AutoCAD Civil 3D

[#1]

Contractors follow contour lines drawn on plans also.  Samples available upon request.

[#2]

I will make my sample available here to the masses to make my point.  See where the curb in this photo was constructed above the level of the sidewalk at the handicap ramp?  Apparently the Contractor followed the errant contour line and not the correct spot elevations on the plans.  I think our model omitted a feature line here but still, it shows that contour lines must be modeled correctly.

The Smooth surface edit does not always work perfectly, so we usually have to go back and trace a polyline over that squiggly contour and apply it to the surface as a contour to make it right.  Otherwise, the Contractor may apply undesired "surface roughening" to that area.  You never know what you're going to get, so it needs to be correct on the plan.  Civil 3D grading tools are not always the final answer.  In many cases, the contours still need tweaking. This polyline tracing technique defeats the purpose of having an intelligent model. Do you feel my pain?

[#3]

another sample of where my lead engineer does not think my 2' x 2' smoothing surface grid edit did not work good enough (highlighted in green).  Will have to trace over the surface generated contours with polylines and reapply them as contours to that surface.....uuggghhhh!!!

[#4]

Getting back to the original question....

kentanner, if you're still monitoring this post, I just read a write-up that will help you smooth out the tie-in grades and 'round-out' the contours. Daylight Rounding.

[#5]

yep. seen that article.  That's for daylighting to a surface within a corridor model.  What if it is not a daylight?

[#6]

Round with hand-modified contours and add to surface, similar to the ditch fix you're showing above. A real pain, and I use the corridors as much as I can to avoid having to do it by hand.

[#7]

Hi Dave: Ped- ramps seem to be the ire of designers and builder alike. But when I look at your photo (a gem by the way), I cannot blame c3d, the designer, drafter or the contractor. The blame goes squarely on the shoulders of the inspector and the mason.

Ignorance and indifference will make a gold brick drafted design look like crap.

[#8]

I agree with you whole-heartedly Joe! thanks

[#9]

Agreed. Whoever put the curb in, or builds a road from contours should not be hired again.

[#10]

The mason was out to lunch