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2024 Civil 3D Workshop Agenda

This year's virtual workshop provides attendees with the chance to attend every session at a much lower price. Sessions will be pre-recorded to ensure quality and speakers will be available during the presentation to answer questions. There will be on-demand access to all sessions after the event for registered attendees.

All times listed below are central time. Don't forget to share this event with anyone who might be interested!

Register for the Workshop
Workshop Kickoff (10:30 - 12:00 p.m.)

Speakers: Autodesk & WisDOT

Target Skill Level: Everyone

Join us for an exciting kickoff for the workshop! Hear from leadership in WisDOT and Autodesk about upcoming new features and changes. This session sets the tone for the event so don't miss it!

WisDOT Civil 3D Customizations: What’s New Since Last Year (1:00 - 2:00 p.m.)

Speaker: Keith Sowinski, WisDOT

Target Skill Level: Everyone

WisDOT provides a customized Civil 3D package that is used by internal staff, engineering consultants, local governments, universities, and more. It provides consistency in the development of project deliverables and increases the efficiency of many Civil 3D tasks. WisDOT has been very active improving its customizations. This class is focused on reviewing what has changed since last year.

Learning Objectives:

  • Become familiar with the latest WisDOT custom tools.
  • Discover which existing WisDOT custom tools have been enhanced and how.
  • Learn how to get help with using the WisDOT customization and how to report any issues that are encountered.
Assembly Modeling (2:10 - 3:10 p.m.)

Speakers: Seiler Instrument

Target Skill Level: Everyone

TBA

Learning Objectives:

AutoTurn for Intersection Design  (3:20 - 4:20 p.m.)

Speaker: Dan Whitefoot, raSmith

Target Skill Level: Beginner - 2D experience only, just starting in Civil 3D 

This course is designed for transportation engineers, roadway designers, and CAD technicians who want to master the use of AutoTURN for efficient and accurate intersection design. Participants will learn how to simulate vehicle movements, evaluate turning paths, and optimize intersection layouts to meet safety and design standards.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the fundamentals of vehicle turning radii and swept path analysis.
  • Navigate the AutoTURN interface and WisDOT's custom vehicle library and integrate it with Civil3D.
  • Simulate 2D vehicle paths through various intersection types, including T-intersections, roundabouts, and signalized intersections. 
Ask the Experts - Q&A With Civil 3D Power Users (4:20 - 5:20 p.m.)

Questions about Civil 3D in general? Trying to figure out that one nagging problem? Join our speakers for in-depth discussion and additional training. Autodesk, WisDOT and other power users will be featured.
Autodesk Presentation (8:30 - 9:30 a.m.)

Speaker: Autodesk

Target Skill Level: Everyone

TBA

Learning Objectives:

Staged Roadway Design in Civil 3D  (9:40 - 10:40 a.m.)

Speaker: Eric Arneson, WisDOT

Target Skill Level: Experienced - 3D experience, have used Civil 3D extensively 

Roadway projects with earthwork often need to be constructed in stages. This effectively turns one design into many designs. Just to make things interesting, design changes can be for the final design or one or more stages. This class will cover the best practices for planning, implementing, and maintaining the necessary inputs and outputs of staged roadway design all the way up to plan and model delivery.

Learning Objectives:

  • - Learn how to plan corridors for staging.
  • Learn methods for splitting, sharing, and modifying staged corridors.
  • Learn how to minimize duplication of corridor data and effort needed for edits to design.
Structures Plan Production Tips and Tricks (10:50 - 11:50 a.m.)

Speaker: Danielle DeTennis, WisDOT

Target Skill Level: Beginner - 2D experience only, just starting in Civil 3D (Awareness of the WisDOT Structures profile)

This class will cover tips and tricks, best practices, and solutions to common problems gathered from the Bureau of Structures Civil 3D user group meetings over 3 years.

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn tips and tricks and best practices for structures plan production.
  • Understand how to effectively maintain and clean drawings.
  • Review solutions to common problems and methods for troubleshooting.
Civil 3D Subassembly Composer for Conditional Design Needs (1:00 - 2:00 p.m.)

Speaker: Russ Nicloy, MACER Technologies

Target Skill Level: Experienced - 3D experience, have used Civil 3D extensively (Civil 3D corridor design experience will be helpful)

During a design it may be found that designers could use customized subassemblies to complete complex designs more efficiently. The Subassembly Composer allows for the creation and use of custom created subassemblies and their use in Civil 3D corridor designs. A major tool in Subassembly Composer that is often overlooked is the Switch function which creates conditional subassembly functionality. In this session we will look at the construction of custom subassemblies including a Switch function. We will also look at using the custom subassembly in a Civil 3D design and how to include it in the project deliverable.

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn how to create inputs and targets for a custom conditional subassembly.
  • Learn how to use the Switch tool to create a conditional subassembly.
  • Learn how to integrate a custom subassembly into a Civil 3D project.
Efficient Earthwork Design and Analysis in Civil 3D (2:10 - 3:10 p.m.)

