Surveyed Cross Section Data to Civil 3D

[Vasily_BC]

Hello everybody,

Never done that procedure. Bringing surveyed Cross Section Data to Civil 3D. Final goal is to make a surface out of it, so ideally feature line or point cloud.

Things I have:

-alignment;

-chainage;

-CS data.

 CS data format

CHAINAGE 0+000  

OFFSET R.L. 

 -17.4     510.8 Approx (Creek Flow Level)

 -11.4     510.8 Approx (Creek Flow Level)

 -1.0       510.8 Approx (Creek Flow Level)

   0.0      510.8 Approx (Creek Flow Level)

   3.5      510.8 Approx (Creek Flow Level)

   4.3      510.8 Approx (Creek Flow Level)

   4.7      511.3 ROCK / BOULDER

   5.4      512.0 ROCK / BOULDER

   6.6      516.3 ROCK / BOULDER

   6.6      516.4 ROCK / BOULDER

   6.7      516.4 ROCK / BOULDER

   7.0      516.4 ROCK / BOULDER

   9.1      516.6 ROCK / BOULDER

   9.3      516.5 ROCK / BOULDER

Thank you,

Vasily Lisovskiy

[sboon]

Sections in Civil3d are simply a representation of real features, like surfaces and pipes.  You cannot create them directly - you have to create the source data.  In this case you may be able to create points from your source data files.

Try the CREATEPOINTIMPORTFROMFILE command.

Steve
Please use the Accept as Solution or Kudo buttons when appropriate

[KirkNoonan]

If you have an aligment along the section, then you could use the text file to generate a profile (from file using station and elevation) along that alignment. The profile could, in turn be used to generate a feature line.

[Vasily_BC · Accepted solution]

I tried to use feature line table for that but it doesn't support copy/paste procedure.

Actually I just got an idea. HEC-RAS support such thing so I can export alignment and CS to HEC-RAS.

Copy/paste values and do export to Civil 3D!

Just need to test it)

[wfberry · Accepted solution]

V:

I believe the Civil 3D, Import from file will give you what you want.  Look at option 5.  This is what you have listed.  Make a text file and assuming that you have an alignment to set these points to.  Run the Import From File.  Points set in the drawing to make a surface.

Bill

From Civil 3D Help:

1. Select settings and create styles, layers, point groups, and description keys.
2. Click Home tabCreate Ground Data panelPoints menuCreate Points - AlignmentsImport From File.
3. In the Import Alignment Station And Offset File dialog box, browse to the folder containing the file. Click the file name, and click Open.
   Note: The station information must be raw station values.
4. Enter a number between 1 and 6 to specify the format that describes the layout of data in your file, as follows:
   • 1: Station, Offset
   • 2: Station, Offset, Elevation
   • 3: Station, Offset, Rod, Hi
   • 4: Station, Offset, Description
   • 5: Station, Offset, Elevation, Description
   • 6: Station, Offset, Rod, Hi, Description
5. Do one of the following:
   • Enter 1 if the file delimiter is a space.
   • Enter 2 if the file delimiter is a comma.

[Vasily_BC]

Thank you Bill. It sounds as a good option. I runned my option with HEC-RAS and it works but it's too sophisticated.

Vasily Lisovskiy

[Vasily_BC]

I tried your method Bill and got error. I think it's in points format.

Invalid characters found in input string '50 -6.4 512.6'. (50 -6.4 512.6)
Invalid characters found in input string '50 -4.5 511.7'. (50 -4.5 511.7)
Invalid characters found in input string '50 -3.7 511.7'. (50 -3.7 511.7)
Invalid characters found in input string '50 -2.7 511.6'. (50 -2.7 511.6)
Invalid characters found in input string '50 -2.2 511.6'. (50 -2.2 511.6)
Invalid characters found in input string '50 -0.4 511.9'. (50 -0.4 511.9)
Invalid characters found in input string '50 0 512'. (50 0 512)
Invalid characters found in input string '50 1.7 512.2'. (50 1.7 512.2)
Invalid characters found in input string '50 4.4 512.9'. (50 4.4 512.9)
Invalid characters found in input string '50 6.4 513.5'. (50 6.4 513.5)
Invalid characters found in input string '55 -13.3 512'. (55 -13.3 512)
Invalid characters found in input string '55 -13.2 512'. (55 -13.2 512)
Invalid characters found in input string '55 -13 512'. (55 -13 512)
Invalid characters found in input string '55 -12.6 512'. (55 -12.6 512)
Invalid characters found in input string '55 -10.3 512'. (55 -10.3 512)
Invalid characters found in input string '55 -9.5 512.1'. (55 -9.5 512.1)
Invalid characters found in input string '55 -9.2 512'. (55 -9.2 512)

[autoMick]

I do this quite a bit. My procedure is:

1. Organise the data in Excel so that I have Station Offset and Elevation columns. The offset is with reference to the alignment

2. Save as a text file (no headings, just 3 clean columns with values only.)

3. In C3D - Create points (alignment, from file)

4. Pick the stn offset elevation option, the delimiter, etc.

5. You should now have all your cross section points. you may need to adjust annotation scale to see them.

As long as your cross-sections are appropriately spaced, you can get a reasonable surface simply by adding the points to a TIN surface. If your sections are too far apart  and the alignment goes around a bend, then obviously you will get errors. You can make this a bit more acceptable by drawing 3Dpoly lines connecting points between your cross-sections and adding these as break lines - if you have a valid method for doing so. 

If you post your text file then I'm sure it will be easy to identify the invalid character issue.

