Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Vehicle Tracking
Vehicle Tracking
Vehicle Tracking
Learning Objectives
Discover and understand Vehicle Tracking software alongside using InfraWorks
Learn how to create swept path analysis in Vehicle Tracking
Learn how to design parking lots that work in Civil 3D with Vehicle Tracking
Learn how to create detailed roundabout options in Vehicle Tracking and Civil 3D
Description
Autodesk Vehicle Tracking is much more than just vehicle swept path analysis. Come join us in
this hands-on lab to find out for yourself how Vehicle Tracking in Civil 3D and InfraWorks can
improve your project decision making. Vehicle Tracking allows even beginner users to make
educated decisions concerning their individual projects. During this lab, we’ll explore all the
functions of Vehicle Tracking and design the following: start a project in InfraWorks and then
import it into Vehicle Tracking to design a parking lot; ensure our project design meets city
standards; utilize the Vehicle Tracking information for detailed grading design; create a
roundabout within the project; and much, much more. After this hands-on lab, you will have
gained new skills that you can take back to the office and show others the many different ways
to use Vehicle Tracking software, Civil 3D and InfraWorks. This session features Vehicle
Tracking, AutoCAD Civil 3D, and InfraWorks.
Speaker
Heidi Boutwell is the Infrastructure Content Manager for all infrastructure CADLearning products
from 4D Technologies, developing on-demand learning material for Autodesk software,
including AutoCAD Civil 3D, Vehicle Tracking, AutoCAD Map 3D, InfraWorks, Navisworks, BIM
360 Field, and BIM 360 Glue. Since 1998, Heidi has made a career of teaching engineering
professionals how to use the Autodesk infrastructure design tools to increase their productivity
and improve their design modeling skills. Heidi also continues to utilize Autodesk tools on a
daily basis to create a variety of infrastructure projects for various clients, is a contributing
author, and is an Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D Certified Professional. Heidi serves on the
InfraWorks Customer Council, the Civil Futures Council and is an Autodesk Civil 3D Gunslinger,
helping to drive the strategic direction of product development for infrastructure products for
Autodesk. She is also a repeat speaker at Midwest University.
Table of Contents
Discover and understand Vehicle Tracking software alongside using InfraWorks ...................... 3
InfraWorks .............................................................................................................................. 3
Importing from InfraWorks to Civil 3D ..................................................................................... 3
Civil 3D with Vehicle Tracking ................................................................................................ 6
Learn how to create swept path analysis in Vehicle Tracking ..................................................... 7
Program Standard Libraries.................................................................................................... 7
AutoDrive Arc & Bearing Swept Paths ...................................................................................10
Swept Path by Vehicle Selection ...........................................................................................10
Swept Path by AutoDrive Arc ................................................................................................12
Swept Path by AutoDrive Bearing..........................................................................................13
Follow Swept Paths ...............................................................................................................17
Manual Drive Swept Paths ....................................................................................................19
Learn how to design parking lots that work in Civil 3D with Vehicle Tracking ............................22
Parking Layout ......................................................................................................................22
Single and Double Row Parking ............................................................................................22
Parallel Parking .....................................................................................................................27
Drive Aisles for Parking .........................................................................................................30
Editing a Parking Bay ............................................................................................................31
Learn how to create detailed roundabout options in Vehicle Tracking and Civil 3D ...................33
2D Roundabouts ...................................................................................................................33
Converting a 2D to 3D Roundabout .......................................................................................37
3D Roundabouts ...................................................................................................................39
Drive the design ....................................................................................................................39
Discover and understand Vehicle Tracking software alongside using
InfraWorks
When you create a design or component road and then turn that standard intersection into a
roundabout, you have just accessed the technology provided by Vehicle Tracking.
InfraWorks
InfraWorks can create roundabouts from Design and Component Roads. From there,
intersections can be converted into roundabouts. Once converted, those files can then be
imported into Civil 3D. Vehicle Tracking can then be used to adjust the design standards of the
roundabout from InfraWorks.
Make sure to set the Model Properties to the correct coordinate system and design standard.
Then, you can import it into Civil 3D.
Browse and select the model SQLite file, and then click Open.
To further define the area that will be imported, you can select Area of Interest in the Selection
Area group box, and then click Select Area…
The drawing will reposition to match the InfraWorks model, and the map will appear, along with
a box showing the current extents of the InfraWorks model. At this point, you can click two
points to define a box around the area in which you want to work.
