Highway Geometry Design Using AutoCAD Civil 3D

1. INTRODUCTION
What is Civil 3D?
Civil 3D is an engineering software application used by civil engineers and other professionals to plan,
design, and manage civil engineering projects. These projects fall under the three main categories of land
development, water, and transportation projects; and can include construction area development, road
engineering, river development, port construction, canals, dams, embankments, and many others. Civil 3D
allows is used to create three-dimensional (3D) models of land, water, or transportation features while
maintaining dynamic relationships to source data such as grading objects, breaklines, contours, and corridors.
As an industry-leading building information modeling (BIM) solution, Civil 3D is well known in the civil
engineering community and widely used on a variety of infrastructure projects both large and small.

Individuals who are currently using AutoCAD or plan on learning AutoCAD will inherit many benefits of
using Civil 3D. Civil 3D was originally created to be an add-on for AutoCAD but as its popularity and
demand grew, it was further evolved and developed into a stand-alone product — built on the AutoCAD
platform. Civil 3D offers a familiar design environment and many AutoCAD-compatible shortcuts; and with
true DWG (drawing) file support, Civil 3D allows you to store and share design data with existing AutoCAD
users. With Civil 3D projects, changes to drafting and annotation are automatically reflected throughout the
model for quick and efficient visualizations that remain in sync as you make design changes at any stage of
the process. A popular use of Civil 3D is its fully integrated survey functionality, which offers a consistent
environment for survey tasks and allows for raw imports of survey data, adjustments of least-squares, survey
observation edits, and the automatic creation of survey figures and surfaces. Civil 3D offers many other
beneficial tools and features that can enhance your project such as Pressure Networks, Corridor Modeling,
Earthwork Calculations, Grading, Pipes, Production Drafting, Geospatial Analysis, Point Clouds, and much
more. Civil 3D may be used to develop a proposal for the design and construction of a new airport that
communicates their plan clearly to various stakeholders using intelligent 3D models, multiple layouts, view
frames, plan and profile views, real-time information, and even 3D models published directly from Civil 3D
into Google Earth.

The following points are covered under this manual:

 Starting AutoCAD Civil 3D

 Import – export points

 Surface and contours

 Alignment

 Super elevation

 Profiles (existing and finished)

 Corridors

 Cross sections and Quantities

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2. STARTING AutoCAD Civil 3D

You can start AutoCAD Civil 3D 2015 from the taskbar. To do so, choose Start > All Programs > Autodesk
> Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D 2015 > Civil 3D 2015 Metric from the taskbar, refer to Figure 1; AutoCAD
Civil 3D 2015 will start.

Figure 1
When you start Civil 3D 2015, a window will be displayed with the New Tab chosen by default. This tab
contains Get Started, Recent Documents, and Notifications. Menu Bar contains File, Window and Help.

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2015 User Interface

Go to File > New > Select drawing template (.dwt) > _AutoCAD Civil 3D (Metric) NCS > Open. The
new Civil 3D drawing will be open.

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 Figure 2

The Civil 3D interface consists of various components such as the drawing area, WORKSPACE, menu bar,
command window, toolbars, Ribbon, model and layout tabs, Status bar and TOOLSPACE palette as shown
in Figure 2. The title bar is displayed on the top of the screen and displays the current drawing name.

Drawing Area
The drawing area covers the major portion of the screen. Here, you can draw various objects and use
commands.

Drawing File Tabs

The Drawing File Tabs displayed above the drawing area, refer to Figure 2, shows every drawing that is
currently open. Using these drawing tabs, you can quickly switch between the drawings. The order in which
these tabs are displayed is based on the sequence in which the files are opened.

Ribbon
The Ribbon interface in AutoCAD Civil 3D has a collection of tools that are grouped into various tabs based
on their functionality. This interface provides an alternative to the layered menus, toolbars, and task panes
which were used previously for displaying tools. The tools in the tabs are further sub grouped and placed into
various panels depending on their usage and functionality.

Application Menu
The Application Menu, shown in Figure, will be displayed when you choose the Application button located
on the top left corner of the Civil 3D window (Refer Fig 3.).