Cheers

- Mick

[wfberry]

Vasily:

I must make a slight comment to what Mick said.  Based on what you originally posted you will need 4 columns.  Station, Offset, Elevation, Description.

You may have to enter the stations manually since it does not appear on each line.  However, I will agree with Mick that putting your file into Excel is the best way to get all of these columns in a usable manner.

Bill

 If you have any problems, post your text file here and someone will critique it.

[Engr_khalil]

Dear am paste file here check this Im import file but not draw cross section pleas guide me how to draw cross section on this point paste point

0+200
-8 78.242
-6 78.429
-2 78.362
0 78.502
1.5 78.432
3 77.072
5 75.842
6 74.889
10 73.079
15 72.989
22 72.909
28 72.939
30 73.049
37 73.089
41 72.939
53 73.109
60 73.309
71 73.549
76 73.139
79 74.109
83 75.919
85 76.561
99 76.691
104 77.411
109 78.711
114 78.711
116 78.961
120 78.861
128.5 76.12
0+500
-8 77.836
-5 77.756
-2 77.776
0 78.056
0.35 78.676
4.5 78.656
5.5 77.536
7 77.296
13 76.996
16 75.421
19 74.051
23 73.281
27 73.011
30 72.841
39 72.811
55 73.241
60 73.291
65 73.391
68 72.541
72 72.441
74 74.901
76.5 76.091
79.5 76.631
90 76.761
98 77.166
102 78.046
109 79.336
115 79.316
122 76.666
0+750
-11 76.133
-9 77.557
-4 77.637
-2 77.587
0 77.917
2 78.397
3 78.447
6.5 76.917
13 76.697
20 76.637
25 75.857
27 74.507
28 73.949
41 74.219
49 74.209
60 73.829
67 73.479
80 73.099
84 72.819
90 72.699
100 72.719
103 74.399
107 76.949
111 77.299
115 78.799
118.8 78.859
120 78.629
124 76.489
135 76.419
1+000
-10 76.215
-8 77.545
-5 77.525
-2 77.695
0 77.765
2 78.485
3 78.525
8 76.735
17 76.685
23 73.845
30 73.565
52 73.405
60 73.095
66 72.945
70 72.895
83 72.775
87 74.445
90 76.365
104 76.255
108 76.935
113 78.885
117.5 78.955
135 77.135
140 76.735
1+250
-10 76.215
-5 77.525
-2 77.695
0 77.83
2.2 78.458
8 76.804
11.2 76.604
14.7 73.944
17.2 73.482
22.2 73.002
28.8 72.967
32.2 73.13
36.2 73.32
41.2 73.23
47.5 73.117
52.7 72.842
56.7 73.057
62 73.122
71 73.122
74 73.112
79.7 74.037
87.3 76.712
97.3 76.857
97.3 76.857
102 78.56
108 78.45
122 76.25
1+500
-10 76.215
-8 77.545
-5 77.525
-2 77.695
0 77.997
2 78.651
6 77.153
11.74 76.618
17.1 72.528
23.46 72.518
29 72.635
35.5 72.826
42.7 73.146
51.68 73.528
60.3 73.608
67.6 73.558
76 73.833
81.6 74.128
84.8 73.838
87.2 75.028
88.9 76.853
107 77.013
110 78.25
116 78.15
121 76.13
1+750
-20 75.737
-10 75.75
-7 77.695
-4 77.695
0 77.655
2 78.425
3 77.315
8 77.275
10 76.365
12.5 74.261
14.5 73.061
16 72.621
20 72.611
26.5 72.641
36 72.671
45 72.931
49 73.141
60 74.061
67 74.401
69 74.411
73 73.391
81.2 73.361
85 74.931
87 77.151
95 77.111
98.5 77.191
103 79.091
109 79.131
119 76.13
2+00
-11.85 76.215
-8 77.545
-5 77.525
-2 77.695
0 77.932
2 78.769
4 78.737
7.4 77.36
9.5 77.074
14 73.158
19 73.294
28.8 73.558
43 73.433
53 73.303
65 72.597
74 72.668
79 74.788
81 76.499
100 76.619
106 78.817
124 78.399
129 76.479
133 76.009
2+250
-15 75.886
-11 76.657
-7 77.012
-3 77.486
0 77.539
3 77.116
5.5 77.276
10 76.036
13.5 76.406
16 73.976
18 73.123
26 72.683
30 72.923
36.4 73.153
42 73.193
56 73.103
60 72.733
69 72.913
74 73.213
77.4 73.822
83 72.346
87.6 76.356
90 76.406
103 76.616
106 78.576
108.5 78.886
112 78.446
119 78.546
126.5 77.126
139 75.866
2+500
-15 75.886
-11 76.657
-7 77.012
-3 77.486
0 77.619
2 77.851
3.3 78.366
5 78.448
6.5 77.557
10 76.35
12.5 74.803
16.3 72.948
31.37 72.865
49.55 73.01
63.42 72.93
73.67 73.215
76.93 76.703
78.73 76.293
101 77.661
105 78.59
113 78.45
122.3 76.36

[Engr_khalil]

Dear i will send you file on mail check this

[Pointdump]

Khalil,

You'll need to organize your data into a more usable format, like this:

200,-8,78.242
200,-6,78.429
200,-2,78.362
200,0,78.502
200,1.5,78.432
200,3,77.072
200,5,75.842
200,6,74.889
200,10,73.079

Because there's no Northings and Eastings, you'll need to create an Alignment before you can import those Station and Offset Points.

Dave