Create layout profiles to represent designed elevations along an alignment.
You typically draw a layout profile on the grid of a profile view, using the surface profile as a guide.
A profile view grid must exist in the drawing to draw layout profiles. Create curves and tangents by freehand sketching or by entering numeric values.
You can create a layout profile with tangents, and then optionally add curves at the points of vertical intersection (PVI).
You can create a profile from an external ASCII file that contains a series of stations along an alignment, the elevation of each station, and optionally, the length of curve at the station.
Curve attributes are set by the Curve Settings command. These curves maintain tangency when edited.
Several methods are available for drawing a layout profile:
- Use the
Draw Tangents command to specify points of vertical intersection (PVIs) for a series of straight tangents. Later you can add
free curves with specific parameters between the tangents.
- Use the
Draw Tangents With Curves command to specify PVIs for the tangents, automatically creating curves between the tangents using the parameters you specify in the
Vertical Curve Settings dialog box.
- Use the constraint-based profile design commands to create a profile one sub-entity at a time.
When you are prompted for point locations, you can use the Transparent Commands to specify points in the profile.
To create a more detailed design using a specific parameter or other constraints, or to create curves without first creating tangents, use the constraint-based tools included on the Profile Layout Tools toolbar.
The criteria-based design feature allows a layout profile to be validated against local design standards. You can select a design criteria file and/or a design check set using either the Create Profile - Draw New dialog box when you create the layout profile, or the Design Criteria tab of the Profile Properties dialog box after it has been created.
Drawing layout profiles
You can use the Draw Tangents and Draw Tangents With Curves commands to create a quick layout of the profile. The lines and curves you create maintain tangency when you edit them. Using these commands, you can draw profiles from left-to-right or right-to-left.
Profile entities drawn from left-to-right:
Profile entities drawn from right-to-left:
Draw Tangents command
Use this command to create a quick layout of the profile. Specify tangent start and end points (1 through 4), then add curves at the points of intersection as necessary. The tangents are fixed, so you can edit them and they always maintain tangency.
Draw Tangents With Curves command
Use this command to create a quick layout of the profile, with curves automatically created at points of intersection. Specify tangent start and end points (1 through 4), and curves are created at the points of intersection (2, 3) based on the values you enter in the Curve Settings dialog box. You can edit the tangents and curves and they always maintain tangency.
