About Exchanging Data Between Autodesk Civil 3D and Autodesk InfraWorks

You can bring Autodesk InfraWorks data into Autodesk Civil 3D by referencing a local Autodesk InfraWorks model or an IMX file that was exported from InfraWorks. You can bring Civil 3D data into InfraWorks by linking to a Civil 3D DWG file as a data source.

Data Exchange Workflow

You can complete your initial design with InfraWorks and then bring the InfraWorks model into Autodesk Civil 3D to continue the detailed design.

Alternatively, you can start your project in Civil 3D and then bring it into InfraWorks when you want to create a design presentation or complete more design work in InfraWorks.

Note: Linking to a Civil 3D drawing from InfraWorks requires that both InfraWorks and Civil 3D are installed on the same computer.
Use InfraWorks to complete your initial design

Component road created in InfraWorks

Open the model in Civil 3D and use Civil 3D to continue your detailed design

Corridor created when the InfraWorks component road is brought into Civil 3D

Assembly created when the InfraWorks component road is brought into Civil 3D

For more information about how to bring a Civil 3D drawing into InfraWorks, see About Exchanging Data with Autodesk Civil 3D and To Add Autodesk Civil 3D Data to an InfraWorks model in the InfraWorks Help.

Application Requirements

You don't need to have Autodesk InfraWorks installed on the same computer as Autodesk Civil 3D in order to bring InfraWorks data into Civil 3D. However, the option to open a local InfraWorks model (SQLITE file) is only available if you have InfraWorks installed on the same computer. If InfraWorks is not installed, you can bring InfraWorks data into Civil 3D using an IMX file that was exported from InfraWorks.

Within InfraWorks, the option to use a Civil 3D DWG is available if Civil 3D is installed on the same computer as InfraWorks.

Coordinate Systems and Units

When preparing to exchange objects between a InfraWorks model and a Civil 3D drawing, it's recommended that you use the following guidelines when setting coordinate systems and units:

Object Settings

An object settings file specifies what types of InfraWorks objects will be brought into Civil 3D and also specifies settings for the objects. You can set up multiple files to handle different scenarios.

Predefined object settings files are provided in the following folders:

The following predefined object settings files are provided:

InfraWorks Data that Can Be Brought Into Civil 3D

The following table lists what types of InfraWorks model objects can be brought into Civil 3D and what types of Civil 3D drawing objects they become.

InfraWorks Model Objects Civil 3D Drawing Objects Data Exchange Notes
Terrain surfaces TIN surfaces
  • Terrain surfaces are brought into Civil 3D as AIW_Existing_Ground, AIW_Existing_Transportation and AIW_Proposed_Ground.
Planning utilities Pipe networks (Utility Type = Undefined)
  • Planning utilities in InfraWorks are pipelines with generic pipeline connectors (instead of inlets or manholes) and have an undefined Utility Type.
  • A property called Utility Type has been added to pipe networks in Civil 3D and this property is set to Undefined for planning utilities that are brought into Civil 3D from InfraWorks.
  • All pipes are created using the first part in the selected pipe catalogue.
  • All structures are created as null structures.
Planning roads Alignments
  • Planning roads are roads that are created with the Add Roads tool in InfraWorks, or are created when data that reflects existing conditions is brought into a model.
Design roads
Note: Roads created in Autodesk InfraWorks 2019 are either planning roads or component roads. For more information, see About Planning Roads and Component Roads.
Alignments, finished ground profiles, existing ground profiles (optional)
Component roads and corridor component roads Alignments, finished ground profiles, existing ground profiles (optional), assemblies, corridors

Component roads and corridor component roads are exported from InfraWorks in the same way.

InfraWorks component assemblies are mapped to the following subassemblies when the InfraWorks model is opened in Civil 3D.

InfraWorks component road component Civil 3D subassembly
BatteredKerb BasicKerb
Kerb BasicKerb
KerbAndChannel BasicKerbAndChannel
FixedSlopeDaylight DaylightMaxWidth
FixedWidthDaylight DaylightToOffset
JerseyBarrier BasicBarrier
Lane BasicLane
Shoulder BasicShoulder
Footpath BasicPavement
SlopedMedian CentralReserveFlushWithBarrier
Junctions Junctions with corner radius alignments
  • InfraWorks intersections are converted into static corner radius alignments in Civil 3D instead of intersections in the following situations:
    • If the junction contains more than four legs
    • If the junction uses the Simple Curve with Taper corner return
    • If the centrelines of a T-shaped junction do not actually intersect
    • If the offsets that are on the same side of a road in the junction are not equal, such as in the following illustration, where offset 1 is wider than offset 2:

