correct methods & tips to work with architect drawings

[arvind.sJRHGF]

Hi all,

I am a newbie at working with architect and external drawings in civil3D.

i would like to know the proper way to improt and position the architect drawings into civil 3D.

Currently, the architect drawings we get usually are like this:

1.  Drawn in different units

2. No coordinate system

3. Rotated sometimes (not aligned with north.)

4. Scale differences

5. Incorrect boudnaries touse with survey data.

Could the Civil 3D experts here please help me develop a methodology to fix these issues.

I'm a civil engineer and use architect drawings to do the site design, pipe networks, corridors for roads etc.

Best way for me to avoid costly errors would be to learn from this community and get to know good practices and step by step instructions.

Thank you in advance.

Regards

[rl_jackson · Accepted solution]

I get cad data from architects all the time, sometimes this data, might be a boundary that we didn't do. So first thing I do is follow there intended distance from the property line (there's no setbacks per-say here) I'm working with commercial/hi-rise, everything is council meetings for approvals.

First thing I do with a architects file, is do a save as, and strip out what I don't need, once I've done that I save, insert the drawing into my staking file and scale by the drawing by reference, I always use the 1/12 to get it to the right scale (i.e. 1" = .0833333333'). From there I just keep the architects stuff in the drawing, check what his prescribed setbacks should be and if there's and issue notify others above my pay grade.

[Neilw_05 · Accepted solution]

There are lots of approaches to this challenge. All of them have pros and cons.

One approach we use is to create what I call a correlation file. It is an empty drawing with the architectural drawings attached as XREF's using the ATTACH option. The drawings are scaled, moved and rotated to fit the civil site. Since they are just XREF's they retain the source information provided by the architect intact. You can also attach civil drawings as needed to help with aligning the arch drawings. As long as they are attached using the OVERLAY option, they will not create conflicts when the drawing is xref'd downstream.

This correlation drawing is then attached to the civil drawings as needed. Since all the transformations have been done in the correlation drawing they always come into the civil drawings in the right place.

If the architect sends updates, the paths to them are easily redirected to the new drawings in the correlation drawing and everything downstream gets the updates. This is also a way to keep the civil drawings clean of all the non standard layers, styles and symbols that come from outside sources. No need to go through them to clean out the old data when you get updates.

Some of the downsides to this approach are due to the lack of good practices by the architects some cases. They are notorious for using layer 0 and using color and linetype overrides to make their drawings look the way they like. This makes it impossible to use their drawings in XREFs without modification. Also they often will move their buildings around in their drawings so they have to be re-aligned when you get their updates. There are some firms that understand these issues and are good about their practices which makes them easy to work with. Hopefully you get to work with those types.

[jmayo-EE]

I xref the arch's file into the design file as an overlay. Scale (0.803333333), more and rotate to the site. I NCopy the data I need or may open the xref and copy/paste the data I need into our file. Typically foundation lines, doors and ADA detailm aybe roof lines. I keep these files unloaded unless the arch changes something and I need to confirm the data. I don't want staff to deal with hundreds of layers, styles and system variable settings from the Arch's files that will never print on my plans or effect my design particularly at sheet setup time. In general we take the data we need from the files and work in our own templates. IMO keeping vendor data in your project files as reference or objects can waste a lot of your design and plan production time and slow PC performance. I need the data that impacts' the design. In a large commercial retail plan I don't need to have the staff freezing layers with toilets, ducts, light switches, etc on every file they work in.

[wfberry]

John:

I believe you mis-typed your conversion number.

Bill

[Joe-Bouza]

All good recommendations. 

[jmayo-EE]

Big fingers, little buttons and a not so smart smartphone:) yes missed a zero. 0.0833333

[Neilw_05]

Ditto on extracting linework such as bldg outlines that we need for the basic civil design.

[Joe-Bouza]

Almost had to request a coverage variance 😮

[arvind.sJRHGF]

This is what i do so far. i feel its extra step but we need it to keep it easy for us to update the xrefs and to also edit layers to suit our sheets.

[arvind.sJRHGF]

This is what i do so far. i feel its extra step but we need it to keep it easy for us to update the xrefs and to also edit layers to suit our sheets.

[arvind.sJRHGF]

NCopy - I just learned about it from you today!
So you essentially you take what you need and change layers to your own template. What reference data point do you use? We often use surveyed pegs and marks, and often architect's boundaries are incorrect, which then affects boundary set-backs to buildings.
in order for us to determine the boundary is right, the copy-pasting must be done very carefully. Sometime its the incorrect copy-pasting that can raise false red flags I believe.

[chriscowgill7373 · Accepted solution]

What I've always done was create the separate file, but insert the arch drawings as a block, that way we can make the changes to the layers right in that file, and then xref as an overlay into our other sheets.  The downside to using xrefs is that if you need to manipulate layers, you have to modify their original file every time they send it.  inserting the block does not change the layers that already exist in the file, so you dont have to make a bunch of changes every time you insert the file