Module 12 - web.statler.wvu.eduddean/CE210/AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009... · AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009...

NOTES

Module 12

Site Grading and Quantities

In this module, you learn how to grade a residential subdivision site and

calculate cut and fill earthwork volumes in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Objectives

After completing this module, you will be able to:

Create and edit feature lines.

Create an interim grading surface.

Create feature lines from a surface and modify a design surface.

Create a final grading surface and calculate earthwork volumes.

Create reactive spot elevation and grade labels for the proposed surface.

Generate data required for construction.

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009 Education Curriculum NOTES

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Notes

Data for this module resides in the \AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009 Education

Curriculum\Module 12 – Site Grading and Quantities\ folder.

Student Exercises

The following exercises are provided in step-by-step format. Open the

AutoCAD Civil 3D program prior to beginning the lesson by double-clicking

the Civil 3D icon on your desktop.

Those working in the Imperial system should use the drawing files beginning

with the letter I, while those working in the metric system should use the

drawing files beginning with the letter M.

You are provided with a drawing for each exercise in the lesson.

You are required to open the drawing provided with each lesson.

The exercises in this module are as follows:

1. Create and Edit Feature Lines

2. Create Interim Grading Surface

3. Create Feature Lines from the Surface and Update Surface

4. Create Final Grading Surface and Calculate Volumes

5. Create Spot Elevation and Grade Labels

6. Generate Data Required for Construction

Module 12 - Site Grading and Quantities NOTES

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Site Grading and Quantities

Site grading for a subdivision design is often an iterative and lengthy process.

The most important design considerations for subdivision site grading are to

ensure that rainwater drains off the site, and that the final earthwork volumes

are balanced. Many times the designers purposely design the grading to

generate excess fill material that can be used in another area of the site.

The roads and the profiles for the subdivision usually dictate the overall

grading and drainage characteristics for the site. For this reason, the roads are

designed first. The next step is to grade the subdivision parcels. In this module,

you design the grading for the subdivision parcels.

The 3D elevations at the subdivision road right-of-way locations are used as a

starting point to design the grading for the subdivision. The objects that

represent the design elevations at the right-of-way locations are called feature

lines.

Feature lines are Civil 3D objects that are very similar to AutoCAD 3D

polylines, except that they are far more powerful. The horizontal and vertical

locations of feature lines are created, edited, and modified using the Civil 3D

feature line tools. These are a powerful set of utilities that allow you to

manipulate feature lines in ways similar to the AutoCAD polyline edit

commands.

You create property setback feature lines by offsetting the right-of-way feature

lines horizontally and vertically. Using an interim grading surface, you also

determine the feature line elevations at the edge of the site.

This boundary feature line is then used to create Civil 3D grading objects,

which project the design match slope to the existing ground surface model.


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The design feature lines and grading objects are then used to create the final

design surface. The design surface can then be used to generate data for

construction, such as staking points and plans that show the overall drainage

characteristics of the site.

Finally, to help you with this module, the following illustration shows

referenced street names and directions.


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Birch Lane is the west cul-de-sac and Cedar Cove is the east cul-de-sac.

Key Terms

Feature Line A feature line is a special line type that grading commands recognize and

use as a footprint and surfaces can use as a breakline. You can draw feature

lines, create them by converting existing objects, or export feature lines from

corridors. Feature lines are similar to AutoCAD 3D polylines and store both

horizontal and elevation location data. Feature lines can be labeled with

grades and elevations.

Feature Line

Style

The feature line style controls the appearance of a feature line.

Grading

Feature Line

from Corridor

You can create feature lines from corridors. Oftentimes, a designer creates a

grading feature line at the corridor right-of-way locations. These feature

lines are used to begin the grading for the subdivision parcels. Grading

feature lines created from a corridor can either be dynamic, and

automatically react with changes to the corridor, or they can be static, and

therefore editable.

Elevation

Editor

The Elevation Editor is displayed in the Panorama window and is used to

modify the elevations of feature lines. You can modify individual elevation

points or raise and lower the feature line by a specified distance. When you

click an elevation point in the Elevation Editor, Civil 3D displays a graphic

marker in the drawing area to show the location of the selected elevation

point.

Interim

Grading

An interim grading surface is created to model the overall drainage

characteristics for the site. Feature lines can then be created at any location


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Surface on the site and assigned elevations from the interim grading surface.

Daylighting Daylighting refers to the action of projecting a slope from a feature line to a

surface. The location where the projected slope intersects the surface is

called the daylight line.

Stepped Offset Stepped Offset is a feature line tool that offsets a feature line by a horizontal

and vertical distance. You can also specify the offset parameters with a

horizontal distance and a grade.

Corridor

Datum

Surface

The corridor datum surface represents the subgrade level of a corridor. It is

included as data in the design site grading surface for earthwork volume

calculations.

Elevation

Point

An elevation point is a location on a feature line with an assigned elevation.

Grading

Object

A grading object is a Civil 3D object that represents a projected slope to

either a surface, elevation, or an offset. Grading objects are most often used

to daylight to an existing surface. Grading objects intersect each other if they

are in the same Civil 3D specified site.

