Share

Using Bend Lines (Video)

Learn how to influence terrain smoothing along a line on the optimized surface.

This video demonstrates:

  • Placement concepts
  • Before and after examples

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 1:44
Loaded: 0%
0:00
Progress: 0%
 
1x

Transcript

The Bend Line object in Grading Optimization relaxes the terrain smoothing for any abutting or intersecting surface triangle. The Bend Line is a polyline sketched across a surface.

During optimization, slope constraints will be disabled for all surface triangles that contact the bend line.

In the Optimization Options dialog, set the global Maximum Slope constraint to 50 percent. In this example, Balance Cut and Fill and Minimize Earthwork are set to zero while Smooth Surface is set at 100 percent. These settings will show a more significant difference between the smoothing of the surface and the relaxed state of the Bend Line.

First, run the optimization with the Bend Line disabled to see how the surface will try to smooth as specified by the global slope constraint of 50 percent. Notice how straight the contour lines appear.

Next, reset the terrain, enable the bend line, and optimize. Notice the sharp visible cut of the contours at the bend line as the grading on either side meet.

Bend Line object areas in Grading Optimization can be used to control where slope constraints should be relaxed to help reduce unnecessary earthwork.

Was this information helpful?