the Drawing • Two ways to remove survey data • Simply erase the object in the drawing • Use the Survey tab and issue Remove from drawing command • SURVEY DATA WILL NOT BE DELETED!

47. Survey Database and Drawing Interaction • Zooming and Panning to Survey Data • All survey data can be zoomed or panned to by a right-click menu

48. Survey Database and Drawing Interaction • Browsing to Survey Data • Survey data in the drawing can browse back to the data in the survey database • Select survey objects in the drawing and then right-click in the drawing, or look in the ribbon.

49. Survey Database and Drawing Interaction • Updating Survey Data in the Drawing from the .SDBX • To update survey data in the drawing, use the same methods mentioned before • When updated data is inserted, the old data in the drawing will get deleted • Updating the .SDBX from Survey Data in the Drawing • Survey objects in the drawing can update the survey database • Select and right-click the object, and select Update survey data from drawing • If a backup of revisions is necessary, you can export the entire network to another fieldbook file and rename it with an appropriate revision naming convention

50. Survey Toolspace Revisited • Properties List • Item List Views • Editors