Partial Reference Element-Based Alignment/Profile Design

[ceethreedee.com]

Put simply as I can, I wish you could use multiple bits of linework/other alignments/profiles to create dynamic alignments. Sort of like an offset alignment than co reference more than one object.

Similar to the way kerb returns work already, but in a much more customizable and intuitive way. (this is done incredibly well in 12D using computators!)

Horizontal Geometry Example

Let’s consider horizontal alignment design of two roads (blue and red) using the below example.

There are offset requirements for the existing property boundary, the new road (blue) and the highway. Typically to create an alignment we would offset all of this basic linework and then convert to an alignment and add curves etc.. But this is not very dynamic at all!! What happens if the offset requirements requirement’s change? or If the new road is adjusted?

What would be useful is if we could produce alignments based on these very requirements parametrically. Using a partial reference element-based approach that maintains the links to the original linework or other design elements.

So instead of creating all this alignment geometry manually we can create “dynamic rules” for the alignment to create itself. Most importantly the alignment can be created using multiple partial parts of other objects or alignments.

Vertical Geometry

Using this same example it would be also useful to create dynamic element based vertical geometry as well. Grades can be projected dynamically to create element based tangents or PVI’s.

Some light “freely” available reading can be found here. 12D computators

http://www.exds.com.au/html_content/12d_Model_Super_Alignment_3_Computators/Super_Alignment_Design_u...

Or watch a video here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-ETpftB7WA

[joantopo]

Hi. Good Idea.

In Istram Ispol software, we can do that, but it is not dynamic at all.

The workflow is the following:

When we define the geometry of an entity (line, arc, spiral,..) there is the property "offset" for each entity.

There are 2 types of data about the entity (input data and calculated data).

In the image above, the first entity of the alignment is a line (for example, a fixed line). We define the line from 2 points (start and end point). They are the INPUT DATA, but those points are on the (feature line,building,etc..), so once we add an offset to the entity, the software calculate the real coordinates for start and end point to the first entity.

It happens the same with a curve defined from 3 points and we apply then an offset. (software calculates the new coordinates considerating that offset).

We can edit the offset for each entity if we want, and we can move the start and end stations because we can edit the input data for each entity as many times as you want.

Regards.

[joantopo]

As I say, it must be a property "offset" for the alignment´s entity.

[joantopo]

Another needed, as I can see in your image, is that you apply offset from a particular alignment´s entity to another alignment.

I wrote this idea a month ago:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-civil-3d-ideastation/copy-entity-of-alignment-to-another-alig...

Imagine that the first alignment has a fixed line and we have another alignment which I want an offset entity from the first one.

In Istram Ispol software, there is a property for each entity called "ETIQUETA", which we can type a number (ID).

If we create an entity in another aligment, we can copy the input data (and entity type) from another alignment´s entity using the "ETIQUETA" (ID).

Once we have that, we could apply the "offset" property in this new entity.

To do this, Civil 3D would need to have 2 couple of coordinates. For example, for the start point, the Input start point (editable) and the Calculated Start point (only for read).

In Istram Ispol, we can also get the alignment´s geometry report with input and calculated data or only the calculated data.

[ceethreedee.com]

@joantopo.. i have read both of your posts. I wasn't entirely sure if it was exactly as i wanted to explain it though. But i think we are both roughly on the same page here. Civil 3d needs more dynamically referenced alignment and profile deaign entities.

[ceethreedee.com]

see joan topo's post here for a great video using inroads civil geomerty as well...

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-civil-3d-ideastation/design-intent-of-powercivil/idc-p/6213563...