A design criteria file contains the standards tables that specify appropriate minimum design standards for alignments or profiles.
The design criteria file contains the minimum design standards for alignment and profile objects. You can customize the design criteria file to support local design standards for parameters such as transition length and minimum radius.
Design criteria files containing standards in both metric and imperial units are included with AutoCAD Civil 3D.
If your local agency standards differ from those in the supplied design criteria files, you can use the Design Criteria File Editor Dialog Box to customize the file to support your local standards.
Specific design criteria files are available for road and rail applications. The Rail alignment type cannot use the road design criteria file, and the Centerline, Offset, and Curb Return alignment types cannot use the rail design criteria file.
A design criteria file can contain the following alignment design criteria:
- Minimum radius at a given design speed
- Attainment method
- Superelevation rate at a given radius
- Minimum transition length for a given radius
- Automatically adding widening to dynamic offset alignments. For more information, see Adding Automatic Widening. (Road design criteria files only.)
A road design criteria file can contain standards tables for minimum K values at specified design speeds. Minimum K tables for the following distances are available:
- Stopping Sight Distance
- Passing Sight Distance
- Headlight Sight Distance
Tutorial Exercise: Modifying a Design Criteria File
See Also
Topics in this section
- Creating a Design Criteria File
Create a customized design criteria file to reflect your local standards.
- Editing a Design Criteria File
Modify a design criteria file to reflect your local standards.