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Autodesk Civil 3D

What civil 3d could do

Autodesk civil 3d uses Building Information Modeling (BIM) to help designer more efficient in the design process. In the history, designers, civil engineers, contractors have relies on 2D drawings to communicate with each others. With the help of civil 3d, all the team members could share consistent 3D models to improve communication within the team.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the process of generating and managing building data during its life cycle. Typically it uses three-dimensional, real-time, dynamic building modeling software to increase productivity in building design and construction.

-          Wikipedia.com

To landscape architecture, the most useful part of this program is to work specifically with site elevation data. With elevation data, such as DEM and contour lines, we could use civil 3d to build a existing or proposal 3D site terrain model.

[terrain]

Civil 3D could work and import DEM information and tranfer to surface (contour line and elevation data). There are two types of surface: TIN (Triangular Irregular Network) and Grid surface. Both, in my opinion, could work well with landscape design process.


With the elevation data, we could generate an actual surface by contour line in Civil 3D. Rather than other programs like 3ds max, Civil 3D could generate a smoother surface and it is more close to the real environment.

With suitable rendering or using other program like 3ds max or maya to work with terrain model generated by Civil 3d, designers could create a realistic scene for better communication with others.

reference
1. wikipedia.com
2. autodesk.com
3. Mastering AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008 by Dana Probert

  • Basic Info [TIN & Grid]

    TIN refers to Triangulated irregular network. A TIN is a vector based digital data structure. ‘The TIN model represents a surface as a set of contiguous, non-overlapping triangles. Within each triangle the surface is represented by a plane’. ‘Delaunay triangulation is a proximal method that satisfies the requirement that a circle drawn through the three [...]

  • TUTORIAL [setting the coordinate system]

    To set a right coordinate system to surface file is important in Civil 3D. This allows users obtain correct elevation data when import file from other sources. In addition, to work with other resources and people, it is also important to work at the same coordinate system. step 1. Go to Toolspace box, choose General [...]

  • TUTORIAL [Google Earth surface import]

    Rather than using specific type of DEM file to create surface, Civil 3D allows users to acquire information from widely-accepted program Google Earth. Following steps show how to import Google Earth imformation to generate a Civil 3D surface. step 1. open Google Earth and connect it to the internet; 2. in Google Earth, zoom in [...]

  • TUTORIAL [DEM import]

    In civil 3d, we could transfer DEM file to contour line file and then make a terrain model. Here I’ll show how to import a DEM file in civil 3d. [DEM] [contour line in civil 3d] introduction There are three types of surfaces could be created in Civil 3d: TIN, grid format and volume surface. [...]