AutoCAD Civil 3D

[#1]

Bill,

I appreciate your response. I use this method for site grading (commercial/industrial). Do you think this method is also useful in lot grading? Most of my work is in SF residential, and I am looking for lot grading stability. I don't need a thickness in lot grading, so I am not sure if this is beneficial.

-Tucker

[#2]

All I can say is try it, if you are so affraid of grading objects in 2009 you can use this method I describe in c3d 2009 using corridors. Just have to think outside the box!

[#3]

I agree. I personally would not want to grade 50 lots with Feature lines, grading objects or 'by hand' (that can mean different things in drafting). I would be using a corridor.

[#4]

That would mean I would need about 75 alignments for a 50 lot subdivision. And I think that would be generous. Corridors don't model well when there is a perpendicular object (swales along lot lines) in my experience.

Again, I appreciate your response (and I have read and agree with a bunch of your posts in the C3D forums John), but my question is in regards to grading object stability.

Thanks,

-Tucker

[#5]

I don't recall corridors being all that stable in 2009 either...  My opinion is 2009 is the most unstable release ever from Autodesk for anything...  If I was using that version I would explode all my grading objects after creation then save - that was the "habit" I formed when using 2009.  That might be the reason I shy away from them now and try corridors...  plus most of the work we do involves pavement so I really need to quickly create earthwork surfaces which is a big plus with corridors...  we don't do much parcel work... from my limited use of grading objects in 2009, they have been stable...  and I would do anything to get away from 2009 and into 2012!

[#6]

Mark,

Thank you for your input. I disagree that '09 is the "most unstable release ever." I '07 was unbearable at out company. But that's not the point. Corridors are stable in '09. Never had a crash with any type of corridor function. I agree, I try to shy away from grading objects, but they COULD be so useful if they worked with out issues.

I agree, I want '12, but I don't make those calls unfortunately. We have a very dynamic work atmosphere right now, and mangement is more concerned (appropriately) with morale. We are at one third the size we were in '06, and have had numerous pay cuts. We are currently on the rebound, so I am sure management is looking at ways of keeping our talent here (read as restoring salaries).  I can understand and cope with that for now, but when the time comes, I want ammunition to go to management and drive the train.

Thanks again,

-Tucker

[#7]

No problem Tucker but I did answer your question on stability as well. It is just buried  a bit deep.

[#8]

There have been several posts on the pros and cons of using corridors for grading. In somes cases they work well but often they do not. Usually they are just too tedious to set up and manipulate to be practical for grading, at least in the grading scenarios we face. Ultimately we need grading tools.

[#9]

Tucker,

Bottom line for every company is productivity. I can accomplish about 2-3 times as much with '12 as I could with '09. Not every tool is perfect yet. You will still crash on occasion, but the frequency will diminish significantly. One thing you can list for them is the improvements that have occurred since the '09 release. Just compile the Autodesk marketing fluff for all the releases since then. The yearly updates tend to not bring the wow factor. But I can say that the '09 to '12 jump brings an OMG this is amazingly better feeling! At this point you will propably be making the jump to '13, so hopefully it will be even better.

Overall, grading stability is much improved. I would say that only 1 in about 30 grading operations that I do results in a crash on a bad day. Most of the time I go for weeks without crashing. For designing subdivisions, I would use a combo of corridors and grading. Unfortunately, I haven't seen a new subdivision in years!!! You are lucky that your area is rebounding. Home building here is lackluster at best.

~Mary