drawing vertical pipes and sharp bends in profile view

[Alan_Corey]

I am trying to draw a vertical bend in profile view to show an connection point to a water tank (inlet) and 5 below the surface of the vertical attachment I need to show a 78.25 degree bend. But adding the necessary bends in profile view is not cooperating nor is drawing a vertical pipe. How can I do this

[Joe-Bouza]

How are you proceeding? Are you using pressure networks?

[MikeEvansUK]

If you wish to use pipe networks then give up now and hand draw or use a block.

The only way to use curved sections in manhole structures is through the Autodesk Labs software and it's not that simple. There is still a bug which will never be fixed (In ver 2014/2015/2016/2017) which prevents a swept curve from being modelled in a structure.

M

[Alan_Corey]

Yes. Pressure networks

[Alan_Corey]

I figured as much... stupid pressure networks. Basically you can draw straight pipes.... ooooo what a powerful add-on autodesk gave us eh?

Thanks anyways

[Joe-Bouza]

Is it a question drawing or plotting the pressure network?

if its drawing and you were unaware: switch from plan to front view to draw the vertical pipe by selecting "p" to adjust the plane glyph....

oops! even 1:1 the draw like poop. bummer

[Alan_Corey]

Tried adjusting the pipe in plane view. The primary issue is that Civil 3D doesn't like a vertical pipe, that is to say if I drew a horizontal pipe at 0 degrees and tried to turn the pipe using either a tee or 90 degree bend such that the pipe is now vertical, Civil3D won't permit it.... which begs the question if I can't do it, then why does a pack in parts library consist of a 90 degree bend and tee for use in profile view editing? The problem is amplified even more when I try to draw a complex bend such as 78.25 degrees. Since a 78 degree bend isn't available, I am forced to combine bends which means I have to draw the pipe in the profile, break the pipe, add the bend, realign the pipe network, break the pipe, add bend......

Maybe I am overthinking this but it seems like an easier way of doing this pressure networks is to have C3D prompt the use of an alignment and a surface profile, then prompt you to create a middle of pipe layout profile view with appropriate bends (in said surface profile) then tell it what diameter of pipe and click "sweep". Done and Done, it eliminates about 50 steps trying to get it to work.

[Jerry_Barnes]

My two cents worth:

For years now, I have simply broken the pipe once so as to allow the new forward pipe section to be bent vertically at the desired total overall angle. I use a self-created "vertical bend" structure that I can place in profile view. I label the structure something like "STA. XX+XX INSTALL (1) 45 DEG. VERTICAL BEND, (1) 22.5 DEG. VERTICAL BEND" or whatever combination you need to achieve the bend angle. The reviewing agencies have never questioned it, and the contractors have never questioned it, either; they know what you mean and they make it happen easily and without fuss.

As for the vertical pipe (literally, a 90-degree vertical downward bend), well, as you noted, C3D doesn't like it. My suggestion is, don't submit that design. Rather, use a 45-degree vertical bend instead and avoid the C3D dilemma. Most agencies I have submitted plans to prefer (or require) a 45-degree or less vertical bend anyway.

[ryanlaughlin]

I am having the exact same issue here. I need to go under a sewer with a water main, but I don't have room to do a 45-degree angle under the utility. I need to go straight down with a 90-degree bend, then have another 90-degree bend to get back to horizontal and then do a series of 45 degree bends after that to get back up to a decent depth. What I have found is that you can draw a vertical 90-degree bend. It will not look at all like a 90-degree vertical downward bend in profile, but if you look at the object in object viewer, you will see that it has done what you want. But, if you then try to attach a pipe to it, it will connect through the fitting. I suspect this is because it is impossible to draw vertical pressure pipes in profile view. 

Overall, I have found that laying out pressure networks in plan view is pretty great. It could be a lot better, but its better than hand drawing them. Any editing of pressure networks in profile is a nightmare. Fittings don't look like the fittings that they are, pipe edit tools do not work, you get tons of errors, you can't draw vertical pipes, if you ask the main to follow the surface at a certain depth it breaks your pipe into a thousand different pipes which are then a nightmare to try to manipulate in profile, many times all of the pipes are located at rediculous elevations. It's pretty terrible. 

All in all, I would recommend that no one use pressure networks for profiles. You will end up wasting so much time trying to get it to do what it is supposed to do that you should just draw it manually and skip the profile tools entirely. 

It sucks because they say it will work, but it doesn't. Anyway, maybe someday they will overhaul this tool, but they didn't get to it in 2018...