Create Terrain Model from Design Meshes?

Assuming you're trying to generate a top proposed surface, give the desired points of your templates an "Alternate Surface" in each of those template point properties dialogs that span along that top edge.  Use the "Create Corridor Alternate Surfaces" to extract. That will stitch together any points using the same name given in that Point Properties Alternate Surface field.

The difference with this tool is its ability to perfectly trim edges and create voids to match Mesh extents perfectly. The lack of any control over filtering elements is the one reason we hesitate to use it.

At least having it "detect" reference display would have it work consistently like some of the other tools would exponentially add value here. That being said, the Create Cut/Fill Volumes tool and IFC export works the same way as this. If these tools had a couple of options like "include selection set only", "include undisplayed references", etc. they would be perfect.

Thanks for the reply.  I don't use alternate surfaces much and I can tell you why.  Most of my designs involve a combination of corridors, surface templates and linear templates.  Some jobs like a roundabout for example, I dont use corridors at all. This blows some peoples mind when I say that.  But it works.  Alternate surfaces don't work with surface templates and the tool creates all these separate surfaces with multiple corridors or linear templates having the same alternate surface name per template creates a lot of issues etc... 

If you have one large corridor run I can see the value, but I do a lot of interchange and urban projects were I could have a hundred pieces I have to combine into a finish grade. 

I am basically looking for simple and easy way to make a finish grade.  

Mark,

Great reply.  You nailed it.  The tool could be great!! if we could just filter the elements we want to add to a finish grade terrain.  I have tested it a few times and if all the components I want are showing , seems like it would be the solution.  But this is the same old thing like a lot of Bentley's tools , never completely finished. I would post this on the ideas forum but I see that is gone.  In the meantime I guess I will try and figure out some workaround, again. :-) 

Zane, You're preaching to the choir.  I'm just here to offer a possible best solution "answer" available based on information given by the user. Sorry to assume you haven't tried other methods/ tools.  I hate the fact there isn't an easy way to get to the results you mention.  Now that you've clarified your project constraints a little more, the only viable solution is to make a breaklines file out of the desired 3D features.  I've used FF= (Fence File) to create a 3D file from those lines (simply turn off components and any features you don't need from the Project Explorer, Civil Standards tab.  I'm sure you already know that, but placing it here as another "answer" for others who may stumble upon this forum entry.