Representation of Unsupported Data

Autodesk Civil 3D® does not currently provide options for the representation of all of the data types that are required in a modern drainage design elements within its Pipe Networks functionality. As such we have had to implement our own representations of these that are created during the Import process, which are then maintained into the Export where possible.

The pipe network option does not support open sections, or the lesser used notional connection types, available in InfoDrainage. as such these are created as:

In addition to these connection types, InfoDrainage some additional options that are not supported within a Pipe Network:

An InfoDrainage connection with multiple barrels will be represented as multiple pipes (closed connections) or corridors (open connections) between the upstream and downstream structures. The software will attempt to spread the barrels out so that they are parallel to each other where ever possible, but if this cannot fit they will be overlapped.

Notes:

• If any of these pipes or corridors are moved or deleted in the Civil 3D® design they will not be included in the multi barrel connection exported. In the case of moving, the item will become a new single barrel connection in the exported InfoDrainage design.
• If the Pipe Network is edited within Civil 3D® the offset spacing of the elements will be snapped back to the center of the structure, this is standard behavior of their software. If the data is saved and reimported the values will be reset however.

It is possible to added intermediate points to a connection within InfoDrainage to show it going around corners etc. This, like notional connections, tend to be used more for conceptual design rather than detailed. However if they are present in the pipe network we will consider them as follows

• Standard sections - Pipes, Box Culverts, and other closed connections will be loaded as a series of short sections with null structures between them so that they are accurately represented in the Pipe Network.
• Unsupported sections - As per the table above, will continue to be loaded in the same way with the intermediate points included.

Curved closed connections are represented in Civil 3D® as curved pipes. Prior to InfoDrainage 2024.0 there was an issue that prevented curved pipes from being maintained after an import and therefore they were recreated. There was also an issue that caused curved connections with a radius larger than 180 degrees to be truncated to be below that radius on import.

The manhole data type is represented within a Civil 3D® Pipe Network, but the Simple Junction type is not directly comparable.

Civil 3D® does not have any native support Stormwater Controls, as such the software has been designed to represent them as closely as possible in 3D space using a mesh to represent the volume they take up.

This is achieved using Features Lines that represent the elevations of the structure with a mesh formed from these to show the space they take up on site. 

These Stormwater controls do not have a side slope and are represented in Civil 3D® as a pair of feature lines, one for the top and another for the base.

If either of these feature lines change, it will be used as the stormwater control outline in the export (the top area feature line is checked first).

Each entry in the depth/area/volume table is represented as a feature line in Civil 3D®.

If these feature lines are modified, the areas are updated in the exported stormwater control. If the top area feature line has been modified, it will be used as the stormwater control outline in the export.

Bioretentions have a feature line for the ponding area top and base and the storage layer base. 

If the top area feature line has been modified, it will be used as the stormwater control outline in the export. Changes to the ponding base or storage base feature lines will modify the area of the ponding area base.

Swales have a feature line for the ponding area top and base and for the trench base (if the trench is on). If the top area feature line has been modified, it will be used as the stormwater control outline in the export. Changes to the ponding base or trench base feature lines will modify the area of the ponding area base.

A stormwater control's inlets and outlets are represented as null structures in Civil 3D®.

If a null structures has been moved, the corresponding inlet or outlet is moved to that location (unless the null structure was moved outside the outline of the SWC). If one of these null structures is deleted, on export the inlet or outlet will be created and positioned at the center of the stormwater control to allow any connections that were connected to that inlet or outlet to connect to the stormwater control.