This tutorial demonstrates how to create surface profiles and display them in a profile view.
A surface profile is extracted from a surface, and is often called an existing ground profile. It is displayed on a graph called a profile view. Each profile view is associated with a single horizontal alignment, but it can display multiple surfaces and offset profiles from that alignment. An offset profile displays surface elevations at a specified distance horizontally offset from the alignment. When you create a profile along the centerline of a horizontal alignment, AutoCAD Civil 3D can create one or more offset profiles automatically.
Surface profiles can be either static or dynamic. A static profile shows the elevations at the time it was created, but does not react to later changes in the alignment or surface. A dynamic profile automatically changes if the elevation changes along the horizontal alignment, so it remains current.