Grading

Group

Grading groups are part of Civil 3D sites and are used to organize grading

objects.

Grading Style A grading style controls the appearance of grading object slopes. You assign

different grading styles for cut and fill conditions.

Composite

Volume

A composite volume is a method for calculating the volume between two

surfaces.

Quick Profile A quick profile is used to generate surface profiles, or cross sections, for any

line, arc, or polyline. Quick profiles are automatically removed when the

drawing is saved and closed.


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EXERCISE 1: CREATE AND EDIT FEATURE LINES

Feature lines are used to begin the site grading design for the subdivision.

Feature lines are intelligent Civil 3D objects similar to AutoCAD 3D

polylines, and can be used to represent linear 3D features.

You can create feature lines using a number of different methods. Feature line

display is controlled with an optional feature line style. You can also label

elevations and grades on feature lines.

In this exercise, you work with the grading feature lines created from the

corridor models to design the grading for the subdivision. You create offset

feature lines that represent the front of the building pads for the parcels. The

offset feature lines are created at a 2% slope up from the right-of-way feature

line.

When you are finished, your drawing appears as shown.

For this exercise, open …\Module 12 – Site Grading and Quantities\

I_SiteGradingandQuantities-EX1.dwg (M_SiteGradingandQuantities-

EX1.dwg).

1. Zoom into the two corridor models in the drawing.


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The feature lines are the red lines that surround the corridor models at the

property line locations. Feature lines are linear objects with elevations

assigned.

The grading feature lines are dynamic and were created from the corridor

feature lines at the right-of-way locations. The dynamic feature lines

automatically update with changes to the corridor model, and are therefore

not editable.

2. Click the west right-of-way feature line for Birch Lane. Right-click and

click Feature Line Properties.

Civil 3D displays the Feature Line Properties dialog box.


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3. Review the settings.

Now modify the feature line style.

4. For Style, click the second drop-down arrow. Click Edit Current

Selection.

Note: You can also modify the feature line style by expanding the General,

Multipurpose Styles, and Feature Line Styles trees on the Settings tab of

the Toolspace window.


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5. In the Feature Line Style dialog box, click the Display tab.

6. Change the color to 5 (blue). Click OK.

7. Click OK again to close the Feature Line Properties dialog box.

The display of the feature lines referencing the Grading feature line style is

updated.

8. Click any feature line.

9. Right-click and click Elevation Editor.

Civil 3D displays the stations, elevations, lengths, and grades for the

selected feature line in the Grading Elevation Editor of the Panorama

window.

The feature lines are dynamic and therefore not editable. If necessary, you

can remove the dynamic link.

When you use the Elevation Editor for static feature lines, you can change

segment lengths, grades, and elevation points. You can also raise, lower, or


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flatten the feature line to a common elevation.

10. Hover your cursor over the icons and review the tooltips.

11. Click in the rows of data and notice that Civil 3D places a graphical

marker in the drawing area on the feature line to indicate the selected

elevation point.

12. Click to close the Grading Elevation Editor.

The feature lines represent the design elevations for the back of sidewalk

at the property line locations.

You now offset the feature lines horizontally and vertically to locate the

front of the building pads for the houses on the parcels.

You may need to open the Feature Lines toolbar.

13. Right-click next to any toolbar (do not right-click on a toolbar) and click

Civil > Feature Lines.

If the Feature Lines toolbar is already open, there will be a check mark to

the left of Feature Lines on the menu.

Civil 3D displays the Feature Lines toolbar.


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14. Hover your cursor over each of the icons on the toolbar and review the

tooltips.

Notice that Civil 3D feature line commands are very similar to AutoCAD

polyline editing commands.

You offset the three feature lines for Birch Lane horizontally and vertically

using the Stepped Offset command.

15. On the Feature Lines toolbar, click Stepped Offset .

16. At the prompt Specify Offset Distance, enter 20’ (7 m). Press ENTER.

17. At the prompt Select the Object to Offset, for Birch Lane, click the feature

line on the left side of the tangent section.


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18. At the prompt Specify Offset Side, click any point to the left of the

selected feature line.

19. At the prompt Specify Elevation Difference, enter G. Press ENTER.

20. At the prompt Specify Grade, enter 2. Press ENTER for a 2% grade.

21. At the prompt Select an Object to Offset, for Birch Lane, click the feature

line on the right side of the tangent section.

22. When prompted to Specify offset side, click any point to the right of the

selected feature line.

23. At the prompt Specify Grade, press ENTER to accept the 2% grade.

24. Repeat steps 21 through 23 and offset the Birch Lane feature line on the

cul-de-sac.

25. Press ENTER to finish the command.

The three feature lines are offset horizontally and vertically.


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The Trim and Join commands on the Feature Line toolbar can be used to

clean and create a single feature line from the three feature lines.

26. Close the drawing and do not save the changes.


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EXERCISE 2: CREATE INTERIM GRADING SURFACE

For this design scenario, the developer must first construct Birch Lane, Cedar Cove, and the

grading for the parcels adjacent to these roads. The remaining parcels are designed and

constructed at a later date.

