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Creating Custom Roundabouts in InfraWorks

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In the realm of civil engineering and urban planning, visualizing complex infrastructure projects before they are built is crucial. The integration of Autodesk InfraWorks and Civil 3D presents a powerful methodology for creating detailed and realistic conceptual designs, especially when it comes to roundabouts. This post explores the advantages of importing roundabout alignments from Civil 3D into InfraWorks, and how this can significantly enhance your design process.

Advantages of Importing Roundabout Alignments from Civil 3D

 

1. Seamless Connection of Single Lane Exits and Access Ramps One of the primary benefits of using Civil 3D alignments is the ability to effortlessly connect single-lane exits and access ramps. This functionality ensures that all connections are geometrically accurate, which is essential for creating safe and efficient roundabout designs.

2. Flexibility in Adding Multiple Legs When dealing with complex roundabouts, the ability to add a significant number of legs is crucial. Importing alignments from Civil 3D allows designers to incorporate multiple legs into their roundabout designs with ease.

3. Customization of Materials and Components Another significant advantage is the ability to assign desired materials to all components of the roundabout. Whether it's the pavement, curbs, or landscaping, InfraWorks offers an extensive library of materials that can be applied to enhance the visual appeal of the design. This customization helps stakeholders visualize the finished product more accurately.

4. Ideal for Conceptual Designs When detailed corridor designs are not yet available, this methodology proves invaluable for creating conceptual designs. InfraWorks allows you to import alignments and quickly build out a visually compelling representation of the interchange. This is particularly useful for presentations, stakeholder meetings, and initial planning phases, where a clear and attractive visualization can make a significant impact.

 

Step 1: Export Alignments from Civil 3D

 

Begin by exporting your circular alignment and leg alignments from Civil 3D. The recommended format for this is IMX, which preserves the geometric data and ensures compatibility with InfraWorks.

  1. Open your project in Civil 3D.

  2. draw all the necessary Alignments. Profiles are not necessary you can adjust them directly in infraworks.
  3. save the .dwg Go to the "Output" tab and select "Export IMX".

It is better to split roundabout alignment into two separate alignments, sometimes a single rounded alignment does not import properly in InfraWorks.

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Export .dwg into .IMX

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Step 2: Import Alignments into InfraWorks

 

Once you have your IMX file, the next step is to import these alignments into InfraWorks.

  1. In InfraWorks, open your project. (The coordinate system must be the same in InfraWorks and Civil 3D, a doubt.)

  2. Go to the "Data Sources" panel and select "Autodesk IMX".

  3. Navigate to your .IMX file and import it Or just drag and drop .imx into infraworks.

  4. ensuring that the alignments are placed accurately within your project.

Please assign Custom Road Assembly if it exists; otherwise, leave it Stock assemblies.

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Step 3: Stylize Interchange

With the necessary alignments established, you can now to stylize the exchange.

Do not worry if everything appears ugly and unacceptable during the first import; will rectify soon 😊

  1. Adjust all profiles to align with the road levels.

  2. Remove unnecessary lane directions for access and exit lanes.

  3. Adjust all lane direction arrows at each intersection to clean up road markings.

First Import

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The cleaned model has been adjusted with all the profiles and directions correctly configured.

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Now It is Time to Add Center Island 

  1. MAPEXPORT Center Island's Closed polyline from Civil 3D as SDF or ShapeFile, ensuring that the proper coordinate system is assigned.

  2. Drag and drop exported SDF/SHP into Infraworks.

  3. Inform Infraworks that this is the Grading Area and assign the material to the imported object.
  4. Drape Grading Area on Existing Surface Or desired Elevation.
  5. Make slight adjustments to the elevation in order to achieve the final result.

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Step 6: Save and Share Your Design

Once you're satisfied with your design, save your custom road assembly configurations to your library for future use. Share your project with stakeholders

 

Creating custom roundabouts in InfraWorks, with the integration of Civil 3D, not only streamlines your workflow but also enhances the visual appeal and functionality of your designs. By following these steps, you can leverage the power of both tools to deliver superior infrastructure projects.