survey input using a grid method

[Phil hunt]

i am new to this so please forgive me

i have some levels from a site 25m x 20m the levels have been taken at 5m x 5m grids

i have inputed all the data using the grid method but i am left with loci's

at the given levels

so how do i go about converting these to a simple site model

i thought that when i inputed all the data it was going to magically join them all together to give me this lovely terrained block.....

i know i can't be to far away but as i said i have never done this before

any help would be appreciated

thanks

[Phil hunt]

just an update

what i need to get to is the site terrain with a block underneath this so i can sit my model over the top so i can work out how many steps i need

i have selected all the 3d loci and then under terrain create site model it seems to give me the terrain but i need to create the ground underneath

[Art V]

In the site model settings or through the object info palette you can change the 3D view to solid mesh, this should give you what you are looking for (assuming there is a "0" elevation in the model, if not you may need to add this to your data).

The image below gives you an idea of how it would look like (just typed in some random data for a 4x5 grid of 5m)

Edited March 29, 2016 by Art V

[Phil hunt]

Thanks

I didn't put a 0 in the data

Is that the trick

Where did you add the 0 was it at the highest point of the land

[Phil hunt]

On our jobs we usually find the highest point of the land and call that 0 thats our datum point

then anything below that we call -100 -250. -300

It's so we can build our platforms level

Probably not the correct terminology but I hope you get the Gist

They are not complicated surveys but this will help me to at least give the contractor an idea of how many steps he needs to build from the platforms too the ground

So will it be best for me to add this into the data as you say 0 elevation

[Phil hunt]

Hi any chance you could post the vectorworks model please

[Phil hunt]

Art this is exactly what I need

Been looking through the tutorials before I posted but can't seem to find anything about input surveys using the grid method. Are there any

[Jonathan Pickup]

I have a manual that covers grid entry. it is one of my manuals about site modeling, site modifiers, and roads....

http://learn.archoncad.com/2015/06/25843/sst_1506-site-modeling-in-vectorworks/

[Phil hunt]

brilliant

have managed with the help from Art to get what i want

is there a way to overlay the survey readings over the top of the

site model

i have tried everything ....i think

[Art V]

Hi any chance you could post the vectorworks model please

Phil, or anyone else interested, attached is an example file showing the grid elevation in a worksheet with sample elevations.

The sample elevations in the worksheet have been used as input in the same order after selecting Landmark>Survey Input>Grid Method Entry and setting the number of rows and columsn to 5 each with a grid size of 5.

After typing in all the numbers as per worksheet you get the loci as shown underneath the worksheet.

This set of loci was then copied to the right and then the loci were selected and then from the menus Landmark>Create Site Model was selected.

After switching to a 3D view you should get a 3D Mesh Solid with contours shown as per settings in either the Model Settings of the Object Info Palette.

Vectorworks will assume your base level is 0 so in 3D the lowest part of the site model will be at 0m. If you want to change this you need to either correct the elevations for the desired result and change the DTM's elevation for graphical purposes or use site modifiers.

[Art V]

On our jobs we usually find the highest point of the land and call that 0 thats our datum point

then anything below that we call -100 -250. -300

It's so we can build our platforms level

Probably not the correct terminology but I hope you get the Gist

They are not complicated surveys but this will help me to at least give the contractor an idea of how many steps he needs to build from the platforms too the ground

So will it be best for me to add this into the data as you say 0 elevation

Yes I get the gist, and it is one way of doing things.

Do you need cut and fill calculations as well or is it just for visual purposes?

If the latter then you might as well stick with the common way of setting the site model elevations and set your platforms at the top level, that way you can work from the ground up with positive values, which may be easier to work with assuming there are other items that reside on the ground.

If you need cut and fill calculations, it is possible to use objects on other layers as site modifiers for your DTM so you can put your DTM on one layer and all your other stuff on another layer at the topmost elevation or any other elevation you want inbetween 0 and the topmost elevation if you don't go for the highest point in the terrain.

[Art V]

brilliant

have managed with the help from Art to get what i want

is there a way to overlay the survey readings over the top of the

site model

i have tried everything ....i think

If you mean the elevation values at the location at which it was taken you can put the text on the location in top plan view on a layer that is in layer plane mode, just like the layer on which the DTM is residing. If you then switch to 2D/plan view or 3D Top view the text should show up on top of the DTM. Make sure that the layer holding the text values has an elevation higher than the topmost elevation of the DTM.

In other 3D views some of the text will be "floating up in the air" but I assume you won't need the text in those views. (it is possible to get that done but that would be more work than you probably want for now)

See attached v2 of the example file.

[Phil hunt]

thanks for the files really helpful

so you manually typed in the levels over the loci

i was hoping that when i was typing in my levels that it would keep them somewhere with a command show all levels so you could switch them of or on as the case maybe

its not a problem to do this the other way though

i guess the only other way would be to create own grid and manually set the loci

by moving in the Z direction

and then type over at source

its good to show the contractor the terrain and the levels all in 1 go

but learned a lot about this tool and i have even draped a surface over the

site model to give a rolling and more natural contour to be used in my models

so a double outcome

thanks for all you help and advice Art

[Phil hunt]

draped surface over a terrain model

[Art V]

thanks for the files really helpful

so you manually typed in the levels over the loci

i was hoping that when i was typing in my levels that it would keep them somewhere with a command show all levels so you could switch them of or on as the case maybe

its not a problem to do this the other way though

i guess the only other way would be to create own grid and manually set the loci

by moving in the Z direction

and then type over at source

its good to show the contractor the terrain and the levels all in 1 go

Yes in this case I typed the elevation at the loci position, because this is a small site.

There is another way to create a site model which is to create and ID,X,Y,Z delimited text file (basically the x,y and z coordinates and an ID label field in a tab or comma separated text file) eg.

P1,0,0,10

P2,0,5,9

etc.

In the text file there should preferably no header line (the line showing ID, X, Y, Z and Desc in the worksheet)

P1 being the ID, 0,0,10 being x,y,z of point P1

Then choose Landmark>Survey Input>Import Survey File

Select the text file and choose ID,Easting,Northing,Elevation,Description as the format and make sure it creates stake objects. (also set the delimiter, units etc)

The stake objects can then be used to create a site model, but they can also show the X,Y,Z coordinates (and of course ID) or just e.g. the Z-coordinate.

In the subsequent dialog for the stake object you can choose elevation as label reference

Then duplicate the stakes and create a site model, move it to the back and then in 2D top/plan view you can see the locations of the elevations with the elevation of that point shown.

This would be a bit more convenient for larger sites than your 5x5 grid site.

See attached file for an example. (It uses the same coordinates as the previous example so that you can compare)