r/civil3d

Super new to civil. I drew a rain garden that is fed by a long swale and when I try to transform it into a tin there is always a line cutting across the swale. I have added vertices and that might change where it starts from and I have tried editing the tin lines but it all just seems to make more of a mess. Do I need to add a grade/slope line down the center of the swale? That just occurred to me so I haven't tried it yet but looking for suggestions.

Hey everybody, I've been working on a small prototype for myself with Civil3D/AutoCAD workflows and wanted to get some real feedback from others in the industry.

The basic idea is: you describe a repetitive CAD task, and it creates a reusable command for that workflow. The goal is not to replace CAD knowledge, but to make the annoying, repetitive tasks faster and to create a custom, reusable toolset that spans all of your projects.

Here's an example of it saving me a bunch of time:

I used to have to manually wrap up each of these solar blocks in polylines to export to another software. So I created a command in <5min to automatically do this!

https://reddit.com/link/1teo0xw/video/ey56vr6plg1h1/player

I’m mainly trying to understand where this could actually be useful outside of the workflows I already have in mind.

I’m also curious whether something like this would be genuinely useful in your day-to-day work, or if it only sounds good in theory.

If you have a specific dreading workflow/task in mind, comment it, and I’ll follow up if it seems like something I can help out with!

I’d like to reignite this topic, with the hopes that one day there will be a totally different license, for those of us who couldn’t care less about boundary.

For some context, I work in Illinois for a GC, performing layout, as-builts, settlement monitoring, scanning etc to aid the construction process.

Some owners or architects require a stamp by PLS or PE for asbuilts; Obviously not a bad idea, it gives some credibility to the asbuilts and shifts the liability to the person who signed off on it.

However- When you get into the real gritty world of construction surveying, my guess is 95% of PLS’ would tremble at some of the work I do on a daily basis. Sure regular old topos and measuring inverts are common to land surveyors. But explain to me how the current curriculum or exams will prepare a land surveyor for real construction work. It doesn’t. And to be fair most PLS don’t want any involvement in our world. To some, it’s beneath them.

And sure, in places like IL, CA and NY we have unions which gets us in the door. Great money too. But to an extent we have limitations. Many of us are bound to the field for our entire careers. You hit a ceiling that can’t be broken without getting that stamp from the state.

Much of what we do cannot be learned by books or adjacent experience. Only by direct involvement for a long period of time. By learning from those who came before you; Endless hours of studying blueprints and working with other trades in the field.

Explain to me where a PE or PLS knows how to do an anchor bolt survey, or how to take up a concrete building? Or how to field engineer caissons? Or aisc tolerances? Pci? Aci? Steel expansion rates or engineered camber for beams? Who’s willing to lay out windows on the edge of a building 50 stories up? Work on swing stages or boom lifts? Can they make decisions on the fly? While you have concrete drying or ten carpenters waiting on you to frame columns?

This is the true distinction between construction surveyors and land surveyors. Now I’m not saying every state should just hand out licenses to guys who’ve pounded hubs for 10 years. But there needs to be a lane for those of us who chose the trade route. Some credibility to sign off on the work we actually performed in the field. Work that a PE or PLS couldn’t perform as accurately, timely, or knowledgeably.

And by formally making this distinction, I think it does three things.

A. Helps land surveyors allocate their time to cadastral surveying and stops PEs being able to sign off on things they have no idea about.

B. Protects survey work to be performed by surveyors. Without legitimacy in the construction world, our work is susceptible to being stolen by other trades. A lot of it is, but that line will continue to blur.

C. It increases the bargaining power we all have. It’s simple. Gives us a bigger voice to preserve surveying before it all becomes deregulated.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for hearing me out. This is not a rant- Simply a guy who sees the room for improvement in our industry, and cares to see the next generation exist.

Hi all, do you use Claude, GPT, or Gemini if you need help?

If so, which is better for assisting with Civil 3D?

I am a newbie, and my tutor at work was fired, so I now do not have any assistance. YouTube does not always help me (I also have a language barrier).

every time i try using pipe networks or pressure networks in Autodesk Civil 3D it feels awkward and fragile compared to the rest of the software. if they suck this much, how are firms actually building production utility models? are most people just tolerating them, simplifying workflows, or using other software alongside civil 3d?

When labeling a new surface, sometimes there are segments that are too short or too close to other segments for the labels to be clear.

