Import Custom Civil 3D Subassembly in Infraworks

[izzybabur]

Hi,

Is there a preferred workflow for importing custom Civil 3D subassemblies into Infraworks? I tried importing the Civil 3D file, but it is quite different. My subassembly contains earthworks (embankments or retained cuts) only when my superstructure is close to the ground. In all other cases, it's elevated with columns. Throughout my entire alignment, I have a continuous superstructure, which resembles a very large pipe. 

If I create a corridor surface in Civil 3D, it triangulates my pipe as well and makes quite the mess. Also, the file size is massive (around 150mb) just with the corridor, alignment and two profiles. If I bring in the C3D file without the corridor surface, it detects my alignment as a road and draws it completely different. 

Because of these issues, I tried other methods such as exporting my C3D file to an IMX. Still had the same issues, but then I came across a workflow from Jeff Bartel's infrastructure blog, where he imports a pavement structure as city furniture in an FBX file (exported from C3D). 

I extracted my corridor solids into a completely separate drawing, and then I tried exporting it to an FBX. It took over 6 hours to run the export and the file size jumped from 150mb to 1.2GB. When I bring the FBX file into C3D, I try to configure it and it crashes. Eventually, I ended up just configuring the geolocation tab after changing the type to "buildings" or "city furniture" (the 3D model tab freezes when loading the model and updating the preview). 

At the end of all of this, I still don't get anything that looks like my corridor solids file. 

Essentially, I just want Infraworks to show my corridor solids file along with all the other 3D infrastructure that Infraworks has available. I feel like there's an easier way to do this, but I'm a newbie with Infraworks!

Thanks for your time and consideration. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,

izzy

[izzybabur]

Hi,

Is there a preferred workflow for importing custom Civil 3D subassemblies into Infraworks? I tried importing the Civil 3D file, but it is quite different. My subassembly contains earthworks (embankments or retained cuts) only when my superstructure is close to the ground. In all other cases, it's elevated with columns. Throughout my entire alignment, I have a continuous superstructure, which resembles a very large pipe. 

If I create a corridor surface in Civil 3D, it triangulates my pipe as well and makes quite the mess. Also, the file size is massive (around 150mb) just with the corridor, alignment and two profiles. If I bring in the C3D file without the corridor surface, it detects my alignment as a road and draws it completely different. 

Because of these issues, I tried other methods such as exporting my C3D file to an IMX. Still had the same issues, but then I came across a workflow from Jeff Bartel's infrastructure blog, where he imports a pavement structure as city furniture in an FBX file (exported from C3D). 

I extracted my corridor solids into a completely separate drawing, and then I tried exporting it to an FBX. It took over 6 hours to run the export and the file size jumped from 150mb to 1.2GB. When I bring the FBX file into C3D, I try to configure it and it crashes. Eventually, I ended up just configuring the geolocation tab after changing the type to "buildings" or "city furniture" (the 3D model tab freezes when loading the model and updating the preview). 

At the end of all of this, I still don't get anything that looks like my corridor solids file. 

Essentially, I just want Infraworks to show my corridor solids file along with all the other 3D infrastructure that Infraworks has available. I feel like there's an easier way to do this, but I'm a newbie with Infraworks!

Thanks for your time and consideration. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,

izzy

[Karsten.Saenger · Accepted solution]

Hi @izzybabur

the workflow sounds correct: You create corridoe solids in Civil 3D and you want to import these into InfraWorks as 3D model.

The result is a "distorted" geometry.

I think the issue is related to the way InfraWorks handels 3D models. On the one side a 3D model is actually meant to be a smaller object (such as city furniture), but you are using a model that is very large in extent.

The next fact to note is that a 3D model has a beasepoint. When you import the model it will be referenced geographically at this basepoint. If the model is very large (some kilometers) the accuracy can degrade at the other end of the model. This is due to the erath curvature and coordinate system setting. Internally InfraWorks converts everything to WGS84.

The last important fact is that for some formats the model geometry looks degraded if the model is located far away from the origin point 0,0.

I suggest to try the following:

• If your solids are at the correct location in Civil 3D, just import the DWG as AutoCAD DWG (3D Objects).
• Important: Use the cloud option to import the model not the local Navisworks option. This can be defined in the application options.
• If that does not have a good geometry quality in InfraWorks, move the solids close to 0,0 in Civil 3D. Write down the delta X and Y. When importing the file in InfraWorks use the same delta values to move the object back to the original place in the configuration dialog

Best Regards,

Karsten.

[Karsten.Saenger · Accepted solution]

Hi @izzybabur

the workflow sounds correct: You create corridoe solids in Civil 3D and you want to import these into InfraWorks as 3D model.

The result is a "distorted" geometry.

I think the issue is related to the way InfraWorks handels 3D models. On the one side a 3D model is actually meant to be a smaller object (such as city furniture), but you are using a model that is very large in extent.

The next fact to note is that a 3D model has a beasepoint. When you import the model it will be referenced geographically at this basepoint. If the model is very large (some kilometers) the accuracy can degrade at the other end of the model. This is due to the erath curvature and coordinate system setting. Internally InfraWorks converts everything to WGS84.

