Grading Object - Tools

[Anonymous]

I am just trying to think alittle on the edge here. I could be missing this but, i would figure i would ask. I know i have seen other programs where i can tell the grading to either make a pond / hole of x CYs or a stock pile / mound of X CYs. Could there be a feature like this that the user can just specify a depth or height and it just grades it based upon either a section or slope. The idea came from the SiteOps stuff.. that was pretty slick.

[troma]

Sounds cool!

Do you specify a shape (based on 2d circle, square, or a selected polyline), a side slope, a max depth etc?

[Anonymous]

From what I tested with SiteOps. I can gave a shape / area. Then apply a property to that shape specifing a volume with side slopes (+ or -). And as you drag that state ontop of a surface with relief, the depth or hight would automatically adjust. Similar to targeting another surface with a grading object to match existing grade. Something along those lines.

[peterfunkautodesk]

Like the current "Auto-Balance Volumes" tool in Civil 3D where you can specifiy a foot print, a set of side slopes and a target volume [0, plus or minus] but it would automatically update without having to press the button on the grading volumes tool dialog?

Regards,

Peter Funk
Sr Product Manager
Civil 3D
Autodesk, Inc.

[troma]

Oh, I used that years ago (would've been 2008 release). As I recall it reported "raised 0.57m" but it didn't actually edit the elevations of the featurelines.

Also, I don't know of a way to specify a slope. Just a bunch of featurelines. Can you elaborate?

[Anonymous]

I am trying to do the following and I am having no luck.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad-civil-3d/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/...

I have an existing surface. I have created a grading group that has a surface generated from it. I have a square feature line assigned vertexes from the existing surface. From there.... I need some advice. thanks

[peterfunkautodesk]

Here is what I did... 

1. Make a feature line the shape i want the top/bottom of the feature to be.

2. Make a grading group using the "grade to surface" option and setting my side slopes (cut and fill)

3. When making the grading group, also make a surace and a volume surface

4. Be sure to do an infill to cap off the grading

5. In the  "Auto-Balance Volumes" tool set either the volume you want the pile to have or the volume you want the pond to be (use negative volume for the pond).

The feature line will move up or down to try to get as close as possible to the target volume.

Regards,

Peter Funk
Sr Product Manager
Civil 3D
Autodesk, Inc.

[Anonymous]

Peter,

Thanks for the workflow. I did as you mentioned and it worked like you said. I guess I never really found any "how to video" on, how to do it properly.

I do have a question for you on this. With the grading objects if I draw a flat bottom of pond, then a 4:1 up to a target elevation (for a safety shelf) then a (distance by grade) to normal pool, finally assign a 3:1 from the normal pool to match existing grade. Will that still do a Auto-Balance? Or is it just a basic (flat area) with a taget surface at whatever slope of grade you want?

[peterfunkautodesk]

That should work fine. The routine will lift or lower all the feature lines together to do the balance so you relative distances will stay constant.

Regards,

Peter Funk
Sr Product Manager
Civil 3D
Autodesk, Inc.

[Anonymous]

Awesome, Thanks Peter, you get an ATTABOY!

[peterfunkautodesk]

Thanks! I guess we need to enhance our documention to show that this tool is for more than just balancing cut and fill.

Regards,

Peter Funk
Sr Product Manager
Civil 3D
Autodesk, Inc.

[fcernst]

Peter-

The workflow you mention for designing a pond is demonstrated below. I have three connected gradings representing a tiered pond in the same grading group, similar to the configuration the OP mentions. The grading uses the EG surface for volume and (daylighting for the top tier). I asked for 20,000 cy of cut (540,000 cf).

I received 20,000 cy of cut, but the pond spills at elevation ~2670, thus detaining only 378,280 cf.

For detention pond design, we need the grading objects to have intelligence that can create the required detention/reservoir volume by recognizing the resultant spillover elevation.