AutoCAD Civil 3D

Surveying & Coordinate Systems

Survey functionality - including direct import of raw survey data, least squares adjustment, coordinate system setting and transformations, editing of survey observations, automated creation of survey figures, and surfaces creation - is fully integrated into AutoCAD® Civil 3D® software.

Import Raw Survey Data
Easily convert and process proprietary raw survey data into an Autodesk fieldbook (.FBK) with the Survey Link Extension included with AutoCAD Civil 3D. Using fieldbooks makes the field-to-finish process even easier. The Survey Link Extension supports most raw survey data formats, including:

  • ASCII (N, E, Z, Note)
  • ASCII 2
  • AutoCAD DXF
  • AutoCogo
  • Autodesk-Softdesk ASCII
  • C & G
  • CLM
  • Drafix
  • Leica GSI Raw Data
  • Leica GRE3
  • Lewis & Lewis
  • Maptech
  • MTI
  • Nikon
  • PacSoft Coordinates
  • Sierra Cybernetics
  • SMI
  • Sokkia SDR Alpha 14
  • Sokkia SDR Numeric 4
  • Surv CAD
  • TDS Coordinates
  • TDS Raw Data (.rw5, .raw)
  • Topcon DL-100 Digital Level
  • Topcon FC-4
  • Topcon GTS210/220/310 Raw Data
  • User Defined ASCII
  • WILDSoft

In addition to the Survey Link Extension, several third-party applications from equipment manufacturers can facilitate data transfer between data collection devices and the survey database in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

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Map Check
The interactive map check analysis feature identifies errors and omissions of segment labels - including legal descriptions and plats.

Traverse and Least Squares Adjustment
AutoCAD Civil 3D provide surveyors with tools and settings to simplify traverse adjustments. You can choose the type of error to analyse and choose which adjustment method to use by selecting the Crandall rule, compass rule, transit rule, or least squares. Surveyors can also perform a traverse analysis using both horizontal and vertical adjustment methods. Traverse information is displayed in field-book notation style for editing. If you didn’t use field methods, traverses may be defined graphically.

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Survey Figures
Good design begins by creating a baseplan. AutoCAD Civil 3D provides a unique set of tools to make this process easier. It uses survey figures to define critical transitions in site design, surveying, and even roadway widening, so surveyors can import, create, or edit figures on the fly. For example, as figures are imported, elevation information can be added for use during grading plan design. Adding such topographic and planimetric features to the design process gives the surveyor greater accuracy and flexibility, and allows surveyors and engineers to more efficiently work together.

Coordinate Geometry (COGO)
Use coordinate geometry to create, import, and manage planimetric data. In addition, transparent commands give you the flexibility to create more accurate objects from coordinate geometry. Make setting points easier by providing transparent commands to set points based on angle/distance, station offset, or northing/easting.

Support for GPS Machine Control
Contractors can generate 3D models to use in GPS machine control by exporting design models with LandXML.

Set Coordinate Systems
Work with more than 4,000 real-world coordinate systems to more accurately geo-reference your AutoCAD Civil 3D design data.

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Coordinate System Transformations
Drawing transformations used to be time-consuming and error-prone. But with the features found in AutoCAD Civil 3D, surveyors can more quickly convert local northing and eastings to defined coordinate systems. You can use sea-level scale factors and grid scale factors to more quickly and easily transform local coordinates to projected coordinate systems.

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Points
Harness the power of points and manage them by using description keys, styles, and point groups. Whenever you import data, you can automatically populate point groups using simple or sophisticated querying methods. As surveyors collect and code data out in the field, they can import, filter, and populate point groups automatically - helping to save time throughout the project lifecycle.

Extended Survey Data
Adding attributes can be extremely helpful to avoid data duplication. Using the extended properties functionality, surveyors can collect multiple elevations for a single point instead of the usual one elevation per location.