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 Figure 3.

Command Wndow
The command window at the bottom of the drawing area has the command prompt where you can enter the
commands (Fig. 4).

Status Bar
The Status bar is displayed at the bottom of the screen, as shown in Figure 4. It contains some useful
information and buttons that will make it easier for you to change the status of some AutoCAD functions.
You can toggle between on and off states of most of these functions by choosing buttons from this bar.

Figure 4.
Model
The Model button is chosen by default because you work in the model space to create drawings.

Snap Mode
You can choose this button to turn on the snap mode. On doing so, you can move the cursor in fixed
increments. The F9 key acts as a toggle key to turn the snap off or on.

Ortho Mode

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You can choose this button to draw lines at right angles only. You can use the F8 function key to turn ortho
mode on or off.

Object Snap
When the Object Snap button is chosen, you can use the running object snaps to snap on to a point. You can
also use the F3 function key to turn the object snap on or off.

Add Scales to annotative objects when the annotative scale changes

On choosing this button, the annotation scales that are set current will be added to all the annotative objects
present in the drawing.

Clean Screen
The Clean Screen button is available at the lower right corner of the screen. When you choose this button,
it displays an expanded view of the drawing area by hiding all the toolbars except the command window,
Status bar, and menu bar. Choose the Clean Screen button again to restore the previous display rate.

Isolate Objects
This button is used to hide or isolate objects from the drawing area. To end isolation or display a hidden
object, choose this button again and choose the end Object Isolation option.

Customization
The Customization button is available on the right corner of the Status Bar. Using this button, you can add
or remove tools in the Status Bar.

TOOLSPACE Palette
In AutoCAD Civil 3D, you can view the project data and its status at any time in the TOOLSPACE palette.
The data in the palette updates itself dynamically to show the status of the data within the drawing. To display
the TOOLSPACE palette in a drawing, choose the TOOLSPACE button from the Palettes panel of the
Home tab or type SHOWTS in the command line. There are four tabs in the palette, Prospector, Settings,
Survey, and Toolbox. These tabs are discussed next.

Prospector Tab

The Prospector tab is used to manage project files. You can choose the Prospector tab in the TOOLSPACE
palette. The options in the Prospector tab are used to view, edit, and manage drawings. You can also edit the
object data for the Civil 3D objects that are present in the drawing. In this tab, all the objects in a drawing or
project are arranged in a hierarchy.

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The drop-down list displayed at the top of the Prospector tab displays various options. The content displayed
in the Prospector tab depends on the option selected from this drop-down list. Select the Master View option
from the drop-down list; all project and drawing items, including drawing templates are displayed in a
hierarchical order in the Prospector tab. If more than one Civil 3D drawing files are opened, then the name
of the active drawing is highlighted. Select the Active Drawing View option in the drop-down list; hierarchy
of all the items in the active drawing is displayed in the Prospector tab.

Settings Tab
Choose the Settings tab from the TOOLSPACE palette; various options in this tab will be displayed.

You can use this tab to view, create, and modify different styles for different object types in Civil 3D. This
tab is also used to control the settings for drawings and commands.

Survey Tab
Choose the Survey tab from the TOOLSPACE palette; various options in this tab will be displayed.

The Survey tab shows the survey data present in the AutoCAD Civil 3D projects folder. This survey data
can be accessed from multiple drawings.

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Toolbox Tab

Choose the Toolbox button from the options in this tab will be displayed in the TOOLSPACE palette. This
tab manages reports for each type of object in Civil 3D. These reports provide you useful engineering
information regarding the objects in the drawing.

Civil 3D Workspace
Workspaces are a set of toolbars, menus, and Ribbon that are grouped and organized together to work in a
custom and task-oriented environment. A workspace controls the layout of the Civil 3D user interface. When
you use a specific workspace, you can view the Ribbon, toolbars, and other applications that have been
specified for the selected workspace. To invoke the applications and tools that are specified in other
workspaces, enter the commands in the command line.

