Rough or Smooth Surface (Part 2)

I suggest before reading this 2nd Part. Please do read and do the exercise in Part 1 of this Post.

So here is the Part 2 of the Rough or Smooth Surface Post.

In Part 1 we discussed what is a surface and how to make one in Civil 3D using COGO points in a Drawing.

In here we will be discussing how to make a Surface using Polylines as Contours and how to Import a LandXml to produce a Clean Surface made by a Surveyor.

So Let's Begin with the Exercise.
B.) Using Polylines as Contours in a Surface. (Please download the Drawing file here which contains the Contours to be used.)
b1.) Open the Drawing file and Copy all the Objects in that Drawing to a fresh new Civil 3D drawing. You can use the Standard Template in Civil 3D "_Autocad Civil 3D (Metric) NCS"

b2.) Make a new surface which was Discussed in the Part 1 of this Post. Expand the "EXISTING TOPO" > Expand "Definition" > Right Click "Contours" > Click "Add.." (Please see Image)

b3.) You should see a "Add Contour Data" Dialog Box. A good practice in using this is to Input a Description. I always use the Date when the Topographic Survey was provided to me. (Please see Image.)

b4.) And we're Done. (Please see Image.) to Appreciate it you could go to Object Viewer Discussed in Part 1. (Please see Image 2 for a Conceptual View of the Surface.)

C.) Importing LandXml file to Duplicate a Clean Surface made by a Surveyor. (Please download the LandXml file here.)
c1.) Open a Civil 3D drawing using the standard "_Autocad Civil 3D (Metric) NCS" template
c2.) On the Ribbon, Go to Insert Tab. You should be able to see a LandXml Button there. Click it. (Please see Image.)

c3.) Browse and Select the LandXml file you downloaded.
c4.) You should be able to see a "Import LANDXML" Dialog Box. Click Ok. (note: if the LandXml File contains many Civil 3D Objects. You can just select which Object you want to Import. I will discuss this in a future Post.)

c5.) And we're Done. (Please see Images)

So what is the difference between the three methods posted?
When using Points you can get those small elevation difference but a dirty looking surface will be produce. Which would still need some Cleaning.
When using Polylines, You would only get an approximate elevation since Contours have Intervals. You may request a smaller Interval like .1m and .5m Interval for a more accurate Surface.
When using LandXml, It is the same with Points but already Cleaned out by the surveyor. See the Image in step "c5" you could really imagine what the actual project location looks like.

If you are going to ask me, I would ask for a LandXml File from the Surveyors. If in some way they can't give it to you, I would ask for Points/Point file and clean the Surface myself (in which I would discuss in a future post). and in the worst case scenario. I would use the Polylines.

for any Comments or Questions please feel free to Contact me.