Speaker: Brad Blum, Jacobs

Target Skill Level: Experienced - 3D experience, have used Civil 3D extensively (Civil 3D corridor modeling, basic cross section creation and modification, generation of WisDOT earthwork cut/fill values)

  • Introduction to Earthwork in Civil 3D: Understanding the fundamentals and importance of accurate earthwork calculations. 
  • Volume Calculations and Material Management: Techniques for precise volume calculations and effective material management to optimize project costs.
  • Staged Surface Earthwork Generation: Implementing staged surface generation to manage complex earthwork projects in phases, improving accuracy and project management.
  • Excavation Below Subgrade (EBS) and Marsh Excavation Quantities: Generating accurate quantities for excavation below subgrade and marsh excavation to address unique challenges in various terrains.
  • Structural Backfill Quantities: Calculating structural backfill quantities to ensure precise planning and resource allocation.
  • Incorporation of Earthwork Data into WisDOT Plan Sheets: Integrating earthwork data seamlessly into Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) plan sheets for compliance and effective project documentation.

Learning Objectives:

  • Manage Large/Staged Earthwork Models Efficiently,
  • Learn to determine and quantify structural backfill quantities; separate from roadway earthwork.
  • Create professional presentations of earthwork data/production sheets. 
Lisp Writing Basics and Automation Options (3:20 - 4:20 p.m.)

Speaker: Eric Gates, EnvisionCAD

Target Skill Level: Everyone (User must know how to interact with the command line in C3D and use a text editor)

Together you will explore with the instructor the customization and efficiency opportunities creating basic lisp functions and scripts can bring to you. Beyond just the overview of ways you can use lisp, you will learn the basic structure to begin writing your own functions. You will discover ways to have your lisp routines load automatically and even how to add and use lisp and scripts in a palette along with a few other ways to share your lisp files. Lisp routines can be used for simple repetitive task where you just need to string a few commands together, to triggering Dynamo scripts, to importing Plan sheets and layouts. See how lisp can fit in as a another tool in your toolbox.

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn how to write basic lisp functions to automate repetitive task.
  • Understand how to make custom lisp files load at startup automatically.
  • Grasp the procedures to add lisp functions to a palette. 
Making Quick Roadway Design Models for Review and Public Uses (8:30 - 9:30 a.m.)

Speaker: Eric Arneson, WisDOT

Target Skill Level: Experienced

Making a 3D roadway model that you could show to the public takes a lot of time and effort right? Not really. This class will show what's possible with WisDOT Civil 3D 2024 styles in Civil 3D and InfraWorks to quickly create a navigable model that can be used for internal review or a replacement for roll plots to the public. 

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn how to style 3D roadway models in Civil 3D for public use.
  • Learn how to process existing surface data to view seamlessly with proposed roadway design.
  • Learn the different work and options available in Civil 3D and InfraWorks for 3D model display.
Corridor and Profile Optimization in InfraWorks (9:40 - 10:40 a.m.)

Speaker: Russ Nicloy, MACER Technologies

Target Skill Level: Experienced

InfraWorks is a tool that focuses on early project design decisions. There are two tools that are designed to find the most cost effective horizontal and vertical designs. The Corridor Optimization looks at the best path for the design alignment through the existing conditions, considering cost and terrain issues. The Profile Optimization looks at a road design and finds the best profile options using cost and existing conditions as a guide. This session will look at these two tools in InfraWorks and how to get that proposed design paths into Civil 3D.

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn how to run the horizontal optimization tools.
  • Learn how to run the profile optimization tools.
  • Learn how to move this data to a Civil 3D project.
Using Subassembly Composer to Derive Design Elements (10:50 - 11:50 a.m.)

Speaker: Martin Ramirez, Jacobs

Target Skill Level: Experienced

Stock "generic" Civil 3D subassemblies are very useful when creating temporary corridors. However, they lack some of features that are available in programs like InRoads. Some of these features are within the capability of Civil 3D but they are locked away. You can use subassembly composer to unlock the full functionality of Civil 3D corridors.

Learning Objectives:

  • Become familiar with creating your own subassemblies.
  • Learn how subassemblies work behind the scenes.
  • Gain more control over your design.
Pipe Networks for Storm Sewer – Basics and Beyond (1:00 - 2:00 p.m.)

Speaker: Dan Whitefoot, raSmith

Target Skill Level: Everyone

This course will review a few of the basic concepts for laying storm sewer and creating storm sewer plans through the use of pipe network in Civil3D.  It will also dive a little deeper into best practices, lessons learned, and exploration of some of the WisDOT custom tools to help with creating a complete pipe network.

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn best practices for laying out pipe networks for storm sewer design.
  • Review WisDOT custom parts lists and tools to create, edit, and update pipe networks, and develop quantity take-offs.
  • Learn tips for creating clear and clutter-free storm sewer plan sheets.
Advanced Surface Modeling Tips and Tricks (2:10 - 3:10 p.m.)