The final grading surface for this phase of the project is created by daylighting to the

existing ground surface from the back of parcels west of Birch Lane and east of Cedar Cove.

The creation of an interim grading surface is an intermediate step that enables you to

calculate the elevations at the back of the parcels adjacent to Birch Lane and Cedar Cove.

In this exercise, you continue with the development of the grading design for the

subdivision. The first offset feature lines for Birch Lane and Cedar Cove have already been

created. You begin by creating a second set of offset feature lines. The locations of the new

offset feature lines are beyond the back of parcels adjacent to Birch Lane and Cedar Cove

and shown in the illustration.


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The interim grading surface is then created from all feature lines and is shown in the

following illustration. Note that the interim grading surface is not connected to the corridor

models.

For this exercise open …\Module 12 – Site Grading and

Quantities\I_SiteGradingandQuantities-EX2.dwg (M_SiteGradingandQuantities-EX2.dwg) .

Begin by joining the offset feature lines. This reduces the number of steps when you create

the second offset feature lines.

Start with the Birch Lane west and south offset feature lines.

1. On the Feature Lines toolbar, click Join .


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2. At the Select Object prompt, for Birch Lane (west cul-de-sac corridor), click the west

offset feature line and the cul-de-sac offset feature line. Press ENTER.

The offset feature lines west and south of Birch Lane are joined. You do not need to join

the Birch Lane east feature line.

Now repeat the process for the Cedar Cove offset feature lines.

3. On the Feature Lines toolbar, click Join .

4. For Cedar Cove (east cul-de-sac corridor), click the east offset feature line and the cul-

de-sac offset feature line.

The offset feature lines east and south of Cedar Cove are joined.


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The next step is to offset the joined feature lines beyond the parcels adjacent to Birch

Lane and Cedar Cove.

Begin with the joined feature line west and south of Birch Lane.

5. On the Feature Lines toolbar, click Stepped Offset .

6. At the Specify Offset Distance prompt, enter 120’ (35 m). Press ENTER.

7. At the Select an Object to Offset prompt, click the joined offset feature line to the west

of Birch Lane.

8. At the Specify Offset Side prompt, click a point in the drawing to the left of Birch Lane.

9. At the Specify Grade prompt, enter D to specify elevation difference. Press ENTER.

10. At the Specify Elevation Difference prompt, enter 0. Press ENTER.

A new feature line has been created that is 120’ (35 m) away from the original and at the

same changing elevations as the original feature line.

Now offset the joined offset feature line west and south of Cedar Cove.

11. At the Select an Object to Offset prompt, click the joined offset feature line to the west

of Cedar Cove.

12. At the Specify Side to Offset prompt, click a point in the drawing to the right of Cedar

Cove.


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13. At the Specify Elevation Difference prompt, press ENTER.

14. Press ENTER to end the command.

The next step is to trim the two feature lines where they overlap between the roads.

15. Zoom to the location where the feature lines overlap.

16. On the Feature Lines toolbar, click Trim .

17. At the Select Cutting Edges prompt, click each feature line. Press ENTER.

18. At the Select Objects to Trim prompt, click each of the feature lines north of where they

intersect. Press ENTER.

The next step is to extend all offset feature lines to property lines to the north. You can

use the AutoCAD Extend command.

Begin with the Birch Lane offset feature lines.


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19. On the command line, enter EX. Press ENTER.

You are first prompted to select the boundary edges, and then the objects to extend.

20. For boundary edges, click the north parcel segments to the left and right of Birch Lane.

You are prompted to Select the Objects to Extend.

21. Click the three offset feature lines for Birch Lane near the endpoints of the feature lines.

Press ENTER.

Civil 3D extends the offset feature lines for Birch Lane to the property lines and

maintains the grade of the last feature line segment.

Now extend the offset feature lines for Cedar Cove to the property lines to the north.

22. On the command line, enter EX. Press ENTER.

You are prompted to Select the Boundary Edges.


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23. Click the north parcel segments to the left and right of Cedar Cove. Press ENTER.

You are prompted to Select the Objects to Extend.

24. Click the three offset feature lines for Cedar Cove near the endpoints of the feature lines.

Press ENTER.

Civil 3D extends the offset feature lines for Cedar Cove to the property lines and

maintains the grade of the last feature line segment.

You now create the interim grading surface.

25. In Toolspace, click the Prospector Tab.

26. Right-click Surfaces. Click Create Surface.

27. For Name, enter Interim Grading. Press ENTER.

28. For Description, enter Interim Grading Surface. Press ENTER.

29. Click to the right of Style.

30. Click and select the _Triangles surface style.

31. Click OK.

32. Click OK again to close the Create Surface dialog box.

Now add the feature lines to the interim grading surface as breaklines.

33. In the drawing area, click any feature line.

34. Right-click and click Select Similar.


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Civil 3D selects all the feature lines.

35. Right-click again and click Add to Surface as Breakline.

36. Select the Interim Grading surface.

37. Click OK.

38. In the Add Breaklines dialog box, for Description, enter Feature Lines. Click OK.

Civil 3D creates the interim grading surface.


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EXERCISE 3: CREATE FEATURE LINES FROM THE SURFACE AND UPDATE SURFACE

In this exercise, you create feature lines for the back of parcels between Birch Lane

and Cedar Cove. You then insert a predefined AutoCAD block for the feature lines

that bound the site to the west, south, and east.

The first step is to create the feature lines. The next step is to assign elevations to the

feature lines from the interim grading surface.

After the feature lines have been created, they are added to the interim grading

surface. The next step is to update the interim grading surface with the corridor

datum surface data. The final step is to update the interim grading surface by

removing the breaklines data defined from the feature lines beyond the back of

parcels.

At the end of the exercise, the interim grading surface is updated to include the new

feature lines as shown.


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For this exercise open …\Module 12 – Site Grading and Quantities\

I_SiteGradingandQuantities-EX3.dwg (M_SiteGradingandQuantities-EX3.dwg).

Begin by suppressing the display of the interim grading surface.

1. In the drawing area, click the interim grading surface.

2. Right-click and click Surface Properties.

3. In the Surface Properties dialog box, click the Information tab.

4. For Surface Style, select _No Display.

5. Click OK.

Now you create a feature line that runs along the back of the parcels between

Birch Lane and Cedar Cove.

When using this command, if you make a mistake and click an incorrect

location, do not cancel the command. With the command active, you can enter U

on the command line to undo the incorrect elevation point and back up to the

previous elevation point.

The parcel segment lines that extend east from Birch Lane and west from Cedar

Cove do not meet at the same location, but are close. When you create this

feature line, selecting the endpoint of either of the parcel segment lines will


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suffice.

Begin by setting the running object snaps to Endpoint.

6. Right-click OSNAP at the bottom of the screen. Click Settings.

7. Ensure Object Snap On and Endpoint are selected.

8. Click OK.

9. On the Feature Lines toolbar, click Draw Feature Line .

10. Select Style. For Style, select Grading.

11. Click OK.

12. Click the north endpoint of the parcel segment between parcels 66 and 67.


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13. Press ENTER to accept elevation 0.

14. Click the remaining parcel segment endpoints moving from top to bottom. Press

ENTER after each click to confirm elevation 0.

15. Press ENTER again after the last click to finish the command.

The feature line elevations are all 0. You now assign elevations to the feature

line from the interim grading surface. This is equivalent to projecting the feature

line to the interim grading surface.

16. On the Feature Lines toolbar, click Elevations from Surface .

17. In the Set Elevations from Surface dialog box, select Interim Grading. Clear the

Insert Intermediate Grade Break Points check box.


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18. Click OK.

19. Click the feature line between Birch Lane and Cedar Cove. Press ENTER.

20. Click the feature line between Birch Lane and Cedar Cove again.


Civil 3D displays the elevations and grades in the Grading Elevation Editor of

the Panorama window. These elevations and grades were calculated from the

interim grading surface.

Note: Stations, elevations, and grades displayed in the following illustration may

not match yours because you may have clicked different parcel endpoints.

22. Click to close the Panorama window.

Now insert the predefined perimeter feature line that bounds the site on the west,

south, and east sides. This feature is a block in the drawing and you use the

AutoCAD Insert command.

23. Enter I for Insert. Press ENTER.


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24. For Name, select _Perimeter Feature Line.

25. Clear Insertion Point, Scale, and Rotation.

26. Select Explode.

27. Click OK.

Civil 3D inserts the perimeter feature line.

You now add the new feature lines to the interim grading surface.

28. In the drawing area, click the new perimeter feature line and the feature line

between Birch Lane and Cedar Cove.

29. Right-click and click Add to Surface as Breakline.


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30. In the Select Surface dialog box, select Interim Grading.

31. Click OK twice.

Now make the interim surface visible.

32. In Toolspace, click the Prospector tab.

33. Expand the Surfaces tree.

34. Right-click Interim Grading. Click Surface Properties.

35. Click the Information tab.

36. Change the Surface style to _Triangles.

37. Click OK.

Civil 3D displays the interim grading surface. The new feature lines are added to

the surface.


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You now add corridor datum surfaces to the interim grading surface. A corridor

datum surface is a surface that has been added from the datum, or lowest

elevation level, of the corridor. Earthwork volumes for the site design include

the grading required for the roads. The corridor datum surfaces are provided for

you and named Birch Lane Datum and Cedar Cove Datum.

You use the Paste Surface command to add the corridor datum surfaces.

38. Expand the Surfaces, Interim Grading, and Definition trees.

39. Right-click Edits. Click Paste Surface.


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40. With the CTRL key pressed, select Birch Lane Datum and Cedar Cove Datum.

41. Click OK.

The surface now includes the corridor datum data for Birch Lane and Cedar

Cove.


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You now erase the outermost offset feature line. This results in an update to the

interim grading surface.

42. Click the surface. Right-click and click Display Order > Send to Back.

This step sends the surface behind the feature line that you select.

