Traffic Import Panels

Civil View allows the import of traffic data from third-party applications such as VISSIM and Quadstone Paramics.

Surface tracking ensures that the imported vehicles cling to the underlying surface terrain. You can reassign vehicle body styles and colors to create a realistic simulation of traffic and public-transport projects such as arterial corridor studies, development of freeway management strategies, and traffic calming schemes.

Features and Benefits

• Natively supports VISSIM Vehicle Record Output (FZP) files.
• Supports Civil View Traffic Simulation (SIM) files, which can be generated from compatible third-party applications such as Quadstone Paramics.
• Extensive vehicle and step filtering options allow extremely large data files to be dynamically filtered via a range of criteria.
• Applies transformation to vehicle animation data to make sure of an accurate match with imported 3D civil terrain data.
• Surface tracking feature ensures that all vehicles cling to underlying 3d terrain data, which can be imported from a range of supported civil design applications such as Bentley MX and AutoCAD Civil 3D.
• Substitution of vehicle body styles and colors according to vehicle types derived from traffic data files. Body styles and colors can be assigned randomly for maximum realism.
• Fully customizable vehicle libraries and automatic material assignment.
• ArchVision RPC enabled.

Workflow

Use this overall workflow to manage large numbers of animated vehicles in a scene:

1. Use Civil View to construct a 3ds Max Design civil visualization model.
2. Use the Traffic Simulation (SIM) File Import panel or the Traffic Simulation (FZP) File Import panel to import 2D traffic-animation data from an FZP or SIM traffic data file.

   When you first import traffic data, each vehicle is represented by a simple geometric shape. This lets you manipulate large traffic data sets without the overhead of working with the complex geometry associated with detailed vehicle meshes.

3. Manipulate the imported traffic data set; for example, to shift the traffic slightly along the XY axis to ensure a good match with the position of your imported civil-design data.
4. Apply surface tracking to accurately drape traffic onto the underlying surface geometry.

   Surface tracking takes account of highway crossfall, height, and longitudinal gradients. It can track surfaces in addition to the main ground surface; for example, bridges, tunnels, or other objects.

5. Once the traffic model accurately fits into your scene, the final step is to substitute the simple geometry of each vehicle with detailed vehicle models from the Vehicle Library.

   You can randomize vehicle assignments and body color.

Now you are ready to render the traffic animation.