topic Grading feature not generating smooth contours/tessellating oddly in Civil 3D Forum

Grading feature not generating smooth contours/tessellating oddly

abbym96J43 — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 02:15:08 GMT

I am at my wits end trying to figure out why my pond 4:1 side slopes keep generating so oddly. No matter how much I modify the tessellation settings and angles, the surface keeps adding these rogue points into the grading feature.

Any thoughts on what I'm missing here? How can I get the triangles to cut across instead of "fanning" out across the curves?

Please see attached screenshot with the triangles turned on.

UPDATE: Added CAD file.

Re: Grading feature not generating smooth contours/tessellating oddly

ChrisRS — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 23:11:45 GMT

Possibly some stray feature lines? I can't tell without the drawing.

Re: Grading feature not generating smooth contours/tessellating oddly

abbym96J43 — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 02:13:42 GMT

I've attached the file.

I thought it could be a stray featureline and/or point too, but it's on its own independent Site. I've also tried recreating the featureline, but it still happens. Maybe the odd triangulation has to do with the radii of the featureline curves?

Re: Grading feature not generating smooth contours/tessellating oddly

CodeDing — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 02:51:54 GMT

@abbym96J43 ,

All I did was Delete your grading, then re-create it with all of your same settings, surface turned out fine for me (Civil 3D 2025). IDK, did you try to restart? Perhaps something else. I will attach DWG for you.

Best,

~DD

Re: Grading feature not generating smooth contours/tessellating oddly

abbym96J43 — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 15:08:50 GMT

You're my hero.

I tried regenerating from a new featureline and everything (C3D 2022). I did not restart my computer though. Not sure what was causing the hang up.

Re: Grading feature not generating smooth contours/tessellating oddly

ChrisRS — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 19:50:11 GMT

"Have you tried turning it off and back on again?"

I am using 2026. Open. Select the surface and rebuild. Fixed.

I have found similar behavior in the past. My best explanation is "Because ... ... ... Civil 3D."