Civil 3D Visualization

Bringing Sexy Back to CivilWhen 2D Presentation Just Isn’t Enough

Larry YoungCivil Consultant and Trainer

Larry YoungCivil Consultant and Trainer

AutoCAD version 2 – What Year?

15 Years Civil Drafting and Design

10 Years CADD consulting business

Trainer for:AutoCADDCASoftDeskLand DesktopCivil 3DMap 3DGoogle Earth Pro

AgendaBringing Sexy Back to Civil

2D vs. 3D PresentationsWorkspacesVisual StylesLinks and Code SetsFeature LinesMaterials

Enhancing the ViewMV BlocksMove to Surface

Cameras, Walkthroughs and Rendering

Preparing for 3D Studio Max

Importing to 3DS Max

Civil “3D”

Civil 3D, as the name implies, will create three dimensional models as you are designing visually in two dimensions.

The 2D or flat view is not always the best way to present a project to the client.

3D Views are better, and modeled, rendered with materials utilized make even better presentations.

Requirements for Corridor:

The basic requirement for this ability is that the design be done with Civil 3D objects, not AutoCAD primitives. For Corridors – 5 items required.

1.An existing ground surface2.A proposed alignment3.Existing ground profile4.Proposed ground profile5.Assembly (or typical cross section)

Create the corridor.

Create a 3D Workspace and View

3D view workflow Create a workspace called “Visualization”. Add the 3D Navigation and the Visual Styles toolbars to the

AutoCAD work area. TIP: To display toolbars, right click on any toolbar, or in a blank area in

the top of the screen, in the list select the desired toolbar. Rotate the drawing up to an isometric view:

Change to Realistic Style

Change the visual style to “Realistic” by clicking on the realistic button in the visual styles toolbar.

This is a bit more realistic looking, but additional modifications are necessary for more realism.

Create Visual Style

Open the manager visual styles dialog box by clicking on the button shown.

Copy the Realistic style: Rename to Visualization Change Settings to:

Shadow display: Full shadows Edge mode: None Apply the new style to the

current view

New Visual Style Applied

This will remove the TIN (triangle) lines from the existing ground surface, leaving the corridor with links and feature lines displayed.

These links and feature lines will need to be removed for our visualization style; this is accomplished within the properties of the corridor on the code tab.

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Create Code Set and Link Style

First the introduction:

Codes = Cross Sections At “Intervals” along Corridor Interval controlled by parameters

Links = Along Corridor Flowline TC Sidewalk

Create Code Set and Link Style (Cont.)

Click the dropdown arrow for code set style action, and select “Copy Current Selection”

On the information tab, change the name of the code set style to “Visualization”, enter a description for the style.

Create Code Set and Link Style (Cont.)

Select the Codes tab. Click the style picker button

on any link.

This brings up the “Pick Link Style” editor box.

In the Pick Link Style dialog box, select the action dropdown arrow, then select copy current selection.

The Invisible Link Style

Name this new link style: _Invisible

Turn off the link lines for viewing in 3D views

On the Link Style dialog box, make sure the view direction is set to “Model”.

Turn OFF the light bulb for the component link by clicking on the bulb icon in the “visible” column.

All Links set to Invisible

Select all link lines, click on any link style picker buttons, change the style to “_Invisible” and click OK.

All links styles should now be set to _Invisible.

Verify each of the links render material as these are what creates the render style.

Change or set materials as needed.

Point Markers and Shape Styles

Set all Point markers to the “No_Markers” style.

This will turn off the symbols at each of the intersections of link lines, and feature lines.

Using the same methods, set all the shape styles to “_No Shading”.

This will set the shaded cross section areas to invisible.

Turn Off Feature Lines

Feature lines still show in the 3D model view and must now be turned off.

On the feature lines tab in the corridor properties dialog box, select all feature line styles and click a checked box.

TIP: When clicking the check mark to turn it off, this can take a few seconds so be patient.

Profile Lines in Model View

Notice there are two white lines in this example, (they may not appear in your drawing). These happen to be the profile lines of existing and proposed ground.

They need to be turned off in the model view.

Note: Do Not turn the profiles off in the plan view. If a profile view of this corridor has been placed on the current drawing, then the profiles will not be displayed within that view.

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More Realistic View

For a more realistic view, change the model view background to a blue color representing the sky.

TIP: this is done in the options dialog box.

Creating Surfaces from Corridor

To create items acceptable to 3D Studio Max, we must create surfaces from the codes in the corridor (IE: Pavement, C&G, median, ditch, etc.

Right click on the corridor and select corridor properties. On the surface tab, create a surface for each code desired. Set the style to triangles, and the Render Material as needed.

Creating Surfaces from Corridor

The surface will need to be “trimmed”.

Create boundaries as necessary for each surface.

Add the boundary to each surface definition.

The surfaces are now ready for import to 3DS Max.

Enhancing the View

Add Trees and Objects from Tool Palettes MV-Blocks

Move to surface Surface pulldown Utilities Move Blocks to Surface

Optional – Put into 3DS Max

Enhancing the View

Trees go into 3DS Max – note: do not always get color. Some objects go into 3DS Max Surfaces will import to 3DS Max

Need separate surface for each “sub-assembly” IE: Pavement Shoulder Median CG Sidewalk

Create Detached Surface from Corridor

TIP: Each surface needs to have the material applied in surface properties.

Cameras and Walkthroughs

Insert Camera View Type the word Camera at the

command line. Insert the camera location point.

(Note: snap to triangle end points get you closer to realistic to start)

Select the camera by clicking on it. Use properties to change Name To adjust elevations for:

Camera Target

Lens Size (28mm good start) Also drag “Grips” to edit

Location Field of View

Cameras Preview

Live – interactive - as you move camera by grips or properties the camera preview will update.

Set Visual Style to “See” rendered Visualization style we created earlier.

Camera – More Settings

Type “View” at command line Select Scene1 Set Visual Style to “Civil

Visualization

Set Background override to “Image”

Browse to “Sky.tga

Camera View

Member of the 3D Navigation tool bar.

Select Scene1 Results - 3D View w/ materials,

3D blocks and sky background

Capture the image for use in presentation documents. *

Creating Camera Path

Workflow suggestions: Create Feature Line from Corridor Use ETW and offset Raise Feature Line Explode back to Pline

Alternate method: Sketch Pline Create feature line from Pline Move to surface Raise Feature line Explode back to Pline

TIP: If pline is in wrong direction, create an alignment from corridor, reverse direction, then explode back to pline. (Or lisp routines on internet)

Creating Movie

View Pulldown – Motion animation path selection Set Camera to a path or point Select the path or point Set Target to path or point Select the path or point

Animation Settings: Set the FPS, number of frames Set the duration Select Visual Style Format:

WMV for computer file AVI for DVD storage and playback

Click OK to save the file

Importing to 3DS Max

File Pulldown - Import May get message – C3D Objects

Tip: try to ignore this works most of the time.

Geometry Tab The settings to the right work Other settings may, (I haven’t tried

different configurations).

3DS Max Import

Geometry Tab The settings to the right work Other settings may, (again, sorry, but

I haven’t tried different configurations).

3DS Max Import

Geometry Tab The settings to the right work Other settings may, (again, sorry, but

I haven’t tried different configurations).

Please fill out your evaluations.

lyoung@microdesk.com

Further questions, please visit me at Microdesk booth near center of exhibit hall tonight 6-9 pm.

CD up front – Contains: This power point. Word Document of handout. The dwg file used.

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING !