Tag Archives: slope

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Profile based parameter control – Parameter Views and Profiles

Controlling the transition of parameters within corridor models is not as easy as it could be in Civil 3D.

  • Width can be controlled with Offset alignments/3d Polylines
  • Elevation can be controlled with profiles
  • Superelevation can be controlled with the superelevation tools
  • But slopes and grades don’t really have a specific tool that they can be controlled with.

In fact I don’t see a clear and “simple” method for managing the transition of a daylight slope at all? Although there are methods that I discuss in this post here. They are still convoluted and cumbersome to setup.

So how does one create this sort of daylight transition in Civil 3D? vvv

Well I have a very simple idea. “Parameter Views” and “Parameter Targets” which can control everything!

So basically a “parameter view” can be placed directly above or below a profile view and “parameter profiles” can be drawn on this view that represent the desired values or grade,width,slope etc.. This process is very similar to the management of superelevation, except parameter views can control everything!

The other change to make this a lot simpler is to upgrade all the generic subassemblies to have the ability to have its parameters overridden in a relative fashion. Although it’s possible to do this in the assembly properties, it is cumbersome and not straightforward as discussed in my post here. (additional links have to created, crazy profile views where elevation = slope or grade etc etc..)

I am aware that this can be achieved using Custom Subassemblies. But such a simple change would make life a lot easier for even the basic user. Plus custom subassemblies don’t travel inside the dwg!!

Particularly useful as parameters get more complex and difficult to visualise!

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Modelling

Daylight Transitions in Civil 3D – Alternative Methods

2 Comments

UPDATE: New Corridor Transitions in Civil 3D 2023 and beyond have somewhat solved this problem.. Although with some bugs..

You can’t really transition in a way that is simple, like 12d, LDT, MX etc.

You can change the slope easily, but not transition easily! I.E Cubic, Linear transition etc.

A few methods you can use include the following.

Use the Superelevation editor??

Click on the subassembly that you want to transition (The Daylight) and select a super elevation mode say “Left Outside Lane”.

Then select your corridor and add a superelevation view

Then go through the cumbersome tabular editor to populatd the grades on the graph.Should look like so.

The finished results looks a little like so, which is somewhat alright, but still not nice, as the transition is linear. And we get jagged edges on the contours.

Use the Override Stations Method.

Select the corridor and go to the section editor

Select the Parameters Editor and modify the grade.

Then apply to the station range I want.

Still only gets me halfway there, as there is no transition options!!, the only way to force the transition from here is to change the sampling on the corridor reducing the quality of the transition anyway!

Do It manually by working out the location on the surface you need to widen to. But that is just not realistic!

Use a fixed link and link the grade in the fixed link to the daylight link. Also horribly cumbersome, but gets the best result.

Draw a Profile that represent grade so (elevation of 0.4 = 40% etc.)

Add a link with elevation target to your assembly like vertical elevation. Make sure it is added before your daylight link or this wont work

Next Select your Assembly go to its properties and select the construction tab, you need to link your daylights slope to your fake links elevation

Finally target the elevation profile with your new elevation link and watch the magic happen.

Looks the best, and it is dynamic, but extremely infuriating to setup.

Kapanther

Original Post Here

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