3 Plateia 2014 ENG Axes

AXES Users’ Manual PLATEIA 2014 2014

Innovative IT and Environmental Technologies, d.o.o.

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Contents 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 5 1.1. About AXES Module ..................................................................................................... 5 1.2. Menu Commands with Short Descriptions.................................................................... 5 1.3. Layers .......................................................................................................................... 7 2. Command descriptions of the Axes Module ...................................................................... 9 2.1. 21A - Project ............................................................................................................... 9 2.2. 21B - Scale .................................................................................................................. 9 2.3. 21C - DEFINE AXES .................................................................................................... 11 2.4. 21D - Construction Elements .................................................................................... 15 2.5. 21E - Horizontal Elements ......................................................................................... 21 2.6. 21F - Edit horizontal elements .................................................................................. 47 2.7. 21G - Longitudinal Axis ............................................................................................ 55 2.8. 21H - Cross Axes ...................................................................................................... 63 2.9. 21I - Correspondent cross-sections .......................................................................... 79 2.10. 21J - DRAPE AXES TO DTM ...................................................................................... 82 2.11. 21K - Save Sections ................................................................................................. 87 2.12. 21L - Roadway and lanes ........................................................................................ 94 2.13. 21M - Cuts, fills and border-lines ......................................................................... 102 2.14. 21N - Extract data ................................................................................................. 111 2.15. 21O - Labels ......................................................................................................... 124 2.16. 21P - 3D Roadway-Model...................................................................................... 129 2.17. 21R - Tools ........................................................................................................... 138 2.18. 21S - Visibility splay .............................................................................................. 142 2.19. 21T – Prepare drawing for plotting ........................................................................ 150

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1. Introduction 1.1.

About AXES Module

AXES is PLATEIA’s program module for creating horizontal alignments. It can be used for designing roadways, railways and other similar civil engineering objects and structures. The AXES module features both interactive as well as batch processing of horizontal elements (i.e. Tangents, Curves, Spirals and Compound Spirals). Once created, horizontal elements can easily be modified and connected together to form a longitudinal axis. To help you construct your horizontal elements, PLATEIA also includes commands for drawing auxiliary (construction) elements – i.e. Lines and Circles – which can serve as a basis for creating the actual horizontal elements. Horizontal Tangent and Curve elements are usually connected through a transition element – the (clothoid) Spiral. The Spiral is based on the following equation: A2=L R Where: • • •

A is the Spiral parameter, L is the Spiral length and R stands for radius to which the Spiral is connected.

The longitudinal axis represents the basis for the construction of cross axes. By draping both types of axes onto a digital terrain model you can acquire both longitudinal and cross section and save them to appropriate files. However, this is not the only method for acquiring the longitudinal and cross sections. Another method built into PLATEIA 2008 allows you to acquire longitudinal and cross sections by means of traverse and detail points that have been surveyed in the sections – without the need for creating a digital terrain model at all. The resulting sections can afterwards be processed in the LONGITUDINAL SECTIONS and CROSS SECTIONS modules. You can use the processed data from these two modules to display roadsides, vertical alignments and cut/fill lines in the AXES module again. Furthermore, the AXES program module also allows you to create visualizations of the designed roadway.

1.2.

Menu Commands with Short Descriptions

•

A - SET PROJECT Manage project files and define system variables.

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B - SCALE Set the output scale of the plan and change the scale of the plan.

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C - AXESAXES-MANAGER Define the axis to be created and edit basic axis parameters (e.g., stations – chainage, direction and visibility).

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D - Construction Elements Create the construction (auxiliary) elements of the axis – Lines and Circles with appropriate rotation directions (‘+’ – clockwise, ‘-’ – counter-clockwise).

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E - Horizontal Elements (H (HE) E) Construct the horizontal (main) elements of the axis – Tangents, Curves, and (Compound) Spirals – and list/save their numerical values.

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F - Edit Horizontal Elements Edit the defined horizontal elements of the axis and modify the axis name that a horizontal element belongs to.

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G - Longitudinal Axis Render a polyline, representing the entire longitudinal axis, over the defined horizontal axis elements and convert an arbitrary polyline to a longitudinal axis without having to define horizontal elements.

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H - Cross Axes Place cross axes on the longitudinal axis and label cross axes with stations and axis names.

