Learn Civil3D without any Civil Engineering knowledge?

[mohargnia]

I am an instructor for a CAD program (adult students) where there is some interest in adding Civil3D to the curriculum; but I am unsure about the viability. I have tons of experience in AutoCAD, SketchUp, Inventor, Revit, etc., but not a lot in Civil3D. My question revolves more around the students' ability to learn Civil3D. Most, if not all, will come to me with no prior knowledge of any CAD software let alone civil engineering. With the other software I teach (see above) I have had no problem with students understanding what they are drawing because everything is familiar. I don't have to explain what a wall is for someone creating a wall in Revit. My fear is that civil engineering terms are unfamiliar and so I will spend most of the time teaching what a watershed or an abutment is that I won't have time to get to the software.

What are your thoughts? Can you recommend any books that will give a basic understanding of civil engineering or Civil3D?

Your help is much appreciated.

[tcorey · Accepted solution]

Teach Surfaces, Alignments, Profiles, Cross Sections.

They don't have to know Civil Engineering coming in, but they will know some going out.

[AllenJessup]

I don't have anything specific. You can search for "Beginners Civil Engineering" books. There are a couple on Amazon. But I can't speak to their content.

The problem with most CE Books are they are hard cover and expensive. You might want to gather definitions of the common elements and create a hand-out.

There are also terms specific to Civil 3D.Corridor as a created model, Assembly and Subassembly as proprosed X-sections,

Post again if you have more questions.

[Joe-Bouza]

The Civil Engineering jargon will inevitably enter the lexicon. However, designing in civil3d does not require and engineering degree. "The Design" does but if parameters are listed to follow students can handle it. I agree with @tcorey  out line. skip points as survey instructions but use them for surface creation instruction.

To add to the outline add gravity pipes,  they will enjoy the video game aspect

[rgrainer]

In the same ways that a wall can be explained and applied in Revit, so can curbs, roads, walls and sidewalks etc as they are real world items that most people are familiar with. Same goes for most other elements found in learning civil engineering and the real world. Sure there are some deeper learning and perhaps abstractions or concepts, but that comes later, after they get the software, understand the concepts and learn the basics.  
It's sound like you know your software and should be able handle C3D,  but perhaps, find a civil engineer who you can talk to in order to find out what are some key concepts that a beginner needs to grasp in order to be proficient and somewhat competent using the software.
Good luck

[MichaelH13]

I learnt Civil 3D with no engineering knowledge other than an understanding of how the world works. 

Like anything, if you keep it simple and avoid words like "abutment" then the majority will understand easily enough. It needs to be a course taken after an AutoCAD course, so they are not trying to learn how the software works and can focus on learning the functions specific to C3D like surfaces, feature lines, corridors and assemblies and how they interact.

[ctbailey]

I teach students without prior civil engineering experience ALL THE TIME.  But that's because these students are in a Civil Engineering degree program.

You CAN NOT TEACH Civil 3D if you yourself have zero civil engineering experience.

But sure, if you teach the basics while teaching the Civil3D tools - no problem.  It becomes an "intro to civil works" as well as "Civil 3D."