Recently, a couple customers asked me how to create a dynamically linked corridor profile along a top-of-curb or flowline in Civil 3D. They wanted to monitor the corridor elevation data along a particular feature line against a frontage road or pipe network. I typically suggest Option 4 described below. But, decided to explore profile creation alternatives and discuss the pros and cons of each.
Option 1: Create Profile from Corridor
This tool is available from the Home>Create Design>Profile fly out which creates a profile from a corridor feature line. The profile is added to the corridor's baseline alignment collection in the prospector and is automatically drawn in the profile view.
Upon creation you'll notice a unique icon (See below...) in the prospector that gives the impression that this profile is dynamically linked to the selected feature line. It is not.
Pros:
- Easily create a profile from a corridor feature line.
- Can be labeled with all profile label sets.
Cons:
- The profile is Static.
Option 2: Create Surface Profile - Sample Offset
First create a corridor surface using the subassembly Top links with overhang correction. Next "Create Surface Profile" using the corridor baseline with a Sample Offset value equivalent to the offset distance to the desired corridor feature line. The profile is added to the corridor's baseline alignment collection in the prospector and is automatically drawn in the profile view.
Pros:
- The offset profile dynamically updates.
- Can be labeled with all profile label sets.
Cons:
- Requires a corridor surface and a few more steps than Option 1.
- The profile is sampled only at a specific offset distance from the baseline and may not follow the corridor feature line.
Option 3: Offset Alignment- Create Surface Profile
This option is very similar to 'Create Surface Profile - Sample Offset' except you use the Offset Alignment tool and then generate a surface profile from the corridor surface. The surface profile will then need to be superimposed upon the corridor baseline alignment's profile view from either the contextual ribbon or from Home>Create Design>Profile fly out.
Pros:
- An offset alignment can follow a corridor feature line more closely through Add Widening.
- The offset alignment profile dynamically updates.
- Can be labeled with all profile label sets.
Cons:
- Requires a corridor surface and a new offset alignment.
Option 4: Dynamically Linked Corridor Feature Line - Project Objects to Profile View
From the corridor's contextual ribbon or from Home>Create Design>Feature Line fly out, select the desired corridor feature line. In the Create Feature Line from Corridor dialog, ensure that "Create dynamic link to the corridor" is checked and that you give the feature line a descriptive name. Once created, select the desired Profile View and from the contextual ribbon, choose Project Objects to Profile View.
Pros:
- Requires the least number of steps to create a dynamically linked corridor profile.
- Best at displaying elevation data of a corridor feature line along its' actual alignment.
- Non-corridor feature lines can also be projected onto the baseline profile view.
Cons:
- Only basic Profile View labels are available for a projected object.
Note: To remove projected objects from a Section or Profile View, my video Civil 3D 2012: Remove a Projected Object from a Section View on the Autodesk Knowledge Network.
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Daniel Armstrong
ENI Application Specialist
Daniel is an Application Specialist for Infrastructure Solutions at the Ideate Sacramento office. He is a California licensed Civil Engineer and LSIT with over 9 years land development design experience and 6 years Civil–GIS software consulting. Additionally, he provided 6 years of engineering support at a municipal public works department. At Ideate, Daniel assists Civil Engineering and Surveying firms in maximizing their utilization of AutoCAD Civil 3D through consulting, training, mentoring, and technical support. He conducts standard classroom and custom training on AutoCAD, Map 3D, and Civil 3D.