Geopak equivalent to InRoads DTM

Anthony:

Your basic understanding is correct.  The closest GEOPAK equivelent to a DTM is a TIN file.  But a TIN file is simply a surface.  The difference is that an InRoads DTM file stores the features for the elements whch comprise the surface so it contains the information to distinguish an edge of pavement breakline from a stream breakline (for example).  This is a simplified explanation for which some of my Bentley collegues can expand if necessary.

If you could please elaborate on it. Is there anyway to duplicate the InRoads DTM in Geopak...or export Geopak information with the feature intelligence to InRoads? We use Geopak, but need to supply an InRoads DTM file and do not InRoads.

Even though the surfaces may be identical, the converted Geopak tin to InRoads DTM will not contain feature symbology/information about what the element/point is, correct? i.e. a particular break line "knows" it represents the edge of pavement. That is the ultimate goal, to get an InRoads DTM with identifiable information. Thoughts?

 Would an option be to laydown the tin file breaklines and just change the symbology of each breakline to a level that represents the item? Would InRoads be able to extract that information and create a DTM with the element attributes?

It is possible to import the data into InRoads in such a way as to add or preserve that type of data. It is more work than a simple building of a DTM.

By just building a DTM from a tin file, how do the DTM features know what they are supposed to represent?

No they do not. They will be just breaklines and random points.

"Would an option be to laydown the tin file breaklines and just change the symbology of each breakline to a level that represents the item? Would InRoads be able to extract that information and create a DTM with the element attributes? "

 I think this would be as close to replicating the surface as you could get.  You would have to display the breaklines, points etc. you want in the InRoads surface from Geopak.  Then you can Import them into a DTM using the correct feature styles.  The feature style in Inroads is what will give the DTM it functionality. 

"Would an option be to laydown the tin file breaklines and just change the symbology of each breakline to a level that represents the item? Would InRoads be able to extract that information and create a DTM with the element attributes? "

 I think this would be as close to replicating the surface as you could get.  You would have to display the breaklines, points etc. you want in the InRoads surface from Geopak.  Then you can Import them into a DTM using the correct feature styles.  The feature style in Inroads is what will give the DTM it functionality.