Create models of gravity utility networks, such as sanitary sewer and storm water. This requires a careful, manual approach where invert elevations are critical. Typically, you start with plans from a designer that include coordinates/locations of manholes and headwalls, diameters and types of pipes (in plan and profile), and elevations of pipes at junctions. You finish by modeling trenches around the networks.

Following are the basic steps for this workflow. For more detailed instructions, see Create Utility Site Improvements.

Steps:

Commands:

1.

Open a project or start a new project.

Open Project

New Default Project - Use the default template.

New Project- Choose a template.

2.

Import any site data and utility network data you need, e.g.:

• Site plan (.pdf or .png)
• Original ground (OG) or finished design (FD) grade contours (.dxf)

Import any manhole and headwall data you need, e.g.:

• Point file of utility node locations (.csv)
• 3D utility node blocks (.vcl)

Import

3.

Add your PDF or image data to the model.

Note: Depending on your PDF type, one of the commands to the right might open automatically.

Georeference Vector PDF and Import Vector PDF Data

or

Place Image

4.

Arrange and filter your Plan View and 3D View, and review your imported data.

Tip: Use the Isolate Layers mode to make reviewing your layered data easier.

3D View

View Filter Manager (VFM)

5.

If you see any errors in the data, run data prep commands to clean the data up.

This is an optional step that is not necessary if your data is already clean. If you do not run through this workflow, you may simply want to run Project Cleanup.

If you imported contour lines at elevation 0.0, you may also need to elevate them. Otherwise, they will not form the original ground (OG) surface in the next step.

Site Data Prep Workflow

6.

Create an OG surface out of any imported contours.

Tip: Select the surface and change the transparency and other visible properties of the surface in Properties so you can see the utility network through the surface.

Create Surface

7.

Create utility categories for pipes and nodes.

Then create pipe and node site improvements.

Node types include headwalls, junction boxes, and manholes.

Material and Site Improvement Manager > Create Site Improvement

New Utility Category > New Utility Category Object

8.

Create a utility network to contain the utility lines and nodes you will create next.

Create Utility Network

9.

Create utility runs to group specific series of pipes and nodes. If needed, you can edit runs after creation.

Create Utility Run

Edit Utility Run

10.

Create utility nodes (manholes, headwalls, junction boxes, etc.) at the 3D locations shown in your imported plans.

You may need to use the VFM to hide the surface to see the node locations.

Create Utility Node

11.

Create pipes between the nodes.

Create Pipe

12.

Reverse utility runs to change the stationing direction of utility lines in a utility run.

Reverse Utility Run

13.

Review the networks in graphic views to confirm that your pipes connect to your nodes correctly, and that the network's elevation is correct relative to the OG surface.

Plan View

3D View

Surface Slicer View

14.

Create a trench template.

As needed, specify the:

• Basic cross-sectional shape
• Backfill layers
• Side slope angles
• Depth zones

Trench Template Manager

15.

Insert a trench template along each utility run.

Insert Trench Template

16

Create a trench surface for each run in the network.

Create Trench Surface

17.

Check and clean up the trench surface.

Select and Edit or delete the linestrings that were automatically created to model the trench.

18.

Run a Utility Takeoff Report to compute subgrade volumes and pipe and node quantities for your network.

Utility Takeoff Report