Grading with Benches - Must be an easier way

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I normally do design work with benches. My method is slow and labourious, which is as follows:

1: Create a featureline and grade to surface. Explode the grading, then manually offset the first featureline to get my first bench location (then change elevations of new line), then offset this to get my bench width.
2: Join the bench limits with a 3dpoly and dissolve puedo nodes.
3: Break the surface that extends below my bench (from Step 1), then join to the bench.
4: Commence grading again from the outer bench line and repeat these steps.

5: Finally i get a 3d polyline of the toe with all benches. Then i create a surface from this.

Its messy, takes a long time if there are heaps of benches and i'm almost sure there must be a faster way to do it. I did look at the subassemblies but couldn't apply the daylightbench function. However, my methodology stretches back from early C3D and i've finally upgraded to 2010. So now, is there a better way?

[Anonymous]

The only automated way to do benches is with a subassembly and a corridor.
Grading does not have benching built-in yet.

--
Matt Kolberg
Global CADD Systems - A division of Cansel

[Anonymous]

Ok. Before i start learning corridors and subassemblies can you tell me if it will work for only fill situations. E.g. if i design a dam and use the crest of the dam as a corridor can i grade down to the surface with benches then create a surface from this for volume purposes? Any tips for finding a good tutorial on this? The inbuilts are a little limiting.

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it's entirely possible to use benching in that situation. Sounds like
you're not familiar with corridors. Aside from the built-in tutorials,
e-learning, webcasts, online videos can be available if you're on
subscription. Some are available if you aren't. Blogs can be good too, but
they don't often cover the basics. Professional training of course is an
option.

--
Matt Kolberg
Global CADD Systems - A division of Cansel

[Anonymous]

Many thanks Matt. I'll start looking into this.

One further question. Since some dams can be raised, can i technically use another offset corridor on top of another and grade down to the first one, while grading to surface on the otherside? Then do a comparison of how much material is required for the next raise?

[Anonymous]

Possibly. I'm having trouble visualizing what you're after.

--
Matt Kolberg
Global CADD Systems - A division of Cansel

"burt46" wrote in message news:6353487@discussion.autodesk.com...
> Many thanks Matt. I'll start looking into this.
>
> One further question. Since some dams can be raised, can i technically use
> another offset corridor on top of another and grade down to the first one,
> while grading to surface on the otherside? Then do a comparison of how
> much material is required for the next raise?

[Anonymous]

Ok. Attached is a sketch of the problem. The numbers are as follows:

1: First corridor with grade downs to surface (no worries)
2: Second corridor is a grade down to the left side of the first corridor, then a grade down to fill on the right side.
3: Third corridor is a grade to surface on the left and the same grade down to fill on the right.

Not sure if a stacking arrangement will work, but manual grading can handle it. Sometimes the stacks can go up to 20 high. What i'd like to do is volumise the individual stacks.

[Anonymous]

Just looking at the image I can make what I see and calculate volumes for
each stack.. But having it handle multiple stacks based on various criteria
may be tough. What determines the number of stacks? This doesn't really
seem like benching like you mentioned in your first post.

I would first look into the conditional cut-fill subassembly. It's possible
this can't be done efficiently out of the box, but it's likely a custom
subassembly can be written to accommodate.

In any case, this appears to be a rather advanced case that would give a
rookie to corridors some trouble. Possibly doable to an advanced user. I
can't say for sure if it's doable since I don't have all of the design
parameters.

--
Matt Kolberg
Global CADD Systems - A division of Cansel

"burt46" wrote in message news:6354082@discussion.autodesk.com...
> Ok. Attached is a sketch of the problem. The numbers are as follows:
>
> 1: First corridor with grade downs to surface (no worries)
> 2: Second corridor is a grade down to the left side of the first corridor,
> then a grade down to fill on the right side.
> 3: Third corridor is a grade to surface on the left and the same grade
> down to fill on the right.
>
> Not sure if a stacking arrangement will work, but manual grading can
> handle it. Sometimes the stacks can go up to 20 high. What i'd like to do
> is volumise the individual stacks.
>

[Anonymous]

Thanks Mark, the benches would have been on the left side of the dam, i just missed them off in the sketch.

The number of stacks depends on the topography of the study zone. Typically, there are 6 - 10 but can go as high as 20. Usually, the stacks are symetrical too, making the process a little more simple. I'll have a play around with corridors and see how i go.

Many thanks for the feedback.