Next, under Object settings, select All Objects.xml to bring in just the design roads,
intersections, and roundabouts that were converted.
Finally, click Open Model, and the InfraWorks model is imported into Civil 3D.
Each time you create a swept path, you’ll create a path that is generated by the vehicle’s front
and rear axles, a path number, and grips that allow you to manipulate the path and continue the
path, if you need to extend it further.
You can easily remove a grip by selecting it and then pressing Delete on the keyboard.
Place the vehicle on the driving area in the model and rotate the vehicle into position. Then click
Proceed.
Position Vehicle dialog
Draw the driving path of the vehicle from PC to PC or vertex to vertex. If you need to switch
from Arc to Bearing, in the AutoDrive dialog, enable the Turn onto bearing option, and then
continue selecting PC’s and PT’s for your path.
Once you press Enter to end the swept path command, the swept path is created for that
vehicle.
When you use this method, you are using the last used Swept Path by AutoDrive Arc or Bearing
command.
Swept Path by AutoDrive Arc
AutoDrive Arc allows you to manually place a swept path in your drawing. As you pick the PC’s
and PT’s, the path will be generated but always in an Arc. You can switch to Bearing when you
place a path down a straight stretch, and then back to Arc as needed.
Start by selecting the AutoDrive Arc command from the Swept Paths panel.
Place the vehicle on the driving area in the model, and then rotate the vehicle into position.
Then click Proceed.
Position Vehicle dialog
Draw the driving path of the vehicle from PC to PC or vertex to vertex. If you need to switch
from Arc to Bearing, in the AutoDrive dialog, enable the Turn onto bearing option, and then
continue selecting PC’s and PT’s for your path.
AutoDrive dialog
Once complete, double-click to end the command. The swept path is generated. When
selected, many grips appear that allow you to modify the swept path and continue the swept
path. To remove a vertex, select it, and then press Delete.
Start by selecting the AutoDrive Bearing command from the Swept Paths panel.
Place the vehicle on the driving area in the model, and then rotate the vehicle into position.
Then click Proceed.
AutoDrive dialog
Once complete, double click to end the command. The swept path is generated. When selected,
many grips appear that allow you to modify the swept path and continue the swept path. To
remove a vertex, select it, and then press Delete.
Start by selecting the Follow command from the Swept Paths panel.
Then select the polyline or chain to apply the path to and press Enter.
When complete, the path will appear with grips only at the start and end of the path to allow you
to continue the path. There are no grips to edit the path, though.
Start by selecting the Manual Drive command from the Swept Paths panel.
Place and rotate the vehicle at the starting point of where you want the vehicle path in the
model. Then click Proceed.
Position Vehicle dialog
Next, the Manual Drive dialog appears. Using your mouse, place the cursor in the area of the
box that corresponds with the direction you want to move the vehicle in the model. Think of the
Manual Driving dialog as a mini car, and each box set represents and axle and direction on the
vehicle.
When you want to start, click the Green stop light button to begin moving the vehicle in the
model.
When you want to stop, click the Red stop light to stop the vehicle and place the swept path in
the model.
Drive Straight
Forward-Right
Forward-Left
Stop – Place Path
Go - Start
Backward-Left
Backward-Left
Driving Dialog.
The top of the dialog moves forward, bottom moves backwards, left goes left, right goes right.
Place your cursor in the middle, and you drive straight forward or backward. The further you
place your cursor towards the top or bottom of the dialog, the faster your vehicle will move. The
closer it is to the middle toolbar, the slower the vehicle will go.
Once your path is complete, click Stop, and the vehicle path is placed in your model, with grips
that allow you to edit the drawn path or continue the path.
Parking Layout
When you lay out parking with the program, you are given the option to either lay out a complete
double row of parking, or start with just a single row of parking.
Parking panel
Next, in the Parking Standard Explorer, select the design standard that the new parking will
adhere to, and then click Proceed.
Parking Standard Explorer
Select whether or not the standard you just selected will be the default from now on in this
drawing. Then, name the parking area that you will lay out. The name you choose will appear in
the Pool of the library after you lay out the first parking row, so that you can come back to it
every time, if you so choose.
Finally, in the Parking Row Properties dialog, give the parking row you’re about to lay out a
name or Title.
In the Bay Details group box, select what side the parking will go on: Left only, Right only, or
Both (double row). Then, review the options and select the appropriate choices for vehicle
class, flow direction, bay angle, and bay style. If you select Right only, then the options under
Left only apply to the right only instead.
