Using ESRI Contours from a SHP file to Create a Civil 3D Surface

Have you ever received contour data in the form of a shp file and wondered if you can turn it into a Civil 3D surface?  Well you can.  The secret is using Map 3D tools that are in Civil 3D to convert the data to a usable format.

As many of you know, Map 3D is the engineering solution for GIS.  By using Map 3D, engineers can work with GIS data in a familiar environment.  I am going to show you how to maximize the tools you have today in order to use those ESRI contours in Civil 3D.

Step 1: Make sure you are in the correct workspace.  There are two Map 3D workspaces available in Civil 3D.  I do most of my GIS work in the Task-based Geospatial workspace within Civil 3D 2010.

On the status bar, click the workspace button, select Task-based Geospatial

Step 2: Import the SHP file.  The key here is to make sure you have it bring in the data behind the map so that you have access to the elevation data.

On the Data Panel of the Home tab, click the Import Map File button.

Browse for the SHP file with the contours in it.  In the Import dialog box, click in the Data column and select Create object data in the Attribute Data dialog box.

Step 3: Save the file.  Click Ok until you are completely out of all dialog boxes.  Then Save and Close the file.

Step 4: Start a new drawing from the appropriate template and make sure you can see the Map 3D Task Pane.

As you all know, Civil 3D is all about style.  Therefore, before you bring in the contours to the file you will be using them in, you need to make sure you start a drawing with the appropriate styles available.  In this case, you need your surface styles defined as well as any other Civil 3D styles you will use in your design.

The Map 3D Task Pane is the heart of Map 3D.  I equate it to the Toolspace in Civil 3D.  For the next few steps, it is absolutely essential that you turn on the Task Pane so you can work in it.  To turn it on, go to the View tab of the Map workspace.  Under the Palettes Panel, click the Map Task Pane button.

In step 2, the SHP file was imported which created 2D polylines at elevation zero.  Now we need to give those contour lines elevations so that you can use them to create a Civil 3D surface.

Step 5: Attach the contours drawing. On the Task Pane, make sure that you are on the Map Explorer tab, right click on the word Drawings and select Attach.  In the Select drawings to attach dialog box, browse for the file and double click it so that it moves to the Selected drawings area below.

  
 

Step 6: Define the Current Query to draw the contours at the correct elevation.  In the Define Query Dialog box, simply click the Location button and take the default Allso that it grabs all the polylines.  Then make sure you alter the properties of the polyline by clicking on the Alter Properties button.

In the Alter Properties dialog box, select Elevation.  For the expression, click the Expression button and select the Object data that holds the elevation values.  Now add the Expression  to the Current Properties Alterations area by clicking the Add button.

Last but not least, turn it into a Draw query and make sure the Alter Properties option is check marked.  When you click the Execute Query button, the contours will come in at the correct elevation. 

Final step: Create a surface from the contours.

I hope you enjoyed today's blog post.  I would love to know how it works out for you.

Comments

[Murph]

If you have the Subscription Advantage Pack for 2010 C3D you can skip all that and bring the shp right in as a surface.

[James Deitrick]

Michelle -

Works great, thanks. I am using data sets that have geographical coordinates and elevation in meters, not feet. I can't figure how to apply a factor of 3.280833 to the elevation when using the alter properties function when querying this data. The transformation from geographic to state plane coordinates puts the contours in the right place, but the contours have an elevation in meters. Can you help?

Thanks,

Jim

[Rubin]

CAn you explain how to do the same thing in AutoCAD MAP 3D 2010?