PowerInroads SS4, how to project a corridor feature into a profile

Hi a common workflow I have with Inroads ss2 is that when creating a new road once I have my horizontal and vertical alignement, I have a template that do minimum ditch depth (target surface, go 0.5m down with a slope, 1m wide then up with a slope), I then generate a surface of the corridor and use the native fonction update profile/ projected feature to display the ditch in my profile to serve as a base for my vertical ditch profile.

The thing is I can't find a way to do this in SS4, I know how to display the crossing surfaces using the quick profile tool.  Iknow how to make a terrain model with the corridor using element or subsurface but again I'm stuck after this step.

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  • Also any tips on where to find all those native Tools? Display surface offsets into profile, crossing feature in surface and projected feature.

  • On the task pane, when you select the Civil Tools task the tools that display include the Vertical Geometry tools. The fifth and sixth icon on the top row of tools (Vertical Geometry Main) are the Project Profile to Element and the Project Profile Range to Element. The following two sentences are straight from the Help file:

    Use the Project Profile to Element tool to show one element's profile in the Profile View of another element. 

    Project Profile Range to Element performs the same function as the Project Profile tool except a station range can be used instead of the entire element. Use the Project Profile Range to Element tool to show a portion of one elements profile in the profile space of another element.

    You must be able to select the 3D breakline elements, so your Design Stage for the corridor must include Display Features: True. You will be prompted to select the 3D element and then the corridor alignment. This might be a circular reference - I'm still learning when a workflow results in this. If that occurs, use the Additional 3D by Plan Profile tool - found in the 3D Geometry tools, top row, first icon. This will create a 2D geometry of the ditch with a Profile, then you should without any issues project that elements profile to the alignment.

    Now, these profile elements, will "remember" their origins - all but the Additional 3D by Plan Profile (I believe). So, revisions to the corridor may change them. And when creating your special ditch grade, you must not snap to these elements as this can also create a circular reference. The software will try to revise the profile from the corridor, but part of the corridor relies on the profile it is trying to revise - voila: Circular Reference.

    Hopefully, I've given you accurate advice. I've been using InRoads since its dark ages, but only have a year of Open Roads under my belt. Seems like I learn new things daily and some of these require forgetting the dark ages methodology as part of filing this new technique away. Except when this project is over, I may still need to use Ss2, so I really can't forget the old way - I must actually remember which technique works with which version.     


    Charles (Chuck) Rheault
    CADD Manager

    MDOT State Highway Administration

    • MicroStation user since IGDS, InRoads user since TDP.
    • AutoCAD, Land Desktop and Civil 3D, off and on since 1996
  • Wow Thanks a lot for the extensive, clear and fast response! I just need to figure out now how to change the preference of my corridor design stage. But I think I saw this somewhere...
  • Select the Corridor and in the Element Properties/Info dialog is the Design Stage property. The settings of these can be reviewed and even changed in the Project Explorer under the Civil Standards tab. These are located in Project Settings. There will be a Libraries version (Read Only) but as one is used in a file, it also gets copied to the Active File, where you can modify them, if need be. Note there are some for Corridors and a different set for Linear Templates.

    Charles (Chuck) Rheault
    CADD Manager

    MDOT State Highway Administration

    • MicroStation user since IGDS, InRoads user since TDP.
    • AutoCAD, Land Desktop and Civil 3D, off and on since 1996
Reply
  • Select the Corridor and in the Element Properties/Info dialog is the Design Stage property. The settings of these can be reviewed and even changed in the Project Explorer under the Civil Standards tab. These are located in Project Settings. There will be a Libraries version (Read Only) but as one is used in a file, it also gets copied to the Active File, where you can modify them, if need be. Note there are some for Corridors and a different set for Linear Templates.

    Charles (Chuck) Rheault
    CADD Manager

    MDOT State Highway Administration

    • MicroStation user since IGDS, InRoads user since TDP.
    • AutoCAD, Land Desktop and Civil 3D, off and on since 1996
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