Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
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Begin using Civil 3D rail workflows.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
7 min.
Transcript
00:04
In this Back-to-Basics Civil 3D video series, we will go through the entire Rail Design workflow.
00:10
We will use several datasets to highlight some of the different features and tools that are available for rail designers.
00:18
In this first video, we will take a look at some of the core functionality of Civil 3D and how it works, particularly in regard to Rail workflows.
00:27
Starting with opening a file, at the Start menu, we will see a list of all the recent files that we have access to.
00:35
The cloud icon indicates anything that's stored on Autodesk Docs or on the Construction Cloud.
00:41
The monitor indicates anything that's stored locally.
00:44
We can also change the layout from List format to Grid View to get a preview of any of the files we have accessed previously.
00:53
We can also go to the Autodesk Projects tab and see a list of all the different projects that we have access to on Autodesk Docs.
01:02
This drive operates very similarly to a local drive or local area network, as far as accessibility to these files.
01:13
When opening new files, we have a few options.
01:16
We can either select the Plus button next to the Start tab in the menu, or we can select the Civil 3D drop-down menu and select New.
01:25
This way, it gives us an opportunity to choose our drawing template to start our drawing with.
01:32
Choices available are imperial or metric, as well as some other plot styles.
01:37
In this case, we will choose a metric template.
01:41
Initially, some of the menus at the on the top ribbon can look a little overwhelming.
01:45
We will talk about each one of these as it pertains to the rail design workflow.
01:51
On the Home tab, we can toggle on and off our workspace palette,
01:55
that shows all of our different civil 3D design elements.
01:58
These are elements that contain intelligence that we can create reports on and that are tracked within our drawing.
02:05
We can also turn on and off property details that will list the details about any element that we select in our drawing.
02:13
Project Explorer offers the opportunity to create reports and details about civil 3D elements as well.
02:20
Some of the other civil 3D elements that we will be focused on are points.
02:25
This is where we can create COGO points, based on station alignments, surface information, or survey files.
02:32
We will also take a closer look at how to create surfaces from a variety of different methods.
02:38
Some of the other areas we will take a look at are Alignments.
02:41
More particularly, we will take a look at Rail Alignments that are available on the Rail tab.
02:46
We will also look at Profiles and Rail Corridors, and some tips and tricks we can use when creating those.
02:53
We will also take a look at some of the different rail assemblies that are available to us, and some pipe network information.
02:60
The profile view and section view options give us the ability to view any sort of design data
03:06
in regards to profile views and cross sections for corridors that we have created.
03:11
Other tools are available to help us with layer control and drawing details.
03:16
Under the Insert tab, the information that we might be interested in are linking to InfraWorks models
03:23
and extracting information from ArcGIS using the Autodesk Connector for ArcGIS.
03:29
We can also use this area to attach point clouds for surface creation.
03:34
The Annotate tab allows us to create and set up annotation for drawings.
03:39
The Modify tab allows us to make customizations to things like feature lines.
03:45
Under the Analyze tab, we can calculate volumes and materials generated from our corridor.
03:52
The View tab allows us to set up our view configuration, especially when we want to look at multiple views within our model.
04:00
The information that we're interested in, under the Manage tab, would be managing data shortcuts
04:05
as well as creating and updating property set information, or running Dynamo for civil 3D.
04:11
The Output tab allows us to send information to other platforms within the AEC collection, as well as publishing information to ArcGIS.
04:21
Survey tab allows us to set up and operate field survey data.
04:26
The Rail tab is where we will spend the majority of our time.
04:29
We will look at each one of these functions individually.
04:32
The Collaborate tab allows us to connect to docs and other AEC collection platforms.
04:40
The other tabs are for use with 3rd party add-ins, for help information,
04:46
and for additional tools and features that might help when it comes to active rail workflows.
04:53
Again, our tool Space palette shows all our Civil 3D design data,
04:58
and here we can also manage the data shortcut folders where we can store and share Civil 3D information
05:06
that is created in our drawing that needs to be shared with other project team members, such as surfaces, alignments, and pipe networks.
05:14
On the bottom portion of our Civil 3D screen, we can see the model space and paper space,
05:19
where we can manage sheets that are set up based on our model.
05:24
Most of the time, we will stay within model space.
05:26
Other settings and toggles along the bottom of our Civil 3D window
05:31
include Ortho and Snap modes, our Object Snap settings, and annotation scale.
05:40
There are a host of other elements that are useful when it comes to our design and analysis.
05:47
A few other items of note, when we right-click within our Civil 3D screen,
05:52
we can go to options and set up our drawing and make customizations to our file paths, our CAD functionality,
05:59
as well as some of our settings.
06:02
We can change some of the view settings of our drawing space such as the background color, crosshair size, or X Reference displays.
06:12
One final note, a big difference between Civil 3D and other CAD platforms is that Civil 3D is command line oriented.
06:21
Most tools are available by selecting an icon or by typing in a command that will display in the command line.
06:29
Often times, when you are uncertain of a certain command, if you start typing in information,
06:35
you will have a list of functions and executables that you can choose from.
06:40
Several different types of external reference files can also be added to your design drawing, including other civil 3D files, DGNS,
06:49
images and point clouds that help to provide you more information in your CAD working area.