In AutoCAD Civil 3D, there are four default workspaces such as Civil 3D, Planning and Analysis, 2D
Drafting & Annotation, and 3D Modeling. These default workspaces are designed considering the tools
that a user might use for that kind of project. You can also create your own customized workspace and save
it using the Save Current.
You can select workspaces at the beginning when you start the Civil 3D application or anytime during the
drawing session. When you start AutoCAD Civil 3D, you are prompted to select a specific workspace and
then continue. Once you are done, you can switch to other workspace settings at any time by choosing the
Workspace Switching button that is located in the Status bar.

Civil 3D
The Civil 3D workspace includes all the necessary tools and applications that required for designing a civil
engineering project such as the road, railway, or a pipe network designing project.

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2DDrafting & Annotation
This workspace is used for the purpose of documentation of your project. The Annotation tab is included in
the Ribbon in this workspace. All the tools related to annotation are available in this tab so that you can
annotate easily as per your requirement.

3DModeling
This workspace contains all the tools and applications that are available in the AutoCAD and can be useful
in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Planning and Analysis

This workspace contains all the tools and features that are available in AutoCAD Map 3D and can be used
directly in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

3. GETTING STARTED WITH AutoCAD CIVIL 3D

The basic setup tool like drawing setting and units are discussed next.

Drawing Settings

Drawing settings allow the user to review or modify settings specified for a drawing. To edit the current
drawing settings, right-click on the drawing name that is displayed in the Settings tab of the TOOLSPACE
palette; a shortcut menu will be displayed. Choose the Edit Drawing Settings option from this shortcut
menu, as shown in Figure; the Drawing Settings - <drawing name> dialog box will be displayed, as shown
in next Figure. This dialog box contains five tabs that are discussed next.

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Go to Units and Zone > Categories > Drop down to Set Datum > Select UTM, WGS84 Datum
Go to Selected coordinate system code: > Enter value of your project zone/region from Google earth
UTM84-43N (Value 43 is for Gulabpura, Rajasthan Region/Zone) > Select OK

Units and Zone Tab

This tab is used to set linear and angular units, intended plot scale, and coordinate zone for the current
drawing.

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Object Layers Tab
This tab provides a table in which the objects can be directly assigned a layer. To change the layer of an
object, click in the field of the Layer column corresponding to that object; the Layer Selection dialog box
will be displayed. In this dialog box, select the layer name that you want to assign to the selected object and
choose the OK button; the dialog box will be closed and the selected layer name will be assigned to the
object.
The layer of an object controls various properties like color, linetype, and lineweight of an object to which it
is assigned. As a result, the object to which a layer is assigned can have maximum flexibility in its display.

Abbreviations Tab
In this tab, you can set the abbreviations used in object labels, especially for alignment and profile geometry
points.

Ambient Settings Tab

This tab provides global default settings such as precision, unit, and rounding of the numeric values, visibility
of tooltips, and so on. You can expand various properties and make the required settings in the Value column
of this tab. The ambient settings made in the Ambient tab are used throughout the drawing, unless they are
overridden at the feature or command level.

After configuring the settings in the Drawing Settings dialog box, you need to examine the default styles for
each feature and its labels, the feature name format, and other settings that you may want to modify. To do
so, go through Point, Surface, and other features in the Settings tab and right-click on each feature. Next,
choose the Edit Feature Settings option from the shortcut menu to invoke the Edit Feature Settings dialog
box. You can examine various settings of the selected feature by using the options in this dialog box.

4. IMPORT/EXPORT POINTS, SURFACE AND CONTOURS

You can start Civil 3D 2015 Metric by double click on the shortcut from the desktop. Civil 3D 2015 Metric
will start.

Go to File > New > Select drawing template (.dwt) > _AutoCAD Civil 3D (Metric) NCS > Open. The
new Civil 3D drawing will be open.

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Go to TOOLSPACE > Setting > Set the unit (meter) and Datum as mentioned in previous point (Getting
started with AutoCAD Civil 3D).

Go to Topographical survey drawing file > Open (by double click on it). The file will open.
(Note:- For generation of actual surface, the points other than ground (left & right) and road levels, may not
be considered. So you may freeze/layoff the layers of other points which are not required).

