AutoCAD Civil 3D

[#1]

On a waterline that I am currently working on, we have existing utilities (gas, fiber, electric, etc.) surveyed and need to display those on our profile.  Typically we will determine the crossing locations and offset those x' below the existing ground.

The problem I am having is that in a mile and a half of waterline, there are 100+ crossings.  Creating a pipe out of each of those, applying the correct pipe type and display, naming the pipe network, etc, is too time consuming.  It's faster to draw them on our profile manually.  Also, with 100+ pipe networks, it slows down the drawing considerably.  And if we create data shortcuts, then we have to create a reference to 100's of pipe networks in our plan and profile sheets.

I would like any suggestions, or things you have done to simplify this process, and put these pipe networks to good use. 

[#2]

Also, Is it possible to create a pipe network out of multiple objects? If I could select all 30 buried electric lines and create a pipe network out of those, instead of selecting each individually, that would save a considerable amount of time.

[#3 · Accepted solution]

we currently don't use pipe networks for any of those utilities including water main.

although I may look into pressure pipe networks when they finish it.

I use profile view lables to show crossing pipes with a oval block that is scaled to the size of the pipe in question.  then i have a station elevation profile view label to show the elevation, type and size of the offending utility.   the reason I do it this way is so when i have to change the elevation of the profile view the components will move with the profile view.

[#4]

Another suggestion to look into: the command Project Objects to Profile View.

[#5]

Tell me if I understand this correctly. You aren't using a pipe object, rather you are labeling the profile at a spot, and at the end of the label you are placing an oval block to represent the pipe?

That sounds promising.  I would still like to hear how others are handeling this.  Thanks.

[#6 · Accepted solution]

Feature lines with elevations assigned, then project objects to view.

[#7]

Could I get a little more detail on doing this?  I understand I can assign a feature line an elevation, but if I project it to the profile, what does it display?  Can I get it to show an oval to represent a pipe?  Thanks.

[#8]

You can assign Beginning, End and Internal Vertex marker styles. A marker style can reference a block that looks like an oval. The feature line itself will only be a line and will not look like a pipe.

[#9 · Accepted solution]

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The problem I am having is that in a mile and a half of waterline, there are 100+ crossings.  Creating a pipe out of each of those, applying the correct pipe type and display, naming the pipe network, etc, is too time consuming.  It's faster to draw them on our profile manually.  Also, with 100+ pipe networks, it slows down the drawing considerably.  And if we create data shortcuts, then we have to create a reference to 100's of pipe networks in our plan and profile sheets.

I would like any suggestions, or things you have done to simplify this process, and put these pipe networks to good use. 

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So you're in too much of a hurry to do it quickly? Make a copy of existing ground and drop it the depth of your utility (maybe you want to do this for various utils., Now strap on your Velcro Sneakers and place points or blocks at the crossings, select similar ang project to profile view.

Now pray the alignment doesn't change, because you'll have to move them.

[#10]

I like Joe's solution.  Note that you can project any block, and have the projection look like the block or look according to preset 'Marker Styles'.  You can set whether these are exagerated acording to the profile view exageration or not.

The copy surface idea is a good shortcut too. When you project to profile view you can use this surface to set the elevation of the projection.  Alternativly you can give your block a z value and use that instead.