Video transcript
00:04
In this Back-to-Basics Civil 3D video series, we will go through the entire Rail Design workflow.
00:10
We will use several datasets to highlight some of the different features and tools that are available for rail designers.
00:18
In this first video, we will take a look at some of the core functionality of Civil 3D and how it works, particularly in regard to Rail workflows.
00:27
Starting with opening a file, at the Start menu, we will see a list of all the recent files that we have access to.
00:35
The cloud icon indicates anything that's stored on Autodesk Docs or on the Construction Cloud.
00:41
The monitor indicates anything that's stored locally.
00:44
We can also change the layout from List format to Grid View to get a preview of any of the files we have accessed previously.
00:53
We can also go to the Autodesk Projects tab and see a list of all the different projects that we have access to on Autodesk Docs.
01:02
This drive operates very similarly to a local drive or local area network, as far as accessibility to these files.
01:13
When opening new files, we have a few options.
01:16
We can either select the Plus button next to the Start tab in the menu, or we can select the Civil 3D drop-down menu and select New.
01:25
This way, it gives us an opportunity to choose our drawing template to start our drawing with.
01:32
Choices available are imperial or metric, as well as some other plot styles.
01:37
In this case, we will choose a metric template.
01:41
Initially, some of the menus at the on the top ribbon can look a little overwhelming.
01:45
We will talk about each one of these as it pertains to the rail design workflow.
01:51
On the Home tab, we can toggle on and off our workspace palette,
01:55
that shows all of our different civil 3D design elements.
01:58
These are elements that contain intelligence that we can create reports on and that are tracked within our drawing.
02:05
We can also turn on and off property details that will list the details about any element that we select in our drawing.
02:13
Project Explorer offers the opportunity to create reports and details about civil 3D elements as well.
02:20
Some of the other civil 3D elements that we will be focused on are points.
02:25
This is where we can create COGO points, based on station alignments, surface information, or survey files.
02:32
We will also take a closer look at how to create surfaces from a variety of different methods.
02:38
Some of the other areas we will take a look at are Alignments.
02:41
More particularly, we will take a look at Rail Alignments that are available on the Rail tab.
02:46
We will also look at Profiles and Rail Corridors, and some tips and tricks we can use when creating those.
02:53
We will also take a look at some of the different rail assemblies that are available to us, and some pipe network information.
02:60
The profile view and section view options give us the ability to view any sort of design data
03:06
in regards to profile views and cross sections for corridors that we have created.
03:11
Other tools are available to help us with layer control and drawing details.
03:16
Under the Insert tab, the information that we might be interested in are linking to InfraWorks models
03:23
and extracting information from ArcGIS using the Autodesk Connector for ArcGIS.
03:29
We can also use this area to attach point clouds for surface creation.
03:34
The Annotate tab allows us to create and set up annotation for drawings.
03:39
The Modify tab allows us to make customizations to things like feature lines.
03:45
Under the Analyze tab, we can calculate volumes and materials generated from our corridor.
03:52
The View tab allows us to set up our view configuration, especially when we want to look at multiple views within our model.
04:00
The information that we're interested in, under the Manage tab, would be managing data shortcuts
04:05
as well as creating and updating property set information, or running Dynamo for civil 3D.
04:11
The Output tab allows us to send information to other platforms within the AEC collection, as well as publishing information to ArcGIS.
04:21
Survey tab allows us to set up and operate field survey data.
04:26
The Rail tab is where we will spend the majority of our time.
04:29
We will look at each one of these functions individually.
04:32
The Collaborate tab allows us to connect to docs and other AEC collection platforms.
04:40
The other tabs are for use with 3rd party add-ins, for help information,
04:46
and for additional tools and features that might help when it comes to active rail workflows.
04:53
Again, our tool Space palette shows all our Civil 3D design data,
04:58
and here we can also manage the data shortcut folders where we can store and share Civil 3D information
05:06
that is created in our drawing that needs to be shared with other project team members, such as surfaces, alignments, and pipe networks.
05:14
On the bottom portion of our Civil 3D screen, we can see the model space and paper space,
05:19
where we can manage sheets that are set up based on our model.
05:24
Most of the time, we will stay within model space.
05:26
Other settings and toggles along the bottom of our Civil 3D window
05:31
include Ortho and Snap modes, our Object Snap settings, and annotation scale.
05:40
There are a host of other elements that are useful when it comes to our design and analysis.
05:47
A few other items of note, when we right-click within our Civil 3D screen,
05:52
we can go to options and set up our drawing and make customizations to our file paths, our CAD functionality,
05:59
as well as some of our settings.
06:02
We can change some of the view settings of our drawing space such as the background color, crosshair size, or X Reference displays.
06:12
One final note, a big difference between Civil 3D and other CAD platforms is that Civil 3D is command line oriented.
06:21
Most tools are available by selecting an icon or by typing in a command that will display in the command line.
06:29
Often times, when you are uncertain of a certain command, if you start typing in information,
06:35
you will have a list of functions and executables that you can choose from.
06:40
Several different types of external reference files can also be added to your design drawing, including other civil 3D files, DGNS,
06:49
images and point clouds that help to provide you more information in your CAD working area.
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