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I - Correspondent cross axes Calculating the distances between two axes and entering them into the drawing / saving them to DIS and CAX files.

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J - DRAPE DRAPE AXES TO DTM Drape the defined longitudinal and cross axes to a digital terrain model (QuickSurf) and acquire three-dimensional longitudinal and cross axes.

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K - Save sections Save the generated three-dimensional longitudinal and cross axes (or any other 3D PLINE) to appropriate files.

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L - Roadway and lanes Calculate and create expansions, left and right road edges, middle lanes and transition curves for opening/closing lanes.

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M - Cuts, fills and borderborder-lines Draw cuts, fills. Define and save border-lines.

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N - Extract data Extract coordinates from cross axes.

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O - Labels Draw vertical alignment and superelevation labels.

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P - 3D Roadway Roadway-Model Create a three-dimensional roadway model and view it from different angles.

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R - Tools Use these tools to create and analyze axes.

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Y - Plateia AXES Help Open Plateia help.

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Z - Exit Plateia AXES Close the PLATEIA AXES module menu.

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1.3.

Layers

In the table below you can find a list of layers that the PLATEIA 2008 uses for the output of axis elements. All layers are initialized when creating a new axis (see the Axes-Manager command). The names of all AXES module layers are composed of three constituent parts: • • •

1st PART - prefix "20_", 2nd PART - name of the axis and 3rd PART - name that stands for the basic purpose of the layer.

This way, a logical and clear layer structure is achieved that can easily be distinguished from the layers created with other AutoCAD commands. Example: 20_FIRSTAXIS_MAIN_ELEMENTS

Where: Constituent part

Means…

20_

PLATEIA – AXES program module

FIRSTAXIS FIRSTAXIS

name of the axis

MAIN_ELEMENTS

horizontal axis elements

Layers used by the AXIS program module are as follows: Layer name

Layer description

20_AXISNAME_CONSTR_ELEMENTS

axis construction elements

20_AXISNAME_MAIN_ELEMENTS

horizontal (main) elements

20_AXISNAME_ME_LABELS

horizontal element labels

20_AXISNAME_LONG_AXES

longitudinal axis

20_AXISNAME_CROSS_AXES

cross axes

20_AXISNAME_CA_LABELS

cross axes labels and stations

20_AXISNAME_MIDDLE_LANE

middle-lane lines

20_AXISNAME_ROAD_EDGE_LEFT

left road edge

20_AXISNAME_ROAD_EDGE_RIGHT

right road edge

20_AXISNAME_3D_AXES

three-dimensional longitudinal/cross axes and road edges

20_AXISNAME_3D_LEVEL

3D vertical alignment

20_AXISNAME_LONG_AXES_LABELS

station labels of the longitudinal axis

20_AXISNAME_CUT 20_AXISNAME_CUT

cut hatches

20_AXISNAME_FILL

fill hatches

20_AXISNAME_VERT_ALIGN_LABELS

labels of the vertical axis elements

20_CONSTR_LINES

Contains auxiliary points, created by the program’s calculations that can be used by the user. The name of this

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layer does not contain the axis name because it is common to all axes.

AXISNAME string in the above layer is for illustration purposes only. In your drawing the layer label will contain the name of your axis.

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2. Command descriptions of the Axes Module 2.1.

21A - Project

Project command group comprises the following commands: • • • • •

2.2.

Project Explore working directory Settings Axes-Icons Conversions

21B - Scale

Command name:

SCALE

Command code:

21B

Icon: Task:

elements lements Setting the current drawing scale for the output of axis e

Input data:

From drawing

Output data:

None

Layers:

This command does not use any.

See also commands:

11B

The Scale (21B) command sets the current scale for layout elements. This current scale affects the following axis elements: • • • •

Horizontal element labels, Labels of cross axes, Labels of longitudinal axis, and Labels of the vertical axis elements.

The scale settings for the output to a plotter can be modified by means of the Print/Plot Configuration dialog box.

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When plotting a survey plan, the settings you have set in the Print/Plot Configuration dialog box have to match the current scale settings. Valid settings: Scale Plotted Milimeters=Drawing Units 1:1000 1=1 1:500 2=1 1:2000 1=2

and similarly for the rest of scales. Parameters associated with the 21B command: •

[200101] Drawing scale value ( 1000 )

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2.3.