Drainage networks Pipe networks (Utility Type = Drainage)
  • Drainage networks in InfraWorks are pipelines with inlets and manholes instead of generic pipeline connectors and have a Utility Type of Drainage.
  • A property called Utility Type has been added to pipe networks in Civil 3D and this property is set to Drainage for drainage networks that are brought into Civil 3D from InfraWorks.
  • Manholes are assigned a Cover property and inlets are assigned a Grate property in the Civil 3D structure properties.
  • Part catalogues (Generic Drainage Catalogue – Imperial and Generic Drainage Catalogue – Metric) have been included in Civil 3D for use when you bring InfraWorks inlets and manholes into Civil 3D. Inlet and manhole structures will use the equivalent parts in the imperial or metric catalogue.
  • Pipes will use the closest matching pipe shape, material and size from the specified pipe catalogue.
  • A pipe network part list named Import is created when the InfraWorks model is opened in Civil 3D. This parts list contains only the parts that are needed.
Coverages (terrain modifying) 3D polylines
  • Only the coverages that modify the InfraWorks terrain are included.
Water areas 3D polylines  
Bridges Bridges
  • Bridges are brought into Civil 3D as the new type of bridge object introduced in Autodesk Civil 3D 2021.
  • Bridge components are also created as objects in Civil 3D (for example, abutment, girder, deck).
  • If the bridge dataset is republished from InfraWorks, you can reload it into Civil 3D using the Manage InfraWorks Datasets command.
  • The appearance of bridges in plan view is controlled using the Bridges to Civil 3D layer settings, which you can set up from the Configure InfraWorks - Civil 3D Exchange Settings dialog box.
  • You can project bridges to profile view and control their appearance using bridge projection styles.

For more information, see About Working With InfraWorks Bridges in Civil 3D.

Roundabouts Roundabouts
  • Roundabouts are brought into Civil 3D as the new type of roundabout object introduced in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2017 with the integration of the Autodesk Vehicle Tracking roundabout features.
  • Roundabouts that you bring into or create in Civil 3D can not be brought back into InfraWorks.
Tunnels Meshes
Generic objects 3D solids
Note: Alignments that are created in Civil 3D from InfraWorks data are not assigned to a site.

Civil 3D Data that Can Be Brought Into InfraWorks

The following table lists what types of Civil 3D drawing objects can be brought into InfraWorks and what types of model objects they become.

Civil 3D Drawing Object InfraWorks Model Object Data Exchange Notes
TIN surfaces Terrain surfaces
  • Each surface will be listed in the Data Sources panel in InfraWorks. If a surface that you bring into InfraWorks obscures other surfaces, you can adjust the order of the terrain surface layers by using the Surface Layers dialog box, which you can access from the Data Sources panel.
Alignments and profiles Component roads (horizontal and vertical geometry) and railways. Alignments used in corridor baselines can also be brought into InfraWorks as corridor component roads.
  • Any alignment type that is used as a corridor baseline can be brought into InfraWorks as a corridor component road.
  • If the alignment is not associated with a corridor, it must be a centreline alignment type or a rail alignment and the rail feature settings in Civil 3D must be configured to export the rail alignment as a centreline alignment type.
  • A single profile is used in InfraWorks for each component road or corridor component road. You can use the Profile View tool in InfraWorks to review the profile geometry.
  • Rail alignments can be brought into InfraWorks as either component roads or railways. A component road representation will maintain the accuracy of the source rail alignment.
  • Some pieces of component roads that are created in InfraWorks from Civil 3D objects may be read-only. In most cases if the geometry is not graphically editable, grips or gizmos are not displayed on the road or they are greyed out.
Corridors and corridor surfaces Corridor component roads or component roads with coverages
  • In InfraWorks, you can specify whether to create corridor component roads or component roads with coverages in the Data Source Configuration dialog box.
  • When you bring a corridor into InfraWorks as a corridor component road, geometry for the shapes and links is created in the InfraWorks model. Corridor component roads are read-only in InfraWorks.
  • When creating corridor component roads in InfraWorks, you can use corridor mapping rules to configure the category and materials used for visualisation.
  • When creating component roads with coverages in InfraWorks, Civil 3D link styles are used to create coverages in InfraWorks, which show the materials of the corridor.
Pipe networks Pipelines with inlets and manholes or pipeline connectors
  • If a structure in the Civil 3D drawing has an Utility Type of Drainage specified and it uses a part from the Generic Drainage Catalogue – Imperial or the Generic Drainage Catalogue – Metric part catalogue, then it will be assigned a part from the part catalogue when it's brought back into InfraWorks.
    • If the Part Family and Size IDs match a part within the InfraWorks part catalog, then the same exact part will be used. 
    • If the Part Family and Size IDs do not match a part within the InfraWorks part catalogue, then a default part will be used (the first manhole part found).
    Important: If you're using parts from the Generic Drainage Catalogue – Imperial or the Generic Drainage Catalogue – Metric catalogue in both InfraWorks and Civil 3D for pipeline connectors/structures and the network has an Utility Type of Drainage, the same part will be used in both applications.
  • If a structure in the Civil 3D drawing doesn't have an Utility Type of Drainage specified, then the part will be created as a generic pipeline connector.
Parent topic: Exchanging Data with Autodesk InfraWorks

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