The last important fact is that for some formats the model geometry looks degraded if the model is located far away from the origin point 0,0.

I suggest to try the following:

• If your solids are at the correct location in Civil 3D, just import the DWG as AutoCAD DWG (3D Objects).
• Important: Use the cloud option to import the model not the local Navisworks option. This can be defined in the application options.
• If that does not have a good geometry quality in InfraWorks, move the solids close to 0,0 in Civil 3D. Write down the delta X and Y. When importing the file in InfraWorks use the same delta values to move the object back to the original place in the configuration dialog

Best Regards,

Karsten.

[Anonymous]

Hi @izzybabur,

i think that this is close to what you're talking about:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/infraworks-360-ideas/import-typical-section-from-civil3d/idi-p/670016...

I had a workaround with this.

I created the corridor in C3D, and then imported it into IW360, I got the alignment and the profile, I created the road style based on the subassemblies (dimensions etc) and applied that to the alignment.

The outcome was pretty good.

Was this answer helpful? If so, please click the ACCEPT AS SOLUTION or the KUDO button

Nicola Ianeselli
BIM Manager

Twitter | LinkedIn

Infraworks Ambassador

Want to present in Infraworks? Vote this up!

[Anonymous]

Hi @izzybabur,

i think that this is close to what you're talking about:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/infraworks-360-ideas/import-typical-section-from-civil3d/idi-p/670016...

I had a workaround with this.

I created the corridor in C3D, and then imported it into IW360, I got the alignment and the profile, I created the road style based on the subassemblies (dimensions etc) and applied that to the alignment.

The outcome was pretty good.

Was this answer helpful? If so, please click the ACCEPT AS SOLUTION or the KUDO button

Nicola Ianeselli
BIM Manager

Twitter | LinkedIn

Infraworks Ambassador

Want to present in Infraworks? Vote this up!

[izzybabur]

Hi,

@Anonymous thanks for that link I appreciate it. However, I found that the suggestion @Karsten.Saenger provided worked quite well! The only thing is I may have to regenerate a new model with model builder, because I think my terrain is corrupted by the previous alignments I brought in (showing remnants of the previous alignments that were brought in as "roads" in the terrain - can't seem to delete those features yet).

@Anonymous your suggestion is great; however, we are running optimization tools for alignments and profiles outside of Civil 3D. I would prefer to bring the Civil 3D work into Infraworks as solids for visualization and animation, as well as to pick up infrastructure elevations that are typically not picked up with the sparse topography data I have. 

On that note, what data does Infraworks use to generate terrain? Currently I'm pulling in SRTM 90 data as a point cloud into Civil 3D, and generating a surface from it. My corridor targets that surface and then chooses which custom subassembly to use. When I bring my corridor solids into Infraworks, the alignment works great; however, it seems like my elevations are quite off since it's floating in the air. Could this be an origin issue, or is this because the terrain data I'm using is different than that of Infraworks?

Also, in regards to the comment about the curvature errors over long distances - this is something that we are looking into for our detailed engineering. However, for the conceptual visualizations and animations in Infraworks, I think the small errors don't really manifest themselves visually just yet. On that note, is there a way to visualize long corridors in Infraworks using lat,long,alt? 

Thanks for all your help - I appreciate it!

Regards,

izzy

[izzybabur]

Hi,

@Anonymous thanks for that link I appreciate it. However, I found that the suggestion @Karsten.Saenger provided worked quite well! The only thing is I may have to regenerate a new model with model builder, because I think my terrain is corrupted by the previous alignments I brought in (showing remnants of the previous alignments that were brought in as "roads" in the terrain - can't seem to delete those features yet).

@Anonymous your suggestion is great; however, we are running optimization tools for alignments and profiles outside of Civil 3D. I would prefer to bring the Civil 3D work into Infraworks as solids for visualization and animation, as well as to pick up infrastructure elevations that are typically not picked up with the sparse topography data I have. 

On that note, what data does Infraworks use to generate terrain? Currently I'm pulling in SRTM 90 data as a point cloud into Civil 3D, and generating a surface from it. My corridor targets that surface and then chooses which custom subassembly to use. When I bring my corridor solids into Infraworks, the alignment works great; however, it seems like my elevations are quite off since it's floating in the air. Could this be an origin issue, or is this because the terrain data I'm using is different than that of Infraworks?

Also, in regards to the comment about the curvature errors over long distances - this is something that we are looking into for our detailed engineering. However, for the conceptual visualizations and animations in Infraworks, I think the small errors don't really manifest themselves visually just yet. On that note, is there a way to visualize long corridors in Infraworks using lat,long,alt? 

Thanks for all your help - I appreciate it!

Regards,

izzy

[Karsten.Saenger]

Hi @izzybabur

check the model builder information about the question what data is used to create models:

Regards,

Karsten.

[Karsten.Saenger]

Hi @izzybabur

check the model builder information about the question what data is used to create models:

Regards,

Karsten.