Create a Tunnel Shape Template

Use the Create Tunnel Template command to create a template that includes one or more tunnel shapes that can be applied at any station along the tunnel corridor.

Note: By applying multiple shapes to a tunnel simultaneously, you can create multiple tunnel "layers" representing, for example, the tunnel's innermost lining and the rock-blast outline.

Prerequisites:

Licensed module. See the Subscription Plans page. For a license matrix by command, see the License page in the TBC Community. Also see View and manage licensed features.

To create a tunnel shape template:

If the Create Tunnel Template command pane is not already displayed, select Create Tunnel Template in Tunnels > Create to display it.
Enter a Name for the template, and select the Tunnel to which you want to apply it.
Optionally, in the Copy Template drop-down list, select an existing tunnel template on which you want to base the new template.
The new template will include the same tunnel shapes, if any, assigned to the "copied-from" template. You can then edit the new template as necessary by deleting or adding tunnel shapes.
Note: If you opened the Create Tunnel Template command pane from a Create Template from Interpolated Shapes pop-up menu command in the Tunnel View tab, the Copy template list automatically displays the selection: Interpolated Shape Data.
Optionally, click in the Template position station field and either type or select in a graphic view the station at which you want the template to be applied.
If you do not specify a station at this time, or you want to specify additional stations at which to apply the template, you can use the Add Tunnel Template Positioncommand. For example, you might want to start the tunnel with template_1, then switch to template_2 farther along the corridor, and then switch back to template_1.
See important information on transitioning from one shape to another...
When a tunnel is defined by multiple shapes applied at multiple stations, it is typically necessary that the shape change be applied gradually through interpolation from one station to another—as opposed to an abrupt transition, or no transition at all. To ensure a smooth transition, note the following:
- You must transition between two shapes that have the same number of nodes, regardless of the actual shape geometry. If node counts are different, the second shape will not display in the Tunnel View, as even an abrupt transition is not possible. As a workaround, you can add "invisible" nodes (nodes with zero lengths) to either of the shapes so that they at least technically have the same number of nodes.
- You must transition between shapes with the same name but with different shape geometry and as part of different tunnel shape templates. For example, you could define shape_1 for template_1 and then define a new shape_1 (with a different configuration) for template_2. If template 2 is applied to a station following the station to which template_1 has been applied, the transition from the first shape_1 to the second shape_1 will be smooth. If template_1 is then re-applied to a station following template_2, the transition from the second shape_1 back to the first shape_1 will be smooth as well.
Note: After you add a tunnel template position, you can, if you want, select not to apply any of the tunnel shapes associated with the tunnel shape template at that position. To do so, right-click the tunnel template position in the Project Explorer and select Properties. Then, in the Properties pane, select No for any associated shape template you do not want to apply.
Click OK.
A new tunnel shape template displays in the Project Explorer, nested beneath the Tunnel Templates parent node. If a template position was selected, a new tunnel template position node also displays, nested beneath the Template Positions parent node.

The following example shows a tunnel shape template for a vertical shaft tunnel.
The Create Tunnel Shape command pane displays, enabling you to define the specific tunnel shape dimensions to be applied with the tunnel template.