Civil 3D – 2010 Assembly Link Tip

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Read this article here

An associate contacted me recently regarding how to move 2 sets of train tracks through a single corridor, while keeping the ability to deviate the overall width.  The example I received had the sets of tracks identically elevated and on a single bed.  I decided to go a bit overboard, and add vertical and horizontal control.

Above you can see that I mocked up something real fast.  2 separate alignments, and 2 respective profiles.  I wanted to create a open area in the middle to add a freight depot.  I used the profiles to help me adjust the grades for the buildings.

The Assembly

Here is the first half of the solution.

I’ll list the steps below the example image, and then I’ll discuss some important items afterward.

Civil 3D – 2010 Design Criteria ribbon

I wrote a little bit on Selective Design Criteria and posted it on Civil 3D.com a while back.  I am currently going back to edit the 2010 criteria files, and thought I’d post this ribbon update.

The criteria editor is still available on the ribbon.  Select the Modify Tab, pick Alignment, and you should find the button on the Modify Panel.  This is the only way (only good way) to edit criteria files.

To remind everyone why we were editing the criteria file, is because we needed Stopping Sight Distance, but not Passing Sight Distance.  The road in question is an old edge of municipality, unpaved road on a fairly steep hill, and subsequently I simply need to validate Stopping Sight, and not Passing Sight, and we will post the region as a “No Passing Zone”.

The design speed for this road is 25 MPH.  Here you can see that  I have satisfied the SSD K of 19, but the error persists.  A tooltip hover shows us that the error is for PSD.  You can’t make it go away.   This will eventually cause me to overlook an error somewhere else.

So we edit a file copy, attach that to our design criteria instead, and get on with our lives.

If you’d like to read the article, you can get it here:

http://www.civil3d.com/2008/11/selective-design-criteria/

Civil 3D – Selective Design Criteria

Civil3D.com has added another write up of mine, check it out.

Selective Design Criteria on Civil3d.com

It may get some flak, so be sure to read the bashing.

Renumber Alignment Labels with Overlapping sequences

The following question was posted to the Civil 3D Discussion groups. 

I have a drawing with 20 road alignments and I am trying to create curve tables for them. I want the table for each road to start at 1. When I tag each curve, they keep going in numerical order…. Even if I change the numbering options to 1 before I label them….

Overlapping Tag Label Numbering

In Civil 3D 2008, the Parcel and Alignment Tag numbering was a site oriented thing. I worked it out by keeping different tables for each site, and went on my merry (and not so merry) way. Civil 3D 2009 seems to have lumped all the tags into a big pot. Overlaps can occur with labels on the same Site. I like this much better, and I have more flexible control. No more auto labeling in the 500’s, and then manually renumbering tags into the range I wanted. YES!