AutoCAD Civil 3D

[#1]

I've been asked to look over some promotional material from SITEOPS and evaluate its use for us.

Looks pretty nifty, but I'm wondering how easy it really is to use.  (Videos of fully trained people can be misleading.)

Also, it bills itself as the ultimate 'What If' software.  So I'm wondering how you use it, if you find it valuable in the conceptual design of projects, and how you get the drawing from SiteOps into C3D and how it behaves in C3D when you do.

Thanks to all for any comments good or bad about this software, and how it interacts with C3D.

Here is the promotional blurb:

"

To give you a quick overview, SITEOPS is a frontend conceptual land development/site design software that delivers cost-optimized preliminary site designs and cost estimates in hours instead of weeks. 

The system allows you to quickly create and revise those conceptual layouts and leaves you better equipped to handle those “what-if” scenarios that are often requested. Clients are utilizing our patented technology on a variety of projects that include commercial, multi-family residential, industrial, institutional and many more.  Below are some key points about the software:

• Dynamic auto-drawing tools to create parking lots, streets, sidewalks, and many other features
• Ability to use the Sketchup warehouse for 3D modeling capabilities
• Revise site plans easily; adjust a building’s location and the software will automatically redraw parking , driveways, islands, and more
• Rapidly prototype complex site layouts in minutes with spatial templates
• Allow for more time to focus on creative solutions rather than tedious drafting
• Produce cost-optimized conceptual site plans and takeoff budgets within hours
• Generate cut and fill estimates on the fly; auto-generate grading and storm water drainage plans

• SITEOPS is not a replacement for CAD, but it is a great “cheat sheet” for final design; SITEOPS does the first 25-30% of your project
• Ability to quickly evaluate design alternatives and solve the “WHAT IFS”
• Ability to Import TOPO (imagery & TOPO data) by clicking a couple of buttons
• Ability to grow your business 30-40% in the next year

Although we are based out of the United States, we have several Canadian companies utilizing the tool:  ISL Engineering, expServices, Stantec, Idea Group, Ekistics Planning & Design, SDMM, and Bird Construction.

Please see the attached information and video links to learn more about the software:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nbl72BbCaA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3qel_clC2o&list=PL7B26EC48FC5FCF96&index=1&feature=plcp

New Try Me Now Interactive Demo! : http://www.siteops.com/interactive-demo

 "

[#2]

I am waiting to find out if our budget will include a subscription for SiteOps. I've been talking to these guys for about 6 months now and demoing the software and picking their brains. 

I can't speak for how easy the product is to use yet. I am however sold on the amount of time it will save us for conceptualizing plans. If it just did the horizontal layout without all the grading and piping modules it would still be worth implementing IMO. You can setup SiteOps to work with your layer standards and the vertical data is exported as XML so it should easily work with C3D.

If I get this subscription I will report my experience after the training classes. I would definitely set up a custom demo with them. They are great guys and aren't pushy salesmen at all. If you like give Tyler Ferguson a call at 704.373.1884 x 2300 and let him know that Dustin sent you.

[#3]

Looks like cool software. It sounds similar to the concept Autodesk has for Interactive Terrain Modeler, but further down the development road.

Tim

[#4]

When I was at AU 2011 I chatted with Siteops. if I understood correctly, Siteops goes into civil3d as vanillad acad entities and if you revise SO you revise C3D

[#5]

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Joe-Bouza wrote:

When I was at AU 2011 I chatted with Siteops. if I understood correctly, Siteops goes into civil3d as vanillad acad entities and if you revise SO you revise C3D

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You mean you have to reimport the linework and revise yourself, right?  It doesn't do that kind of thing for you, I imagine?

[#6 · Accepted solution]

In November 2012 our firm purchased a SiteOps seat and received training.  We have used SiteOps on three projects to date with excellent results as far as conceptual design and presentation to our clients.

Maneuvering the site and setting up project parameters are quite cumbersome.  Parameters can be saved for use on multiple projects.

All imports/exports from Civil3D to SiteOps and back are through XML files.  Any drawing files to be used in SiteOps must be saved in 2012 format or earlier.

I have not found SiteOps surfaces to be of much value in Civil3D as SiteOps optimizes the grading based on cost from parameters in your settings.  This causes undesirable depressions in the surface.  I have not had the chance to compare earthwork quantities reported by SiteOps to the actual earthwork quantities from a completed grading site.

The storm piping module has not proven to be of much value as it will place an inlet at all depressions resulting in multiple unneeded inlets and piping.

Sidewalk and drive designs are limited and lack the ability to provide a realistic design, i.e. cross slope transitioning, vertical and horizontal curve design.

This being said, SiteOps is an excellent conceptual design tool and delivers the 25-30% design completion as advertised.  "What If" scenarios are quickly analyzed.  Our clients have been impressed with the ability to see what effects their options make to the project as they watch.  Just remember, once the pretty presentations are done, it's still Civil3d that does the hard work and makes the project come to life.

[#7]

How much $

[#8]

They have a per-module subscription cost broken into site layout, grading and piping, swept path analysis, topo import, and 3d visualization. I don't know the cost of each but the layout is $3000 and the grading and piping is $3500. I start training with the software on Tuesday next week and intend on blogging my experience. Let me know if you guys would be interested in some details about my experience, otherwise I may not care to spend the time documenting/blogging.

[#9]

Definitely sounds interesting to me.  Not sure if it's of any interest to my boss anymore, but I'd still like to know more about it in real life use and moving the information to C3D once you're done playing with options in SiteOps.