Autodesk continues to add new Extensions and conversion Tools to Autodesk Civil 3D 2022 at a blistering rate. Maybe the word is bewildering. If your Civil 3D project faces the challenges addressed, these new Extensions and Tools can be a big deal.
A functional replacement for the older 3rd party produced Geotechnical application is high on the Autodesk priority list.
A functional and practical coordinate system-based Drawing Transformation conversion tool that deals with the nuances of both the horizontal and vertical datum transformation issues for the mission critical Civil 3D Features might make your day.
Geotechnical Modeler Extension 2022
The Autodesk Geotechnical Modeler Extension (GME) provides a suite of tools to visualize, process, analyze and export geotechnical data directly within the Civil 3D environment for use in a variety of civil engineering design projects.
The new Geotechnical Modeler Extension initially supports:
- Import borehole data from industry-standard file formats
- Manage subsurface information in SQL database
- Create surfaces from borehole data
- Generate customized subsurface Profiles using Civil 3D Alignments
- Visualize boreholes in 2D plan and 3D stick logs view
- Export geotechnical data in a 3D format for conceptual design and visualization applications
The GME is a specialty application for Civil 3D.
Autodesk Geotechnical Modeler for Civil 3D 2022
The Geotechnical Modeler provides tools to easily generate stratum surfaces, create subsurface visualizations of geotechnical data in profile views, and transpose profile information into a three-dimensional view. We may create and manage standard Civil 3D Feature (object) types and styles including: COGO points, Surfaces, Alignments, Profiles, and Profile Views.
Yes. The Geotechnical Modeler can also support water-based reporting. Hoorah.
Geotechnical Modeler on-line help.
The GME supports imports of industry standard .ags files or .csv files.
The Geotechnical Modeler has two functions that relate to importing project data: Import Borehole Data from File and Add Boreholes to Drawing, which are both run from the Manage Data button or command.
The Geotechnical Modeler separates the process of connecting the geotechnical information to a local project database from the process of generating Geotechnical Modeler objects within Civil 3D.
The GME includes a tool to allow the Export of subsurface model data (3D boreholes or stratum surfaces) to a new Civil 3D drawing. This drawing and/or DREF surfaces may be shared with other Civil 3D users in a Civil 3D project.
Geotechnical Modeler Setup and Styles
The GME sports its own new Civil 3D Ribbon interface when installed.
The GME incorporates various subsurface and sample data into a Civil 3D project through the creation of a local database on the local machine. This results in all sample data and Geotechnical Modeler objects being restricted to that original machine containing the database. There are currently no workflows to share or move Geotechnical Modeler data between drawings or workstations.
Be aware that the GME setup depends on user editable plain text configuration (.config) file – Application.config. The path folder defaults for the GME are by default localized to the current machine. That includes the location of the Geotechnical Modeler SQL DB location.
The supplied Civil 3D Styles for the GME cannot be renamed. All the named Styles begin with a GM prefix. The supplied GM Styles may be customized in the supplied specific Imperial and Metric Civil 3D template (,dwt) files.
Another separate GeologyHatchStyle.config file allows us to customize the Hatching details and by automated search connect typical geotechnical AGS Types to specific hatch details. The employed geology codes used in the generated dataset are compatible with the AGS standards to facilitate the automation of hatch patterns created by the tool.
Now for something completely different – a new drawing transformation conversion tool…
Coordinates Transformation Tool 2022
The Coordinates Transformation Tool provides vital tools for civil engineering projects where we may need to transform Autodesk Civil 3D Feature (objects) from one coordinate system to another within the drawing environment.
If you had to do this type of conversion previously in Civil 3D, it was truly painful and time consuming.
The Drawing Transformation Tool allows for horizontal transform, vertical datum transform, and vertical units transform from US Survey Foot to International Foot and from International Foot to US Survey Foot.
The Tool will only functions in a drawing with an assigned coordinate system.
The Coordinate System Transformation dialog box allow us to assign a target category and specific coordinate system.
The mission critical Options button controls the transformation details via the specifics set up in the Transformation Options dialog box.
The Drawing Transformation Tool produces a comprehensive report of what was transformed (and what was not) along with the before and after coordinates to validate the accuracy of the transformation results.
The Drawing Transformation Tools install to the Toolbox >> Miscellaneous>> Drawing Transformations folder.
Imperial to Metric conversion does not appear to be currently supported.
Needless to say, we want to employ the Drawing Transformation Tools on a copy of a Civil 3D project drawing. This will usually be a publish drawing with Reference Templates removed. The Tool does not currently support DREFs for obvious reasons. Promote the project DREFs first.
For complex drawings and Complex Corridor models, you may want to divide a conquer beforehand to better QAQC the initial Drawing Transformation Tool results.
Getting Started with Drawing Transformation for Civil 3D in online help.
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