43. Click the left and right outermost offset feature lines.

44. Press the Delete key.


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On the Prospector tab of the Toolspace window, notice the interim grading

surface is displayed with an exclamation mark.

The exclamation mark indicates that the surface requires updating. The

outermost offset feature lines you deleted are also breaklines for the surface.

Deleting surface data therefore warrants a rebuild of the surface.

45. Right-click Interim Grading. Click Rebuild.

Notice that you need to trim the feature lines on the north end of the site west of

Birch Lane and east of Cedar Cove. Notice the unwanted triangle lines that

extend to the corners.

46. On the Feature Lines toolbar, click Trim Feature Line .

47. For cutting edges, click the perimeter feature line running along the backs of the

parcels. Press ENTER.

48. When prompted for Feature Lines to Trim, click the feature lines on the north

side of the adjacent parcels. Press ENTER.

The interim grading surface needs to be updated once again.

49. On the Prospector Tab, right-click Interim Grading. Click Rebuild.

The triangles are removed from the trimmed feature lines. The interim grading

surface appears in the illustration as shown.


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EXERCISE 4: CREATE FINAL GRADING SURFACE AND CALCULATE VOLUMES

In this exercise, you create the final grading surface for the site and calculate the total

earthwork volumes.

You begin by creating a grading object that projects daylight slopes from the back of the

parcel feature line to the existing ground surface.

A surface is created from the grading object and then edited to include the interim grading

surface. Once the finished grading surface is completed, you calculate the site grading

volumes.

The finished grading surface is as shown.


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I_SiteGradingandQuantities-EX4.dwg (M_SiteGradingandQuantities-EX4.dwg).

1. Click Grading menu > Create Grading.

Civil 3D displays the Grading Creation Tools toolbar.

Grading objects are organized in grading groups. A grading group is part of a Civil 3D

site.

2. On the Grading Creation Tools toolbar, click to create a new grading group.

3. In the Site dialog box, select Grading.

4. Click OK.


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5. In the Create Grading Group dialog box, for Name, enter Birch and Cedar Grading.

Do not change anything else in the dialog box.

6. Click OK.

You now select the surface that you grade to (the target surface). This is the existing

ground surface.

7. On the Grading Creation Tools toolbar, click to set the target surface.

8. In the Select Surface dialog box, select Existing Ground.

9. Click OK.

You are now ready to begin the grading calculation.

10. On the Grading Creation Tools toolbar, click the down arrow and select Grade to

Surface.

11. Now click Create Grading.


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12. At the Select the Feature prompt, in the drawing area, click the feature line that

surrounds the interim grading surface to the west, south, and east.

13. At the Specify the Grading Side prompt, click any location in the drawing outside of

the selected feature line.

14. At the Apply to Entire Length prompt, press ENTER to apply the grading over the

entire length.

15. At the Cut Format prompt, press ENTER to accept Slope input for Cut Format.

16. At the Cut Slope prompt, enter 5 for a 5:1 cut slope. Press ENTER.

17. At the Fill Format prompt, press ENTER to accept Slope input for Fill Format.

18. At the Fill Slope prompt, enter 5 for a 5:1 fill slope. Press ENTER.

Civil 3D calculates the grading object and displays the daylight line.

The colors of the grading are green on the left side (fill slopes) and red on the right

side (cut slopes). Civil 3D uses grading styles to portray cut slopes and fill slopes

differently.

19. Close the Grading Creation Tools toolbar and press ESC to cancel the command.


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20. In the drawing area, click a grading projection slope.

21. Right-click and click Grading Properties.

For Cut Style, Civil 3D assigns a grading style called Cut Slope Display. For Fill

Style, Civil 3D assigns a grading style called Fill Slope Display.

You now modify the grading styles.

22. Click the second down arrow to the right of Cut Slope Display. Select Edit Current

Selection.

23. In the Grading Style dialog box, click the Slope Patterns tab. Select the Slope Pattern

check box.


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24. In the Grading Style dialog box, click the Display tab.

Note that the grading style controls the display of the center marker, daylight line,

projection line, the slope pattern, and several other components.

25. Click OK.

26. Repeat the steps and modify the Fill Slope Display grading style to turn on slope

patterns.

27. Click OK to close Grading Properties.

Civil 3D updates the display of the grading objects to include slope patterns for cut

and fill.

Note: You can also modify grading styles from the Settings tab of the Toolspace

window.

28. Close the Grading Creation Tools toolbar.

You have completed creating a grading object in the Birch and Cedar Grading Group

in the Grading site.


30. Expand the Sites, Grading, and Grading Groups trees.

31. Click the Birch and Cedar Grading group and preview it in the item view area.

If you cannot see the preview, remember to click Preview Toggle and right-click

Grading Groups. Click Show Preview.


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The next step is to create the final grading surface for the site.

32. Right-click Birch and Cedar Grading. Click Properties.


34. Click Automatic Surface Creation.

35. In the Create Surface dialog box, for Name, enter FG Birch and Cedar.

Note: FG stands for Finished Ground.