To remove islands at the start or end of the parking, since this will automatically add islands,
deselect Start Island and End Island.
Also, if you know exactly what side the parking will go on, and you have preset the side, you can
enable the option, Skip Row side selection. Once you lay out your parking, at the end, you’ll
be given an option to pick the side the parking could be placed on. This option will stop that
process.
Pick the starting and ending location of your first parking row. Then press Enter.
Now if the red arrows appear, pick the side the parking should go on.
From the Parking panel, expand New Row, and from the drop-down, select Parallel row.
Parking panel
Choose the same standard that was used before, which is now found under the Pool library.
Then, click Proceed.
Make changes
on the fly.
Once the new row appears in the model correctly, click to place the row.
Drive Aisles for Parking
Once you have parking laid out in your model, you may need to break up the parking with Drive
Aisles. Drive Aisles can be added manually, or you can set them to follow a line, polyline, or
alignment.
To manually add a drive aisle, select Create Access Road from the Parking panel.
In the Parking Access Road Properties dialog, select the standard to use, which comes from
the library. Also select the Service type, Flow type, and Line alignment. To modify the width
of the aisle, select Custom Width and then enter the new width of the aisle. Then, click OK.
Before you click OK, edit the properties of the handicap bay. Select the ellipses (…) button and
then under Custom Width, modify the width to 11. Also, add an Accessible Safety zone, and
then click Ok.
Back in the Parking Bay Properties dialog, click OK, and the selected bay is now converted.
The dialog reappears so that you can continue to edit bays. Click Close once you’re done.
Learn how to create detailed roundabout options in Vehicle Tracking and
Civil 3D
Civil 3D has integrated the Vehicle Tracking Roundabouts feature into its main program. But
there are many more options for roundabouts within Vehicle Tracking than there are with Civil
3D alone.
First off, you can convert a roundabout from a 2D roundabout to a 3D Roundabout. Also, you
can swap roundabout standards, add crosswalks, islands, slip lanes, and more with Vehicle
Tracking. Some of the functions are also available in Civil 3D, but only after the roundabout has
been created will you see these options. Plus, in Vehicle Tracking, you can drive several
vehicles along a swept path through a roundabout in an animation, to see the 3D result of the
roundabout that you created.
2D Roundabouts
When creating a roundabout in Vehicle Tracking, the default setting is to create them in 3D. To
create a roundabout in 2D, you need to adjust the Drawing Settings first. Then, you can create
the roundabout. After a 2D roundabout is created and is modified to fit the design, you can then
convert that 2D roundabout into a 3D roundabout.
I have found that by creating a 2D roundabout first, you can quickly swap roundabout standards
and get results, whereas, if you try to swap the standards in a 3D roundabout, it may not fully
work. Meaning, it remains as the original design and not the new design you selected. When
that happens, it’s time to start them in 2D.
Settings panel
Then in the Drawing Settings dialog, expand Roundabouts and select Corridor.
To create the 2D roundabout, from the Roundabouts panel, select Add Roundabout.
Roundabouts panel
In the Roundabout Standard Explorer, choose the standard you want to use for your new
roundabout from the Roundabout Standard Library.
Select whether or not this should be used as the default in the drawing from now on.
Then in the New Roundabout Details dialog, name the roundabout, confirm what surfaces the
roundabout should be placed on, and modify the size of the center island and Apron width, if
necessary.
Next, select the first road that enters the roundabout. The entry and exit roads are called “Arms”
and sometimes “Legs,” depending on which version of Vehicle Tracking you have.
In the New Arm dialog, confirm which profile from the alignment you want to use for the design.
Then modify the entry or approaching and departing road widths to match the corridor or
roadway width that the arm is from, and then click OK.
Finished 2D Roundabout
Converting a 2D to 3D Roundabout
Once you have a 2D Roundabout in your model, and you’ve modified it to marry with the rest of
the corridor design of the roads that make up the roundabout, you can convert the roundabout
into a 3D Roundabout.
Select the roundabout, and from the context-sensitive ribbon, Modify panel, select
Roundabout Properties.
Review Panel
In the Vehicle Tracking Animation toolbar, select Animate in 3D.
Next, click Play from the toolbar and watch as the vehicles move. Pretty cool, if you ask me.
www.cadlearning.com
hboutwell@cadlearning.com
facebook.com/CADLearning
Linkedin: Linkedin.com/in/heidiboutwell