Modification Tools for Structures in Profile View Palette

[mark_kauffman]

Making modifications to the structures in InfraWorks can be a bit complex, especially in a 3D perspective view with a longer structure. The Profile Palette seems like the ideal place to make many of these changes while providing visual feedback. I would recommend the following options:

1. Structural Elements – The Profile View currently will show and icon indicating the start and end of a structure and whether it is a bridge or tunnel but nothing else is provided. I would recommend that all the structural components be listed along with values. The user should be able to select a pier and enter a value for the station location as well as the span. In addition, the user should be able to select a girder and manipulate the cross-sectional attributes, select the abutments and make modifications, and change the start and end stations for the structure. All along, the user would also have access to the properties palette where they can make modifications to each of the selected structural elements.
2. Modify the start and end station values for the selected roadway
3. Dock and toggle on and off cross-section palette – While this palette is free floating, I would recommend that the user can dock this palette to either the left or right side if the Profile View palette if they choose.
4. Show isometric view of selected structure element – This would be a secondary palette that the user can have docked or floating which shows an isometric view of the currently selected structural element in the Profile View window. The user can switch between top, left and front and reciprocal feedback is reflected in the Cross-Section Palette. For example, if the user selects an exterior girder on the 4th span in the 3D view, this element is highlighted in the cross section palette and the individual pier is displayed in the iso view in the Profile View. If the user make modifications in the 3D view, updates are reflected in the Profile View and updated immediately upon completion. If the modification is applied in the Profile View, the changes are not reflected until the change is applied id delayed regeneration is set.
5. Ability to export a Profile Sheet view from Profile View as a JPG, PNG, PDF, DWG – This would be like a camera snapshot. Allow presets for colors, annotation, etc.

[ara.ashikian]

Hi Mark

These are excellent suggestions.  Extending the functionality of both the profile view and cross section view in InfraWorks has been discussed on a number of occasions and is on our road map.  In the recent release of C3D, we extended the capabilities to show the bridges in the C3D profile view.  Adding a similar capability in InfraWorks, including allowing for precise measurements and editing makes a lot of sense.  Showing the bridges in such views, along with sub surface layers will make the modeling of the superstructure and substructure more convenient and more easily controllable.  

Ara Ashikian, P.Eng.

PM Civil Structures

Autodesk

[mark_kauffman]

Thanks, Ara. I have been working on so many bridges lately and these features work significantly reduce the amount of time I spend "tweaking" the values of all the components. Many of the structures/bridge/tunnel engineers I work will still prefer to work on paper and it is often that I am building content from these sheets.