Building a Base Model - Autodesk Infraworks and Infraworks 360 Essentials - page 68

Just to Be sure
In Exercise 2.5 you used the Drape option to ensure that your building and road
data were placed on the terrain. This was actually an unnecessary step with
this data, but it is still good practice to check this setting. The building and
road data did not include elevation data, so as a default behavior, InfraWorks
automatically draped them on the terrain. At times you will encounter data that
includes elevation info and you will need to choose whether to drape the data
or use the built-in elevation data.
now You know
As you have seen in this chapter, InfraWorks is a place where you can reconstruct a small part
of the world one data source at a time. You began by creating a new model and setting it up
to receive data. You then learned about coordinate systems (the “languages” of geospatial
data sources) and how InfraWorks serves as their translator, enabling disparate data sources
to coexist. Next you imported ground imagery as a means to show a large area in 2D. After
that, you transformed the model into a 3D landscape by importing terrain data and allowing
InfraWorks to drape the previously imported ground imagery on it.
In this chapter you were introduced to surface layers: terrain, ground imagery, coverages (which
you'll learn more about later), roads, and railways (also touched on later in the topic). You
learned how the Manage Surface Layers window can be used to turn surface layers on and off
and control their display order when they overlap.
The final type of data you worked with was vector data in the form of buildings and roads. You
learned how vector data can be draped on the terrain and how additional stylization options
give you more control over the appearance of the data as it is imported.
It's amazing how much you can do with data that already exists. Immeasurable time and effort
have already been spent gathering data about the world as it is right now. For example, terrain
data, ground imagery, roads, and buildings were magically created in your InfraWorks model
based on the data collection efforts of others. There is an abundance of data out there; you
just have to apply some due diligence and find it.
InfraWorks is designed to make it easy for you to import data of various types and sources
so that you can quickly build your model. The software understands that most things in your
model rest on the ground and makes it easy to drape things like roads, buildings, and ground
imagery, on the terrain data you've provided.
Now that you've re-created a part of the earth as it exists right now, you are ready to begin
infusing your design ideas into that landscape to show others how you intend to reshape it.