Speaker: Eric Gates, EnvisionCAD

Target Skill Level: Beginner

This presentation will take a walk through the development process of designing the surface model for a roundabout. Along the way we will investigate an array of tips and tricks for constructing assemblies, laying out corridors and developing surface models and end with tips for planning and managing the design efforts.

Learning Objectives:

  • Demonstrate how to create surface and break line models using multiple layers of corridors.
  • Understand the power of point codes to define complex surfaces.
  • Develop a roadmap to design surface models using corridors and hierarchy of combining surfaces.
AI Revolution: Transforming Civil Engineering and Beyond (3:20 - 4:20 p.m.)

Speaker: Terry Walters, Stantec

Target Skill Level: Everyone

Join our enlightening talk on AI's role in reshaping civil engineering. We're at a critical point where BIM, Digital Twins, IoT, and AI merge to create a new industry standard. AI's progress in content generation and applications in various fields is leading towards AI-managed 3D BIM modeling. This shift will allow engineers to prioritize design goals, enhancing productivity and accuracy.

Learning Objectives:

  • Discover how AI, BIM, Digital Twins, and IoT are revolutionizing civil engineering and setting new industry benchmarks.
  • Delve into AI's role in content creation across various domains, highlighting its influence on streamlining engineering design.
  • Learn how AI in 3D BIM modeling can elevate engineering efficiency, accuracy, and focus on design innovation.
Dynamic Blocks (8:30 - 9:30 a.m.)

Speaker: Danielle DeTennis, WisDOT

Target Skill Level: Everyone

Branch Out Your Designs with Conditional Subassemblies (9:40 - 10:40 a.m.)

Speaker: Russ Nicloy, MACER Technologies

Target Skill Level: Everyone

Conditional subassemblies allow a corridor assembly to change its design options as the conditions change along a corridor design. These changes could be completely different subassemblies for the effected stations or minor adjustments that subassemblies wouldn't normally make on their own. In this session we will look at the two types of conditional subassemblies and show the functions that the user must do to make sure the design needs are accomplished.

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn use the Horizontal Target conditional subassembly.
  • Learn use the Cut/Fill conditional subassembly.
  • Learn the importance of targeting these subassemblies in your design.
Overview of Civil 3D Corridor Transition Techniques (10:50 - 11:50 a.m.)

Speaker: Steve Popke, WisDOT

Target Skill Level: Everyone

Changing the slope, width, height or depth along a design feature over a given distance is normal in highway construction plans. Usually, a combination of transitions is needed to engineer the desired outcome. Being able to efficiently model transitions along a corridor is essential in roadway design. Using the WisDOT Control Profile Editor tool in combination with WisDOT subassemblies is a great way to design corridor transitions. But what about Autodesk’s Corridor Transition tool? Have you heard of it? How does it compare to WisDOT’s method? Are there other options? This class will explore the various ways for handling corridor transitions and provide insights on the different approaches.

Learning Objectives:

  • Gain a greater understanding of the WisDOT Control Profile Editor.
  • Review the application of WisDOT Profile to Parameter Reference subassemblies.
  • Discover the capabilities of the Autodesk Corridor Transitions tool.
Survey Database Workflows (1:00 - 2:00 p.m.)

Speaker: Mark Schnesk, Seiler Design

Target Skill Level: Everyone

The Civil 3D Survey Database is a powerful tool for field to finish workflows for creating existing conditions drawings from surveyed data. This session will discuss key topics related to the survey database components, importing and processing and visualization of surveyed data, and the best practices for maintaining data integrity. By following these guidelines, users can effectively manage their survey data within Civil 3D, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and efficient project workflows.

Learning Objectives:

  • Review some of the most used features of the survey database.
  • Learn how to follow basic guidelines for work in the survey database to enhance productivity.
  • Discover some easy tricks that will easy your daily workflow.
Finding Clashes with Model Coordination in Autodesk Construction Cloud (2:10 - 3:10 p.m.)

Speaker: Billy Wong, Stantec

Target Skill Level: Everyone

The Model Coordination module within Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) provides a space for users to upload, review, and detect clashes between different sets of 3D models. During the design phase, different teams may work on separate models and model coordination helps ensure that these models fit together by detecting clashes. Project members can then review detected clashes and address them accordingly.

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn to set up Model Coordination in ACC.
  • Learn how to find and resolve clashes.
  • Learn how to organize design files to best use Model Coordination.
C3D Tips and Tricks (3:20 - 4:20 p.m.)

Speakers: Mark Degner, AECOM

Target Skill Level: Everyone

Everyone benefits when tips and tricks are shared! Join the discussion and pick up a few new options to help your daily drafting and modeling with Civil 3D! Topics will include basic commands, settings, customization and extremely basic LISPs.

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn some forgotten or newer commands.
  • Learn basic customization to suit your drafting style.
  • Learn very basic LISP writing to save a couple clicks.