From the Ground Up

SAC - Subassembly with varying lane width without targets !

This post is based on an earlier post made by Bart De Maesschalck from DEME on the Civil 3D Benelux usergroup page.

The challenge is to create a subassembly with the ability to apply a varying width without the need for a target alignment or polyline/feature line.

In this example the transition will be linear... a curved transition can be considered for another post.

The solution lies in the possibilities that SAC (Subassembly Composer) offers. I'm sure there are many ways to get this done, but this is how I did it…

STEP 1: Define the variables you need

• Base width (Width before the transition, also used in subassembly mode)
• Extended width  (Width after the transition)
• Transition length (Length of the transition zon)
• Transition start station (station to start the transition)

STEP 2: Implement this iS SAC

• Create the input variables we have defined in STEP 1.
• Define an internal variables to be able to calculate the real width during the transition (ActualWidth)
• Define the flows and decisions that need to be taken.
  For every assembly insertion of the corridor we need to define if the current station is before, in or after the transition zone.
  
  
  
  
• Calculate the actual width during transition
  
  

 

• Create the geometry for the lane

  

 

STEP 3: Test in AutoCAD Civil 3D

   

   

The Subassembly can be downloaded here: Download LaneWithTransition

 Peter Ingels

AutoCAD Civil 3D Usergroup Benelux Meeting - 12th June

This hugely popular annual user group event is being held on Tuesday 12th June at the Heijmans offices in Rosmalen 

With workflow and tips and tricks from the user group experts and also attendance from myself and other Autodeskers this is a great social event to meet up with your fellow Civil 3D users in the area.

There are still a couple of places left so if you are interested in attending, please follow this link

 

Jack Strongitharm

AUGI UK Meeting - next week!

​What's new in Autodesk Infrastructure - Watch and Learn   REGISTER HERE AUGIuk would like to invite you to an open Autodesk User Group meeting on 2012 Infrastructure applications to be held at the Penta Hotel, Reading on Friday 15th July 2011. See the following link for location: http://pentahotel-reading.h-rsv.com/ Speakers include: Jack Strongitharm, Autodesk Paul Napier, Halcrows Martin Jefferies, Savoy Computing Paul Oakley, AUGIuk and others too ........... Details of the planned agenda are given below which is FREE to attend and includes lunch and refreshments. Please do come along and meet Autodesk Infrastructure specialists and learn what the 2012 range of applications can do for you. This meeting is open to all whether you are an AUGI member or not. Agenda: 09:00 - 10:00    Registration, Coffee and Tea 10:00 - 10:15    Introduction to the speakers and to AUGIuk Council members 10:15 - 10:30    Overview of the Infrastructure Design Suites 10:30 - 10:45    Civil 3D website tools available 10:45 - 11:15    Lab tools and testing - an overview of the River Modelling Extension. 11:15 - 12:15    Roundabout tools, Arcady from Savoy Computing 12:15 -13:00     Lunch 13:00 - 13:30    Civil 3D Sub Assembly Composer 13:30 - 14:00    Project Galileo 14:00 - 14:15    BIM - changes to Government policy. If you would like to attend REGISTER HERE Jack Strongitharm

Benelux Civil User Group Annual Meeting 2011

As you might have seen from the twitter activity yesterday I was at this user group meeting yesterday with Dave Simeone, Richard Parker, Neil Brooker and Ian McGregor.

With nearing 150 in attendance this event has doubled in size in the last three years which shows how well this area is adopting Civil 3D and other complimentary products.

The core user group committee lead the day with their own best practice, tips and tricks and generally making fun of me for the day!

Also we had Dave Simeone (Civil 3D Product Manager) and Richard Parker (Navisworks Product Manager) presenting on how our products are developing and also been presented a wish list from this user group, in which last years list 7 out of 10 items were addressed in the 2012 release.

(If you don’t tell us, you don’t get.  AUGI wish list also is a great place to log your wishes)

The day was organised to perfection by the group and Monique Pietjou of Osiris Events being held at the Railway Museum in Utrecht in the Netherlands.

http://c3dbenelux.org

I look forward to next years event

Jack Strongitharm

Autodesk Analysis Tools for Hydraulics and Hydrology in the UK - Event

Join us at The Thames Water Barrier on Thursday October 28th to hear how Autodesk analysis tools will help you plan and design urban drainage systems, storm and foul sewers. Integrating stormwater and wastewater analysis tools during planning and design will help improve overall project productivity and increase your engineering capabilities in the UK.

Aimed at those who work in civil engineering as engineers and planners, you will learn more about how Autodesk analysis tools can help you with; run off calculations; storage and pipe sizing; detention ponds and outlet structures and lots more.

Also will include a short session for existing users and a tour of one of the landmark civil engineering projects in London.

 

REGISTER HERE

 

Jack Strongitharm

Ireland Civil User Group day review

Time is getting on again and soon I am across the pond to fabulous Las Vegas on Saturday.

Back on the 11th of this month we met at the OSi office in Dublin in a the very picturesque Phoenix park in Dublin.