Enter > APPLOAD in Command line.

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Select CSV.lsp file > Load > a message will be indicated that CSV.lsp successfully loaded > select close.
(CSV.lsp file should be in the same folder in which your drawing is saved)

Enter CSV in command line > software will ask location to save > select location > click on save > pick
first corner of drawing > pick other corner of drawing > enter entity name (text/attdef) text.
(Pick corners of drawing in such a way that required area of drawing can be covered)

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Go to the saved file (MS Excel Comma Separated Values File (.csv)) > Open the file > Check the levels >
delete point number column> Save > Yes > Close > Don’t Save.
(Note: The saved MS Excel .csv file is in PENZ Comma delimited Format consist of P- Point number, E-
Easting, N- Northing, Z-point elevation)

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Go to Civil 3D > TOOLSPACE > Prospector > Surface > Right Click > Create Surface > Give Name
> select Style > OK.
The new surface will be generated

Go to TOOLSPACE > Prospector > Surface > Created Surface (Trial Aln) > Definition > Point files >
Add > Specify point file format as per your MS Excel .csv file > Select ENZ (Comma delimited) > go
to Selected files option > click on + > Select file >Open > select OK.

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The surface will be generated. You may add boundaries and break lines to the surface.

Go to TOOLSPACE > Prospector > Surface > Created Surface (Trial Aln) > Right Click on it > you
may use the different functions like surface properties, style, rebuild etc.

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Go to TOOLSPACE > Prospector > Surface > Created Surface (Trial Aln) > Right Click on it > Edit
surface style > Display > Visible > select on bulb to off the layer > Ok.
(This will help to off/on the different layers of surface)

4. HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT DESIGN

Before going to the horizontal alignment design, you may attach/use topographical survey drawing as an
external reference while designing the alignment.

Go to Command line > type XREF > external reference window will be open > Drop down and select
Attach DWG > Select Topo survey drawing > Open > select Overlay > OK > Enter X & Y scale factor
equal to 1 in command window.

Drawing will be appeared as an external reference. You may use option command to adjust xref display.

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Alignment in Civil 3D can be created by layout and polyline.

Alignment by Layout

For that Go to Menu bar > Alignment > Create Alignment by Layout > Give Name of alignment > select
Type centerline > select tab General > Set an Alignment Style: & Alignment Label Set: > select tab Design
Criteria > give Starting Design speed > tick to Use criteria based design > you may use design criteria
file > OK.

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Alignment layout tools will be visible on the screen. You may choose required tool for alignment design.

Following tools normally you may apply while designing the alignment.

 To draw tangent: use Tangent-Tangent (No curves),

 To insert or delete point of intersection: Insert PI, Delete PI,

 In case if you are designing alignment with simple circular curve without spiral (For smaller
deflection angle): Free curve Fillet (Between two entities, radius)

 For curve with spiral: Use Free Spiral-Curve- Spiral (Between two entities)

 For Compound Curve: Free Compound Spiral-Curve-Spiral-Curve-Spiral (between two

tangents)

 For Reverse curve: Free Reverse Spiral-Curve-Spiral-Spiral-Curve-Spiral (between two

tangents)

 Delete Sub-entity

 Pick Sub-entity

 Alignment Grid View

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Use above mentioned tools and proceed for the horizontal alignment design.

Alignment by Polyline:

Draw polyline (2D) in drawing area > Go to Menu bar > select Alignment > select Create Alignment
from Polyline > select drawn polyline > enter to Accept or reverse the alignment direction> the tool
create alignment from Object will be displayed > Select appropriate conditions in General and Design
Criteria > OK.

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You can also edit alignment properties styles, Geometry, labels etc.

Select Alignment > Right Click > Choose alignment properties styles, Geometry, labels etc.

