C3D book recommendations and advise

[Anonymous]

I am starting out in the course. I am a trained Water and Environmental Engineer and I want to practice design. I graduated in 2013 with Bsc Water & Environmental Engineering but up to date I feel that I do not have the right skills to undertake Engineering design tasks. I have taken my time to learn c3d with the hope that i will learn some industry tips and even practice on my own as a freelancer for the time being before i get full-employment. (I hope somebody is getting my worry!?).  I need recommendations on three areas:

1. Books (soft copy), video tutorials that will help me master basic and advanced c3d

2. Books and/or videos that will enable me handle civil/water engineering infrastructure design in autocad/c3d (Not sure which one is more applicable in infrastrcuture design) without getting support as an intern.

3. Any advise (from somebody who may have been at the stage where I am) on how I may progress my career.

N.B: I have had to juggle between learning archicad so that I design houses but i feel that is out of scope with my training. But I also got to learn that Autocad may also be used in designing houses.

I am really troubled on how I can get sufficient skills to be able to take my career to the next level. PLEASE ASSIST!! 

@BushW has edited your subject line for clarity: book recommendations and General advise

[rl_jackson · Accepted solution]

ISAIAHOGUTU

1. I think I recall a post where most c3d books are not in print for current versions, personal have not looked, but older versions from 2012+ should work as a guide.

2. YouTube is great and I've learned things there. Also get an account at Autodesk University (AU). Some of the AU stuff is advanced but it's your pace not someone else's. Grasp a concept and run.

3. We have all been there. I nor anyone hear truly has the absolute perfect or best way to accomplish a certain goal sometimes it requires help, thinking OOTB and just asking hear as you have. Someone while chime in.

Good luck hope those little bits help and I'm sure more will follow. Everyone here is hear to help.

[Anonymous]

Jackson, thanks so much  for taking  your time to offer advice. I really appreciate.

[Jeew-m]

Dear Friend,

You can use Amazon or ebay for online soft copies of Civil 3D help.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=civil+3d

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xcivil+3d.TRS0&_nk...

Further you can use online Civil 3D help from lynda.com 

https://www.lynda.com/Civil-3D-training-tutorials/5922-0.html

But you have to pay for the above.

As Jackson has suggested You tube also is a great place to learn civil 3d free of charge as we all do. 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqbY8kqZuXp1pyYV6lIQw_A

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmNTCUnY6E4VwxfNFJDPDCw

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzOPNqblNrug1rnlBAU06xg

Thanks

[M_c3d · Accepted solution]

I know your question has been answered but thought my piece might help you;

1. The two main civil 3d books, 'AutoCAD Civil 3D 20xx Essentials' and 'Mastering AutoCAD Civil 3D 20xx' stopped being made in 2016. I asked the same question for new apprentices we will have joining in the new year, the responses here https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-civil-3d-forum/civil-3d-books/m-p/7440085#M349889
2. Books and videos are great but nothing beats real life practice, model your home street as corridors, add junctions, add houses as featurelines etc, make up a proposed surface and then data shortcut that and add drainage (make sure you have the correct country kit installed, UKIE for UK) to suit what you think is there based on standard drainage principles. You tube is the best place to learn, there is thousands of great videos on there. If you get stuck ask on here, people are always happy to help.
3. Whilst not in the same situation as you, what I would say, is get to know civil 3d as much as you can. I assume you are from the UK as you said BSc, there is a real shortage of engineers / technicians in the UK who can use civil 3d, you need to market yourself on how you know it and are competent using it. Use the model i suggested you create in point 2 as an example of your work in job interviews etc

In terms of general civil engineering help;

• Get to know the DMRB http://www.standardsforhighways.co.uk/ha/standards/dmrb/ and any road development guides for your local authority
• Get to know the water guidlines for your area, Sewers for Adoption (England), Sewers for Scotland etc
• From these get to know road constructions, where to use them etc
• From these get to know the manhole details, trenches details etc get to know when each one applies etc
• Get to know SUDS, all new construction projects in the UK must have SUDS, all surface water run off needs at least one level of treatment (or more to take out certain levels of BOD's etc), sites are required to keep surface water storage on site for up to and including a 1 in 200 year storm event, so get to know the manufacturers of attenuation storage (polypipe, ACO etc), flow restriction is also required, sites can not discharge more than 5l/s/ha of impermeable site