Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
ChAPtER 3
Establishing Existing
Conditions using
Survey Data
With our tour of
the AutoCAD
®
Civil 3D
®
software user interface and our
study of its capabilities behind us, it's now time to do what we came here to
do: Use Civil 3D to complete a land-development project. To begin to under-
stand the task ahead, let's imagine land development as creating a sculpture,
but on a very large scale. If sculptors were to create works of art from wood,
they would probably begin by studying the original piece of wood, assessing its
dimensions, shape, and surface features. These elements would all factor into
how the sculptors would approach their work. A sculptor with some computer
savvy might even model the original piece of wood on a computer and plan out
each cut of material.
In this chapter, we are going to explore the first activities that are per-
formed during a land-development project: the measurement, mapping,
and modeling of the land in its existing form. To plan out how the land will
be reshaped, you must first understand how it's shaped right now. This is
analogous to the sculptor's measurement and assessment of their medium.
The measurement and mapping of land is known as
surveying
, and the data
that is collected during the process is known as
survey data
.
In this chapter, you'll learn to
▶
Understand the purpose and function of survey data
▶
Create a survey database
▶
import survey data
▶
Automate field-to-finish
▶
edit survey points
▶
edit survey figures
▶
Create points
