OpenRoads Designer - Corridor Contours Do not Tie into Existing Contours

Hello. 

I am having issues getting the proposed contours from a corridor to tie into the existing contours. Please see the screenshots and scenario below. 

At STA 736+10, the End condition seeks and ties to the existing surface as desired. *Note How the proposed contours tie into the existing contours prior to STA 736+10 (left of the vertical cyan line)

At STA 736+12.5, the end condition does not tie to existing surface. This results in the proposed contours to the left of the cyan line not tying into the existing surface. This is the case from STA 736+10.01 to STA 736+14.99.

At STA 736+15.00, the end condition ties back into existing surface. 

Ultimately, I need the proposed contours on BOTH sides of the red notch to tie into the existing surface. There appears to be a 5ft section (between STA 710+00 and 715+00) where the end condition does not solve to existing surface. My template interval is 5ft. I have tried changing to the template interval with no luck. I have also tried adding Key Stations with no luck. 

If anybody has any thoughts that could lead to a solution, I would be VERY grateful. 

  • Hello Aaron,
    If the end condition is not solving, as appears to be the case, then the problem is not the corridor model settings, such as template drop interval, but rather with the template itself.  Use the Testing function of the template editor to identify the situations where the end conditions fail.  That will be your starting place to fix the problem.  Also, check that you don't have other constraints that would result in your end condition seeking a target other than the existing terrain.

    Karl Dauber, PE
    Advance Consulting
    Laurens County, SC
    karldauber@advconsult.net
    www.advconsult.net
    www.linkedin.com/in/karldauber

  • Hey Karl! 

    Thanks for the response. I have tested the end condition using the testing function, and it works fine for all the scenarios I could throw at it. I have also made sure that the only target it seeks is the existing terrain. 

    Please note that this end condition is only failing to solve in that one 5ft area between where the end condition solves at the top of existing fill slope (Section 736+10, see screenshot) and where it solves at the bottom of the existing fill (STA 736+15, see screenshot)

    It's like the end condition is caught in a transition between those two stations and does not solve. 

  • Hello Aaron,

    It looks like you have a couple of things going on that are causing what you are seeing. From what I can tell it appears that at each station shown above your template is solving using the same end condition option, which is why in plan view you have a daylight line connected through each station as shown (no gaps or unconnected daylight lines).  However, the way the corridor model in ORD (and InRoads previously) works is it only truly calculates a solution at the modeling interval (and various other enhancements, like Key Stations), and every other station in between that will be an interpolation from the previously modeled station to the next.  That's why you see an end condition at STA 736+12.5 hanging out in space.

    A possible solution to this would be to tighten up your modeling interval in that area (by adding in a template drop with a smaller interval).  Although I don't know that this option will really work in your case.  Or you can try to add an End Condition Override where you can use a different End Condition through that area to find a suitable solution. An EC Override allows you to use a specific EC Condition solution at a localized level and not have it as an option on the entire length of the rest of the corridor.

    I hope this helps.

    -Joe Muni
    Owner/President JAM Consulting
    InRoads-OpenRoads Consultant/ Project Support/ Staff Augmentation
  • I agree that it could be an interval thing.  The way I see it, if the model had infinite intervals, then all contours would tie in exactly to the existing ground.  But what could be the case:  there is likely NOT a template drop thats placed exactly where a proposed major contour meets the existing ground.  It is likely that major contours are meeting the existing ground between template drops.  The model and contours between template drops are interpolated from the adjacent drops.  In other words, the corridor is not being processed where major contours meet the existing ground - which is why it appears disconnected.

  • At STA 736+12.5, this is definitally the case.  Place a few template drops in that area to see better results.  basically there is like 15' difference between calculated end conditions between two adjacent template drops.  The area inbetween the 15' difference is interpolated.