My responses to your array of questions are below, in color. I will do my best to practically answer them and not bring up a slew of answers concerning other software you likely aren't using.
@hkaplan1227 wrote:
We are junping from LDD2008 to Civil3D 2013. I know its a big jump and I'm starting to learn its creating more problems then I expected. The LDD and Civil3d are 2 different programs. We went for formal training. But, the training is basic and didn't touch upon alot of things that we are coming on on a daily basis.
We are working on a large road project and we have been asked if the project will be done in 2d or 3d. I do not attend the meeting, only the project manager does.
By 2D vs 3D, are they referring to Civil 3D, or do they actually want true 3D drawings of the entire roadway? Complete 3D, isometric drawings/planset seems like overkill for a road project..............
This project has been in the works for a number of years now and it was originally shot by the survey and LDD 2008 was used. The question about the 2d or 3d survey came up. We are creating an existing surface. The linework itself is 2d though.
When you recieve your exising topo, is a standard that the linework comes in 3d also? If I remember correct, when the survey dept processes the existing data, the linework can be brought in in 3d also?
This varies company to company. I would say that any company doing a lot of civil, municipal survey/design work does use the survey database, which can be set up to automatically import your points and set them to the correct style, etc. The same goes for linework, which is brought in as Figure Lines (3D Polys). As long as the survey data is coded to match your FPD (Figure Prefix Database) and matches your Description Keyset, you should be good to go, with minimal editing. All linework via this method is 3 dimensional, and the lines themselves can be added to a surface directly as breaklines.
A Description Keyset is simply a list which tells C3D what layers, styles, overrides, markers, labels, etc. to apply to each survey point dependent upon code.
A FPD is a list which tells C3D what layers, styles, overrides, linetypes, etc. to apply to each Figure Line, again dependent upon code.
As suggested earlier, and expanding upon it, 'Proximity' breaklines are handy IF you do not have said breakline already defined and drawn by your survey database import. Sometimes, depending on the type of line you are drawing, certain linetypes, esp custom ones, do not always display correctly when in a 3D Poly mode. A way around this is to draw a 2D Poly from node to node on the survey data, following whatever breakline you desire, and then add this breakline to surface and set type to Proximity. C3D then follows the 2D Poly, and adds as a breakline the C3D points closest to it to said surface, rather than the polyline itself (as in the survey database). To do this:
Prospector-->Surfaces-->Desired Surface-->Definition-->Breaklines-->Rt Click-->Add
Another question asked was. Are we generating a subterranean model? Has this also become a standard? Each utility will be designed by a different consultant. In a way I can understand the need. As far as the exising utilites goes. That would all need to be done manually since that can not be surveyed.
Somone mentioned using Revit. I thought that was used for the design in buildings.
Revit can be used for a variety of things, but for what I gather you're doing, not a terribly cost effective investment. By subterranean model, do you mean a 3D model, or are you just looking for plan/profile sheet production? Existing utilities absolutely can be surveyed, at least topographically from the surface, Im not sure what other need past that you would have for them if it is just a road project.
For utilities, on a road job (assuming this is a standard road reconstruct, or something similar) one can simply locate them in the field, survey them topographically, and if needed/desired, show them on a profile view.
Any input would be greatly appreciated
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