21C - DEFINE AXES

Command name:

AXESAXES-MANAGER

Command code:

21C

Icon: Task:

Managing the project’s axes: creating of a new axis, selecting the current axis,

Input data:

Via dialog box

Output data:

New layers (if a new axis has been defined)

Layers:

This command does not use any.

See also commands:

21R8

deleting deleting an axis, etc.

This command is intended for management of axes present in drawing. Prior to designing of a new axis, you need to define it by stating the initial properties (description, station, direction, …) and define it as a current axis. Consequently, all commands from the PLATEIA Axes module are related to this current axis. You can control the active axes in a status line or in Axis Manager where the current axis is colored in red. In addition, this command enables subsequent individual axis editing (after its elements have been already drawn).

The Axis Manager dialog box description that appears when you rightclick the axis name. Active axis

Active axis name. All PLATEIA Axis module commands are related to it.

New axis

New axis name and its properties definition. When defining a new axis, layers get initialized. (See in Introduction: Layers)

Erase axis

Erase axis. When erasing, all layers belonging to the individual axis get erased.

Refresh

Refresh axis list in Axis Manager

Zoom in the drawing drawing

Zoom a selected axis.

Select in the drawing.

According to selected main horizontal element, program defines to which axis it belongs.

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By doubleclicking the Parameters branch, the following dialog box opens:

The »Parameters« dialog box description: Axis name

New axis name that should not contain any free spaces (only one word)

Description

Selected axis name additional description. User can use any text.

Km

Starting station (km)

M

Starting station (m)

Station direction

Station direction on axis can increase or decrease. Usually station increases. In special cases (e.g. watercourses) it can even decrease.

Visibility

If you have more than one axis, you can make a selected axis invisible. This means that all layers related to a selected axis can be automatically switched off. (See in Introduction: Layers)

Currently active axis can not be switched off.

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Command 21C is used to set up road category and terrain type. With these two parameters velocity is calculated. By doubleclicking the Road category branch, program invokes the command for a road category setting.

New feature in PLATEIA is defining road category for specific axis and not for whole project. Now you can have multiple axes with different road categories in same project.

The Slovene standard parameters dialog box explanation Road category

select among different road categories available in the selected standard

TerrainTerrain-type type

list of terrain types

Velocity

velocity is calculated from Road category and Terrain type

Critical parameters overview

click to open the Critical parameters overview dialogue box:

The Critical parameters overview dialog box explanation: Rmin

minimal allowed horizontal radius for curves,

Lmin

minimal allowed parameter L for spiral,

Smax

maximal allowed longitudinal level fall

Rmin conv

minimal allowed convex radius for vertical alignments,

Rmin conc

minimal allowed concave radius for vertical alignments.

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Values for critical parameters are checked in the following modules: Axes and Longitudinal-sections. The program PLATEIA alerts you when some road elements contain parameters outside the allowed range.

Using the 21C command you can select any number of lanes, their width and label.

PLATEIA introduces the LANE expression which can stand for selected elements of a road body. Lanes can stand for traffic lanes, railroad lines, cycling paths, pavements, etc. By doubleclicking the Lanes branch, program invokes the command for a lane setting

You can define lanes separately for left and right side according to axis. Each side can incorporate any number of lanes. Lanes closer to axis appears higher in the list. There are some predefined lane types available in the Predefined types window. In addition, you can define your own lanes. After pressing Add, define a lane name and its width. By doubleclicking the lane, change its parameters. Using Delete, delete a selected lane. Customized lane type can be saved under its own name in the predefined types rubric for later use. You can erase only added types but not the predefined ones .

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2.4.

21D - Construction Elements

Figure: Construction elements of the longitudinal axis (Lines and Circles). Construction elements of the longitudinal axis (Lines and Circles) help you define the horizontal axis elements (Tangents, Spirals and Curves). While Spirals can only be created based on defined construction elements, Tangents and Curves can also be created without these elements. Nevertheless, construction elements can often be of great assistance even when creating Tangents and Curves. Construction elements are defined and constructed interactively on the basis of a given layout plan, a scanned or vectorized drawing, etc. Lines with known starting and ending points and Circles with known center points and radii can also be inserted into the layout based on a batch input procedure (from a CEL type). Drawing construction elements can be a very difficult task when planning reconstruction works on an existing roadway (because you must get as close to the real axis as possible). In this case you will have to put all your expertise in using AutoCAD commands to a test. Axis construction elements are and should always be drawn on the layer.