"This is Dublin's playground - the largest urban enclosed park in Europe, with a Circumference of 11km (7m) and a total area of 712 hectares (1,760 acres). Situated 3km (2m) west of the city centre. Ornamental gardens, nature trails, and broad expanses of grassland, separated by avenues of trees, including oak, beech, pine, chestnut, and lime. Livestock graze peacefully on pasturelands, deer roam the forested areas, and horses romp on polo fields. "

(Yes I know leaves on trees, I didn't have my camera to hand. As we left the building but they were right outside the OSi gates)
 

No Guinness yet, but a great chance to meet fellow Civil 3D users and learn from each other.

 Philip Kelly of Datech (our distributor in UK and Ireland) who showed the main features in Map that every engineer should have the knowledge of in their daily usage and also showed how to bring all the mapping data supplied to him from the OSi straight into our newest Digital Cities product 'LandXplorer' in 10 minutes.

Very nice!

Donal McMoreland of Amicus presenting on behalf of Paul Moran from ESB (who couldn't attend due to work commitments) of their Wind Farm installations and access road designs.  where they use the combination of Civil 3D and Map functionality to create a risk assessment of the ground conditions to determine the route of the access road as there is a large areas of peat and the slopes and depths of this soft material is critical to the stability of the project.

Really using all of the technology in the box!

Also David O'Mailey of Hutch Hollywood in Limerick presented on how he is using Civil 3D for his designs of drainage networks and using the link within the UK and Ireland Country kit to Microdrainage WinDES for the aanalysis and pipe sizing and then to update the network in Civil 3D for the drawing updates.

Also he uses the HEC RAS extension for flood risk projects exporting the sections from Civil 3D and analysing in HEC RAS and bringing the results back into Civil 3D for the drawing output of the flood.

Thanks to everyone for attending and also to those who contributed to the presentations and of course our hosts the OSi for there kind hospitality at their office.

The Ireland User Group will be back on tour in the near future.

Jack Strongitharm

The Second Irish Civil User Day

After a very successful meeting in Galway in November, we have another meeting now planned to meet in Dublin.

The date is Thursday 11th February from 9am arrival for a 9.30am start to 4.30pm.

Presentations from

Neil Brooker - Autodesk

Ordnance Survey Ireland

Philip Kelly - Datech

and of course myself amongst others.

We have some exciting new topics to present, tips and tricks and more besides for both Civil 3D and Map 3D users.

Be part of a great community and meet your fellow professionals.

There will be a free lunch provided.

Thanks to the Ordnance Survey Ireland for hosting the event at their offices.

Phoenix Park,

Dublin 8 

Please register for the event here to guarantee your place and most of all that I have enough food organised!

Register

Jack Strongitharm

Irish West Coast AutoCAD Civil 3D User Day

Had a great event in Oranmore near Galway, Ireland with a great bunch of users supported by Amicus Technology.

Also some great different applications of Civil 3D being used such as

canals, dredging, bathymetric surveys, lidar etc

A lot of positive vibes in the room as people are finding their way through the product to their advantage now.

Jack Strongitharm

UK Civil 3D User Day - Photos

This last week was the Civil 3D User Day in the Autodesk office in Farnborough.

It was a great well attended day, below are some photos

Me doing my part on the subs pack

Dan Philbrick and Peter Funk live via Video feed for Q & A (I think I was suffering from the previous days travel!)

Bruce Harfield of 3AM Solutions presenting Dynamite VSP

 

Mat Day of Bluesky

Neil Brooker presenting LandXplorer

A great day and I look forward to meeting the group in Galway this Wednesday

Jack Strongitharm

AutoCAD Civil 3D UK User Day - Farnborough (Agenda)

Here is the confirmed agenda for next Wednesday and I can now write down the focus of the day and my session, 'Subscription Advantage Pack'.

I apologise for having the day on half term week! (I will learn for next time as my son isn't at school, DUH!)

There are still a couple of places left for those who want to come a see some great new features live and also some great presentations from our partners.

Please register so you get fed, bacon butties will be waiting for you in the morning!

Register here

Agenda

9.00 –   Arrival and coffee

9.30 -   Introduction

Civil 3D Subscription Advantage Pack – Jack Strongitharm (Autodesk)

10.30 -  Leica Laser Scanning – a presentation from Steven Ramsey (Leica)

11.00  - Coffee Break

11.30  - Tips and Tricks – Out of the box tips from Jack Strongitharm (Autodesk)

12.00  - Dynamite VSP – a presentation from Bruce Harfield (3AM Solutions)

12.30 -  Lunch

13.00 -  Drainage discussion – a presentation from Ian McGregor and a virtual Chris Maeder (Autodesk)

13.30  - Beyond aerial photography – A presentation from Mat Day (Bluesky)  

14.00 -  LandXplorer – a presentation by Neil Brooker (Autodesk)

14.45 -  Coffee Break

15.00 Q&A with Dave and Dan (live from Manchester, New Hampshire)

15.30 -  Autotrack in 3D – a presentation by Savoy Computing

16.30 -  Project clinic – Users to submit questions and drawings that they need some help explaining

17.00 -  Close 

Jack Strongitharm