36. Click to the right of Style.

37. Click , select _Triangles. Click OK.

38. Click OK to return to Grading Group Properties.

39. Click OK to close Grading Group Properties.


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Civil 3D creates a surface called FG Birch and Cedar from the grading object.

Notice the new triangulation lines.

Remember that this surface currently represents only the outside cut and fill slopes for

this area. None of the interior surface information is included.

You now add the interim grading surface data to the FG Birch and Cedar surface.

Begin by suppressing the display of the interim grading surface.

40. In Prospector, expand the Surfaces tree.

41. If there is an exclamation point next to the interim grading surface, right-click and

click Rebuild.

42. Right-click Interim Grading. Click Surface Properties.


44. Change the surface style to _No Display. Click OK.

Civil 3D suppresses the display of the interim grading surface.

45. In Prospector, expand the Surfaces, FG Birch and Cedar, and Definition trees.


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47. In the Select Surface to Paste dialog box, click Interim Grading. Click OK.

Civil 3D creates the final FG Birch and Cedar surface by pasting the interim grading

surface.

Finally, you calculate the volumes.

48. Click Surfaces menu > Utilities > Volumes.

Civil 3D displays the Composite Volumes calculator in the Panorama window.

You now specify the two surfaces for volume calculation.

49. In the Panorama window, click to create a new volume entry.

50. For Base Surface, select Existing Ground.

51. For Comparison Surface, select FG Birch and Cedar.

52. Click anywhere in the Panorama window.

Civil 3D calculates the volumes and displays them in the Panorama window. Your

volumes may differ slightly. Remember that you can right-click any column heading

to select which data is shown and adjust the column width.


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Click to close the Panorama window.



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EXERCISE 5: CREATE SPOT ELEVATION AND GRADE LABELS

For this exercise, you must open the drawing provided. Spot elevation labels and grade

labels are useful for the production of site grading plans. These are often a requirement in

design contract drawings for subdivision projects.

In this exercise, you create spot elevation labels and grade labels for the design grading

surface. You then update the design surface to meet the minimum drainage requirements

for the subdivision. The spot elevation and grade labels automatically update.

At the end of the exercise, you will have grade and spot elevation labels as shown.


I_SiteGradingandQuantitiesEX5.dwg (M_SiteGradingandQuantitiesEX5.dwg).

Begin by suppressing the display of the FG Birch and Cedar surface.



3. Right-click FG Birch and Cedar. Click Surface Properties.


5. For Surface style, select _No Display. Click OK.

Civil 3D suppresses the display of the FG Birch and Cedar surface. Now label spot

elevations on the lot corners.

6. Click Surfaces menu > Add Surface Labels > Add Surface Labels.

7. In the Add Labels dialog box, for Label type, select Spot Elevation.

8. For Spot Elevation Label Style, select Spot Elevation.


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9. Click Add. Press ENTER to select a surface.

10. Select FG Birch and Cedar. Click OK.

At the Specify Points to Label prompt, label the endpoint of the parcel segments.

11. Snap to the west endpoint of the parcel segments between parcels 48 and 49, 49 and

50, 50 and 51, 51 and 52.

12. Press ESC to cancel the command.

13. Click the label at the end of the parcel segment between parcels 48 and 49.

Civil 3D displays a square-shaped grip and a diamond-shaped grip. The diamond grip

is the label anchor grip showing the location being labeled. The square grip is the


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label location grip which controls the position of the label relative to the label anchor.

14. Click the diamond-shaped label anchor grip.

The label anchor grip turns red. You can move the label.

15. Move the cursor around the drawing area.

Notice the preview of the elevation label changes with the location.

16. Click the east endpoint of the parcel segment between parcels 48 and 49 to reposition

the label anchor.

Civil 3D updates the label to reflect the elevation of the selected location. You can

also copy and move spot elevation labels using AutoCAD Copy and Move

commands.

17. Click the same label again.

18. Now click the square grip. It turns red.

19. Click a location to the left to reposition the label.

20. Press ESC to remove the selection from the spot elevation.

Civil 3D repositions the label relative to the label anchor and inserts a leader. The

label adopts its dragged state display property.

Now, you add label slopes. The Add Labels dialog box is still be open.

21. In the Add labels dialog box, for Label type, select Slope.

22. For Slope label style, select Percent.


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23. Click Add. Press ENTER to select a surface.

24. In the Select Surface dialog box, select FG Birch and Cedar. Click OK.

On the command line, you are prompted for either a one-point grade label or a two-

point grade label. With a one-point grade label you click a single location and Civil

3D labels the instantaneous slope in that location. This is the slope within the surface

triangle. With a two-point grade label, you click two locations and Civil 3D labels the

calculated grade between the two locations.

25. Enter T for two-point. Press ENTER.

26. Snap to the east endpoint of the parcel segment between parcels 48 and 49.

27. Snap to the west endpoint of the parcel segment between parcels 48 and 49.

Civil 3D labels the grade between the two points.

28. Repeat the steps and label the design grades between parcels 49 and 50, 50 and 51,

and 51 and 52.