With alignments and spot elevations, you can grab and move the text components and a leader will automatically form connecting the text with the spot being labeled.

With slopes, all the "grab" points control where the slope info is being pulled from. If I try to move the text, the whole thing moves, and this results in the info displayed referencing a different area.

What I'm hoping for is a leader attaching the text to the slope arrow.

Is this possible, if so, how do I do it?

https://preview.redd.it/18bs2c55lx0h1.png?width=578&format=png&auto=webp&s=344bfc2c70146e0f42a734bcbe42852f8c083bce

I have a base surface (black with grey contour lines and yellow/red slope shades). I have made gradings overtop of it (the blue polylines). How can I easiest combine these details? I figured deleting the points underneath each new grading would be simple, but there are TONS of points. Is there a function that deletes surface points within a certain boundary? Thank you!

I created a drawing from a template that I did not create that is set to inches (though when I draw a line, it tells me the ft and inches). I have set the CRS to one that matches the topo shape file I am bringing in - both are in feet. I moved the drawing to the coordinates where it should be using the coordinates for the reference in the shape file, but when I went back to check its location after moving it, it did not, in fact, land where I told it to. I do not know if this is an issue with the drawing being in inches and the geo data in feet, or what will happen to the drawing once I change the units to feet. If I had known I needed to set the CRS I would have done that before creating the drawing so please don't come at me for that. I have no choice but to backend this, unfortunately. I am a newer user to Civil3D so some of its functionality I have yet to understand/unlock.

I have no degree in Engineering only an AS in Animation (Maya, etc.). I know Autocad well and have used professionally for many years but finding work in just Autocad 2D is rough, maybe impossible. I've learned Civil 3D through LinkedIn learning but am still having trouble with job test that I apply for. Looking for advice on solidifying my Civil 3D skills with some realistic practice and looking to put together a portfolio with practice files. Resources would be great.

Hello, I have a question regarding drawing an irrigation pipe profile in Autodesk Civil 3D.

Usually, when creating a profile, the ground elevation line and the pipe centerline appear automatically with their normal colors. However, in the new profile these properties are no longer showing, even though I did not change any settings.

I also noticed that the Cut Data option in bands (select bands style) is no longer appearing, and the only option showing is Standard.

What could be the possible reason for this issue? And how to able showing it?

Hello, may I ask a question? After I draw the pipes and fittings and check the model in 3D, everything looks fine. But when I split the screen into two views and monitor it in 3D using the shaded visual style, I notice that the fittings are not visible. What could be the problem?

Also, when I tried to create a profile for the first pipe, the profile appeared irregular and abnormal. What could be causing this issue, and what should I do to fix it?

https://preview.redd.it/pwmktcfrsn0h1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=732c2c2db56fccfb7827c3cb5fd1abe5ad7a0839

https://preview.redd.it/xpclycfrsn0h1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae23890235a96bcdc16e84bcbe09fa4e1d7a5a05

https://preview.redd.it/ak5xxcfrsn0h1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=90a28d48e027a83d0ad48c6b44a37c4766429a7d

https://preview.redd.it/i1623dfrsn0h1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5e3d2628dab1ecd448903ab9a30af0b5e5aaeb3

I am currently a civil engineering student , I am currently tight on budget and have to buy a laptop for basic learning of civil engineering software. I am confused whether i need a dgpu or igpu with good processor will do the work. Please tell me

Hi all,

I'm fairly new to civil 3d and I'm testing the water with pressure networks. However, I've come to a bit of a point and stuck with modifying a pipe run.

I've currently made a run using an alignment, set up my parts list and set the deflection I need of 2 Deg and the segment length of 6m. I ran a design check for the deflection and managed to sort the issues vertically in the profile view.

However, my issue is trying to sort this in the plan along the alignment. I need to make adjustments ideally at the end of the 6m segments to use the 2 Deg deflection I'm allowed to run the pipe. Currently the alignment only allows me to edit the nodes at the middle of the pipe sections and the pipe fittings, these sections can be quite long so doesn't give the accuracy I need every 6m as the run is down a curved road.

I have also tried to do this manually but the compass will only snap to the standard pipe fitting parts angles(11.25,22,45,90), and won't allow me to offset the angles by the deflection.

Any advice or guidance on this would be greatly appreciated as I feel like banging my head against the wall!