20_AXISNAME_CONSTR_ELEMENTS

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Command name:

DEFINE CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS

Command code:

21D1

Icon: Task:

elements ents Creating of Line and Circle longitudinal construction elem

Input data:

Geometrical characteristics and direction

Output data:

Construction elements

Layers:

20_AXISNAME_CONSTR_ELEMENTS

See also commands:

21D2

With this command you can create the AXES module’s construction elements – Lines and Circles. A Line construction element is defined by means of a starting and ending point. The drawing procedure is identical to the procedure of creating a Line entity with AutoCAD’s LINE command. Line construction elements are always drawn on the 20_AXISNAME_CONSTR_ELEMENTS layer. Lines can also be drawn with the LINE command, just be sure to create it on the above layer. A Circle construction element can be defined with four different types of input data: • • • •

Center and radius, Three circle points, Two diametrical points or Two tangents and a radius.

The drawing procedure is the same as with the AutoCAD CIRCLE command. You also have to define the circle’s sign (‘+’ clockwise and ‘-’ counter-clockwise rotation). The sign later defines the rotation direction of the horizontal element, created on the circle. To obtain a better plan legibility, Circle construction elements with different signs are drawn with different line types ("PLUS_DIRECTION" or "MINUS_DIRECTION, respectively). You can modify the line type to meet you own need (e.g., with Linetypescale) or even select an entirely different line type (e.g., "CONTINUOUS"). Circle construction elements are always drawn on the 20_AXISNAME_CONSTR_ELEMENTS layer. You can also use normal AutoCAD Arc and Circle entities as construction elements. Both entities are equivalent to PLATEIA Circle construction element with one exception. Namely, they do not have the sign for the element rotation. When creating the horizontal elements, you will therefore have to enter the appropriate rotation sign.

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Command name:

READ CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS ELEMENTS > ... select axis by pointing to it in drawing. This command is suitable for axis editing. On the basis of main axis you can draw construction elements that can be changed. Then you can draw horizontal elements again over them.

Command name:

CALCULATE LINE OR ARC ARC FROM POINTS

Command code:

21D4

Icon: Task:

line or arc aproximation based on selected points

Input data:

points or PLINE

Output data:

ARC or LINE

Layers:

20_axis20_axis-name_CONSTR_ELEMENTS

See also commands:

21D, 111F1

The 21D4 command calculates a line or an arc on the basis of selected, randomly arranged points using the smallest squares method. The result is an approximate (line or arc element) closely adapting to the selected points. This command is particularly useful when you have a recorded road edge or axis with points in your layout and you want to fit lines or arc on them. Or in the longitudinal profile, where you have selected points to which you want to approximate your line as closer as possible. Using the selected PLATEIA points, AutocAD point elements or selected pline element, the 21D4 command calculates either a line or arc and then draws both line and circle elements to the current layers. Gained elements can be regarded as construction elements for further definition of an axis or line. See the CALCULATE LINE OR ARC FROM POINTS (21D4) dialog box in the figure below.

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Command name:

SET CURVECURVE-DIRECTION

Command code:

21D5

Icon: Task:

Displaying a list of Circle elements and making modifications

Input data:

Construction elements in the drawing

Output data:

None

Layers:

This command does not use any.

See also commands:

21D1

Using this command you can display a list of defined Circle elements and modify their rotation signs according to your needs – the line type of the Circle is changed automatically (MINUS_DIRECTION or PLUS_DIRECTION). Using this command, you can also modify the sign of a circle (arc) created with the AutoCAD CIRCLE/ARC command.

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Command name:

SAVE CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS ELEMENTS TO FILE -> CES

Command code:

21D6

Icon: Task:

Saving construction elements to a CES file

Input data:

Construction elements in the drawing

Output data:

CES file

Layers:

This command does does not use any.

See also commands:

21D2

Using this command you can save defined axis construction elements – Lines and Circles – to a CES file. This file can later be read using the Read construction elements