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4. VERTICAL ALIGNMENT DESIGN

Vertical Profile view (Existing)

Go to Menu Bar > Profiles > Create Profile from Surface > select Alignment: > Select Surfaces: >
Click on Add (to add ground level below alignment-profile) > tick on Sample offsets > give value 10 (to
add right ground level offset (10 m) to alignment-profile) > click on Add > again give value -10 (to add left
ground level offset (-10 m) to alignment-profile) > click on Add > Select Draw in Profile view > Select
alignment > type Profile view name > Select Profile view Style > click on Next > Select station range >
click Next > Select Profile view height (give appropriate value to user specified height) > click on Next >
Specify profile display options: > click on Next > Set Band Set > click on Next > Create Profile view.

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The profile view will be generated.

Vertical Profile Design (Finished)

Go to Menu Bar > Profiles > Create Profile by Layout > select profile view to create profile > Give
Name of Profile > select tab General > Set Profile Style: & Profile Label Set: > select tab Design
Criteria > tick to Use criteria based design > you may use design criteria file > OK.

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Profile layout tools will be visible on the screen. You may choose required tools for profile design.

Following tools normally you may apply while designing the profile.

 To Draw Tangents,

 To insert or delete PVI: Insert PVI, Delete PVI,

 Free Vertical Curve (Parabola)

 Select PVI

 Delete Entity

 Profile Grid View

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5. SUPERELEVATION DESIGN

Select Alignment > select Edit Super elevation > Select Calculate super elevation now > select
Roadway Type > select Next > select Lanes > select Next > select Shoulder Control > Select Finish.

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To Create Super elevation View

Select Alignment > Drop-down Super elevation tab > select Create Superelevation View > Select
appropriate parameters > Ok > Select super elevation view origin > super elevation view will be
created.

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5. CORRIDORS

Go to Menu bar > Select Corridors > Select Create Assembly > select applicable parameters > OK >
Specify Assembly base line location (anywhere in drawing area).

Again Go to Menu bar > Corridors > Select Subassembly Tool Palettes > select Generic > Select Link
WidthAndSlope > Select parameters (for Right lane) >Select on Right side of assembly > Select
parameters (for Left lane) > Select on Left side of assembly.

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Go to Generic > Select LinkSlopeToSurface > Define Parameters (for Right side) > Select at Right edge
of lane > Define Parameters (for Left side) > Select at Left edge of lane > Assembly will be created.

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Go to Menu Bar > Corridors > Create Corridor > select parameters > OK > Define Baseline and
Region Parameters > OK > Select Build the Corridor > Corridor will be generated.

Go to TOOLSPACE > Prospector > Corridors > Right click to Corridors > Properties > Surfaces >
Select Create a Corridor Surface > Add Data (Data Type: Links & Specify Code : top) > Click on + >
again select Create a Corridor Surface > Add Data (Data Type: Links & Specify Code : datum) >
Click on + >Select OK > Rebuild the Corridor.
(You may also define boundaries and slope pattern)

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6. CROSS SECTIONS

Go to Menu Bar > Sections > Create Sample Lines > Select an alignment > Sample line tools will be
displayed > define suitable parameters.

Following tools normally you may use while creating sample line. Define appropriate parameters.

Edit Group Defaults > Ok > Edit Swath Width for group > Ok

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Select Sample more sources > Add/Remove > Ok

Define Sample line By Range of Stations > Ok.

Close Sample line Tools.

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To create Section View

Go to Menu Bar > Sections > Create Multiple Section Views > Select appropriate parameters to (General
> Next > Section Placement > Next > Offset range > Next > Elevation range > Next > Section Display
option > Next > Data Band > Next > Section view table) > Create Section View > Select section view
origin (anywhere in drawing area).

The Multiple section views will be created.

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7. QUANTITIES

Go to Menu Bar > Sections > Select Compute Materials > Select alignment: > select sample line group:
> OK > Select appropriate parameters (Quantity takeoff criteria, Volume calculation method, Surfaces) >
select OK.

Go to Menu Bar > Sections > Select Add Tables (Total volume table) or Generate Volume Report.

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8. ALIGNMENT REPORT GENERATION

Go to TOOLSPACE > Toolbox > Report Manager > you can execute reports as per your requirements for
alignment, profile, surface etc.

_________End________

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