29. Press ENTER when finished.

Labeling grades and elevations on parcel segments and corners is a common practice

in the preparation of lot grading plans for subdivision design projects.

30. Zoom into the southern parcel segment for parcel 51.

You now label the design grades between the back of parcel and the setback offset

feature line, and the setback offset feature line and the road right-of-way.


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31. In Add Labels, click Add.

32. Press ENTER. Select FG Birch and Cedar. Click OK.

33. Enter T for two-point. Press ENTER.

34. Click the west endpoint of the parcel segment south of parcel 51.

35. Press F3 to turn off object snaps.

36. For second point, zoom close to the intersection of the parcel segment and the

setback feature line.

37. Select a point near the intersection of the parcel segment and the setback feature line.

Do not snap.

38. Repeat the steps. Label the design grade between the setback feature line and the

right-of-way.

39. Press ESC to end the command.

Notice that the arrow extends into the roadway.


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The grade label style needs to be modified.

Note: This is not an issue when working in metric.

40. In Toolspace, click the Settings tab.

41. Expand the Surface, Label Styles, and Slope trees.

42. Right-click Percent. Click Edit.

43. Click the Layout tab.

44. Ensure the Component Name is Direction Arrow.

45. For Minimum Length, enter .5 (no change for metric). Press ENTER.

46. Click OK.

Civil 3D updates the grade label style.

Note that the design grade between setback feature line and the back of the lot is 0%.

This can cause potential drainage problems for the parcels.

You now lower the back of lot feature line to ensure positive drainage off the back of

the parcels.

Begin by setting the FG Birch and Cedar and interim grading surfaces to update


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automatically.



49. Right-click FG Birch and Cedar surface. Ensure that Rebuild-Automatic is selected.

50. Repeat the step for the Interim Grading surface.

Remember that the FG Birch and Cedar surface was created from the daylighting

grading object and pasting the interim grading surface.

51. Click the back of the parcel feature line to the west of Birch Lane.


Civil 3D displays the Elevation Editor in the Panorama window.

53. Click to set the elevation increment.

54. Change the value to 0.5 (.2 m). Press ENTER.

55. Click a few times.

With each click, Civil 3D updates all surfaces and changes the grade labels, spot

elevation labels, and the grading object daylight line.

56. Click a few times until the grades indicate drainage towards the back of the

parcels.

Note: The feature line you are editing traverses the south and west boundaries of the

site. The entire grading object is therefore updated. Editing the elevation of this


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feature line also changes the final grading volumes.

57. Add another spot elevation label near the intersection of the parcel segment and the

offset feature line.



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EXERCISE 6: GENERATE DATA REQUIRED FOR CONSTRUCTION

Once a grading design is complete, the designer needs to provide the

contractor with information that can be used for the site grading.

In this exercise, you create construction staking points for the FG Birch and

Cedar surface. Points required for construction can be exported to an external

file and then uploaded to a data collector for construction staking.

You also display this surface using elevation ranges. This allows the contractor

to understand the overall drainage characteristics for the site.

Finally, you create a combination surface that combines the existing and

design surfaces. You then create a quick profile for the combination surface

and observe the cross section characteristics.


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I_SiteGradingandQuantitiesEX6.dwg (M_SiteGradingandQuantitiesEX6.dwg).

Begin by creating points for construction staking. First, make the FG Birch and

Cedar surface visible.

1. In Toolspace, click the Prospector tab. Expand the Surfaces tree.

2. Right-click FG Birch and Cedar. Click Surface Properties.

3. In the Surface Properties dialog box, click the Information tab. Change the

Surface style to _Triangles.

4. Click OK.

5. Click menu Points > Create Points.

Civil 3D displays the Create Points toolbar.

6. Click to expand the Create Points toolbar.

7. Expand the Points Creation tree.

8. For Prompt for Descriptions, select Automatic.

9. For Default Description, enter FG. Press ENTER.


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10. Click .

11. Click the fourth Create Points down arrow from the left. Select On Grid.

12. In the drawing area, click the FG Birch and Cedar surface.

13. For grid basepoint, click a point in the drawing below and to the left of the

FG Birch and Cedar surface.

14. For Grid Rotation, press ENTER.

15. For Grid X Spacing, enter 50 (20 m). Press ENTER.

16. For Grid Y Spacing, press ENTER to accept 50 (20 m).

17. For upper right location, click a point above and to the right of the FG


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Birch and Cedar surface.

18. Press ENTER to create the point grid

19. Press ENTER again to end the command.

Now create a point group to make the points visible.


21. Right-click Point Groups. Click New.


23. For Name, enter FG Grading.

24. Click the Include tab.

25. Select With Raw Descriptions Matching.

26. For With Raw Descriptions Matching, enter FG.

27. Click the Point List tab.

Civil 3D lists the FG points.

28. Click OK.

Civil 3D displays the grid points in the drawing area.


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29. In the drawing area, click the FG Birch and Cedar surface.

30. Right-click and click Surface Properties.


32. Change the Surface style to Elevation Banding (2D). Click Apply.

Civil 3D shades the surface based on elevation ranges.

33. Click the Analysis tab.

34. Click the down arrow in the Ranges section.

35. Click OK.


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36. Click the surface.

37. Right-click and click Display Order > Send to Back.

Civil 3D places the surface under all the other objects in the drawing.

38. Click menu Surfaces > Add Legend Table.

39. Click the FG Birch and Cedar surface.

40. Press ENTER to accept Elevations.

41. Press ENTER to accept Dynamic.

The table automatically updates if the surface changes.

42. In the drawing area, click a location south of the site.

Civil 3D adds a legend table.

The colors indicate elevation. Red is the lowest elevation and purple is the

highest elevation. Notice that the overall drainage characteristics of the site

are such that water drains from the southeast to the northwest.

Also notice that there are potential drainage problems to the south and east

of Cedar Cove. This can be fixed by editing feature line elevations.

Grading design is often an iterative process to ensure you balance

quantities and achieve positive drainage off the site.

Now create a surface that combines the existing ground surface and the

finished ground surface.


44. Right-click FG Birch and Cedar.

45. Click Surface Properties.



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47. Change the Surface Style to _No Display. Click OK.

Now make a copy of the Existing Ground surface.

48. Enter CO. Press ENTER.

49. Click a contour to select the Existing Ground surface. Press ENTER.

50. Press ENTER again to accept Displacement.

51. Press ENTER to accept 0,0,0.

Civil 3D makes a copy of the Existing Ground surface. In Prospector, the

new surface is called Existing Ground (1).

52. In Prospector, right-click Existing Ground. Click Surface Properties.

53. Change the Surface style to _NO Display.

54. Click OK.

55. Right-click Existing Ground (1). Click Surface Properties.

56. For Name, enter EG FG Combo.

57. Change the surface style to Contours 1’ and 5’ Background - (Contours 1

m and 5 m Background). Click OK.

58. In Prospector, expand the Surfaces, EG FG Combo, and Definition trees.


60. Select FG Birch and Cedar. Click OK.

Civil 3D displays the joined surfaces.


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Now create a quick profile to show a cross section across the site.

61. Draw a line from west to east that bisects the site.

62. Click the line.

63. Right-click and click Quick Profile.

64. Clear the check marks from all surfaces.

65. Select EG FG Combo. Click OK.

66. In the drawing area, click a location above the site.

Civil 3D displays the profile for the line.

Note: The spikes you see adjacent to the roads are caused by the corridor

surface datums and can be fixed with surface editing techniques.


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67. Move and resize the line.


Civil 3D updates the profile to reflect the new location of the line.


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Questions

1. What is the process for offsetting a feature line horizontally and vertically?

2. What controls the display of a feature line?

3. What is the easiest way to edit the elevations and grades on a feature line?

4. Why would a designer create an interim grading surface?

5. What is the procedure called for projecting a slope from a feature line to a

surface.

6. What is a grading object?

7. What is a grading group?

8. What controls the display of a grading object? What display components

can be controlled?

9. What type of volume calculation does Civil 3D use to calculate the volume

between two surfaces?

10. What is the best way to show a cross section of a site with both existing

and proposed surfaces.

Answers

1. Use the Stepped Offset command on the Feature Lines toolbar.

2. The Feature Line Style controls the display of a feature line.

3. Click the feature line and select Edit Elevations. Civil 3D shows the

Grading Elevation Editor in the Panorama window. You can interactively

modify the elevations and grades on the feature line.

4. The interim grading surface models the overall drainage characteristics of

the site. Elevations are often assigned from the interim grading surface.

5. This procedure is called daylighting.

6. A grading object is a Civil 3D object created by projecting a slope from a

feature line to a surface.

7. Grading objects and feature lines are organized in a grading group.

Grading objects within the same grading group can react to one another.

8. The grading style controls the display of a grading object. You can control


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the display of slope patterns, the projection lines, and the daylight lines.

9. Civil 3D uses the composite volume calculation method.

10. Use the Quick Profile command to show cross sections on a site.


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Module Summary

In this module, you learned how to design the grading for a subdivision. You

began with grading feature lines created from the corridor surface at the right-

of-way locations. These feature lines were then offset horizontally and

vertically using the Stepped Offset command. The offset feature lines were

further offset beyond the back of parcels and limits of proposed grading.

An interim grading surface was then created from all the feature lines. New

feature lines were created at the back of parcel locations and assigned

elevations from the interim grading surface. These feature lines were then

used to create grading objects, which projected daylight slopes to the existing

ground surface.

A final site grading surface was then created. The final site grading surface

was compared with the existing ground surface to calculate earthworks

volumes. You then labeled grades and spot elevations. Finally, you created

construction staking points, displayed the surface based on elevation ranges,

and created a quick profile to show the cross section of existing and proposed

conditions across the site.

Module 12 - web.statler.wvu.eduddean/CE210/AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009... · AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009...

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Transcript of Module 12 - web.statler.wvu.eduddean/CE210/AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009... · AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009...