About Exchanging Data With Civil 3D

You can bring Autodesk Civil 3D data into your InfraWorks model by referencing a local Autodesk Civil 3D DWG drawing or an IMX file exported from Autodesk Civil 3D. An Autodesk Civil 3D user can bring InfraWorks model data into Autodesk Civil 3D by referencing a local InfraWorks model or an IMX file exported from InfraWorks.

Note: You must have a matching year version of Autodesk Civil 3D installed locally in order to import Autodesk Civil 3D DWG drawing files into InfraWorks. For example, users of InfraWorks 2020 have Autodesk Civil 3D 2020 installed to enable data exchange between the two applications. See About Exchanging Data Between Autodesk Civil 3D and InfraWorks

This Autodesk Civil 3D online Help topic contains important, detailed information for InfraWorks users, as well as for Autodesk Civil 3D users. The topic includes details about:

Data exchange workflows
Requirements for each application
Coordinate systems and units of measurement
Two tables listing object and data type translation between the applications, with notes on how the objects behave, settings, and restrictions.

Summary of Data Exchange Workflow

Open InfraWorks.
1. Create the conceptual design in a model or proposal.
2. Close InfraWorks.
Open Autodesk Civil 3D.
1. Open the InfraWorks model (entire model or specify an Area of Interest).
2. Choose which model objects to configure and bring into an Autodesk Civil 3D drawing.
3. Complete detailed design on the exchanged objects.
4. Close Autodesk Civil 3D.
Open InfraWorks.
1. Link the Autodesk Civil 3D drawing to the model as a Data Source file.
2. Select the data types you want to add to the model and display their translated versions.
3. (Optionally) Style the display of model objects using customized style rules.

To Modify Autodesk Civil 3D data previously brought into a model

If your InfraWorks model is connected to a local Autodesk Civil 3D DWG drawing, you can reimport the DWG drawing into your model to make updates. See About Exchanging Data Between Autodesk Civil 3D and InfraWorks for more information.

Open Autodesk Civil 3D.
1. Make changes to the drawing which was brought into the model.
2. Close Autodesk Civil 3D.
Open InfraWorks.
1. Use the Reimport command to update the Autodesk Civil 3D drawing in your InfraWorks model and reflect design modifications you have already made to the drawing in Autodesk Civil 3D.

About the Behavior of Alignment and Profile Entity Types when Exchanging Data Between Autodesk Civil 3D and Autodesk InfraWorks

InfraWorks supports some interactions with complex horizontal geometry from Autodesk Civil 3D data.

Edit profiles of component roads with complex horizontal geometry from Autodesk Civil 3D.
Add bridges along component roads with complex horizontal geometry from Autodesk Civil 3D.

Certain Autodesk Civil 3D alignment and profile entity types produce component roads that can be edited in Autodesk InfraWorks, while other types produce roads that may not be editable, and certain Autodesk Civil 3D profile entities cannot be brought into InfraWorks at all. If an Autodesk Civil 3D alignment contains any geometry unsupported in InfraWorks, the component road will be displayed but will not be editable. You can still perform other operations with these objects such as site analysis and storyboarding. For details, see About Exchanging Data Between Autodesk Civil 3D and InfraWorks.

If you want to make changes to component road objects brought in from Autodesk Civil 3D, make the changes in the Autodesk Civil 3D drawing, then reimport the revised drawing into InfraWorks.

Drainage Design Pipeline Connectors Part Catalog

Autodesk Drainage Design for InfraWorks uses a default part catalog with component object parts for pipeline connectors (manholes and inlets). This catalog is also available to Autodesk Civil 3D. If users of both applications use parts from this catalog, then, when these objects are brought back into InfraWorks, it can display them with realistic visualization and preserve Autodesk Civil 3D design work. The Utility type should be set automatically for these drainage objects brought into Autodesk Civil 3D.

Where there is no match of pipeline connector parts from the catalog, Drainage Design displays pipeline connector objects (manholes and inlets) using generic, style-based objects.

Bridge Design

Include your InfraWorks bridge designs in your Autodesk Civil 3D drawings and workflows.

Autodesk Bridge Design for InfraWorks allows you to work with your bridge designs in Autodesk Civil 3D. When you open your InfraWorks model data in Autodesk Civil 3D, Civil 3D will perform a conversion on InfraWorks model objects. Your bridge will become a group of 3D solids.