Create and edit Alignments

Command: Alignment, AlignmentEdit, AlignmentView

About: In BricsCAD, alignments are created using the Alignment tool. Alignment is the route of the linear objects, defined as a combination of lines and curves that are viewed as one object.

Lesson objectives: After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

• Create a horizontal alignment
• Create a vertical alignment
• Create a 3D alignment
• Edit an alignment

About Alignment

Alignment is a reference system used to position linear objects, like roads, railways, pipe networks, streets, retaining walls and bridges, in space. An alignment is represented with horizontal, vertical 2D curves, resulting in 3D alignment.

For more information about this command, visit the Command Reference article Alignment.

 Horizontal alignment

Horizontal alignment is a 2D curve that is needed to precisely position linear objects in a horizontal direction. It becomes defined by the Points of Intersection (PI). Horizontal alignment is the horizontal trace on your TIN Surface which is used to generate the height profile and vertical alignment.  A single horizontal alignment can have multiple vertical alignments. The horizontal alignment will appear under the surface.

Vertical alignment

A vertical alignment is needed to precisely define a linear object in the vertical sense. The horizontal path defined by the horizontal alignment corresponds with a vertical profile of the TIN Surface. By defining Points of Vertical Intersection (PVI) on these vertical profiles of the target surfaces, the new 2D curve defines the vertical alignment.

3D alignment

A 3D Alignment is a 3D polygonal curve defined by the horizontal and vertical alignment.

Procedure: Creating an Alignment

Drawing a horizontal, vertical and 3D alignment

1. Type Alignment in the command bar.
   
   You are prompted: Create [Horizontal/Vertical/3D] <Horizontal>

2. Choose Horizontal.
   
   You are prompted: Select TIN surface or [pick Pi point]

3. Select the TIN surface to create the alignment.
   
   You are prompted: Pick horizontal alignment PI point [Undo]

4. Pick the horizontal alignment PI points on your surface. Press enter when done.
   
   You are prompted: Pick origin point for vertical alignment view or [Automatic 3D alignment]

   Note: The horizontal alignment as a 2D curve is automatically shown on the XY surface. 
   
   
   

5. Type in A for automatic 3D alignment and press enter. 

6. Your 3D alignment is now generated.
   
   
   
   
   Note: Two alignments are shown. The blue alignment shows the horizontal alignment you generated. The red alignment shows the 3D Alignment that you automatically generated.

7. Type Alignment in the command bar.
   
   You are prompted: Create [Horizontal/Vertical/3D] <Horizontal>

8. Choose Vertical.
   
   You are prompted: Select horizontal alignment or vertical alignment view:
   
   
9. Select the horizontal alignment that you created before.
   
   You are prompted: Pick origin point for vertical alignment view or [Automatic 3d alignment]:
   
   
   
   
10. Pick a point in your model space where you want the vertical alignment view to appear.
    
    You are prompted: Pick vertical alignment PVI point [Undo]:
11. Press enter. Your vertical alignment in 2D is now generated.
    
    
    Note: two alignments are shown. The blue alignment shows the real vertical alignment. The red alignment shows an approximation of the real vertical alignment.
    
    
12. Select the red vertical alignment. In the properties panel, you can choose how close you want the approximation to be to the real curve by changing the accuracy factor.
    
    
    
    Note: you can change the accuracy factor from 1 to 100. When you choose 1 the accuracy will be the lowest.
    
    

About AlignmentEdit

After creating an alignment, you can continue a horizontal or vertical alignment, add or delete PV/PVI points or change the TIN Surface using the command AlignmentEdit. The 3D alignment will be updated automatically.

For more information about this command, visit the Command Reference article AlignmentEdit.

Procedure: Continuing a horizontal alignment with AlignmentEdit

1. Draw a horizontal alignment following the steps from the procedure: Creating an alignment.

2. Type AlignmentEdit in the command bar.
   
   You are prompted: Select horizontal or vertical alignment

3. Select the horizontal alignment you want to edit.
   
   You are prompted: Pick a point to continue alignment or [Add Pi/Remove Pi/change Tin surface]
   
   
   

4. Select points on your surface to continue your existing alignment.
   
   

    

5. Press enter when finisht. You have now continued your horizontal alignment. The 3D alignment will be updated automatically.
   
   

Procedure: Creating a road by editing an alignment and grading with Alignment grips

1. Select a horizontal, vertical and 3D grading as shown in the procedure: creating an alignment.

2. Select the red vertical alignment. In the properties panel, you choose an accuracy factor of 5.
   
   
   
   Note: it is best to choose a low enough accuracy factor in order to get a smoother curve than your real alignment.

3. Select your 3D alignment. Alignment grips appear.
   
   
   Note: in the properties panel you can see that the accuracy factor of the 3D alignment is automatically updated to the same level as your vertical alignment.
   
   
4. Type in the Grading command in the commandline or select grading in the Civil panel of the Ribbon.
   
   You are prompted: Select target surface or [slope/Offset]: (type in O of Offset)
   
   Move the mouse to change the offset of the grading or type in a value. Choose an angle of 0°. 
   
   
   
   
5. Press Enter. 
   
   
   
   
6. Repeat steps 2 and 3 on the other side of the horizontal alignment.
   
   
   
   
7. Select a grip to modify the alignment. Move the grip and click again to release the grip.
   
   
   
   
8. The alignment is now edited horizontally. The offset grading you made automatically adjusts to the edited alignment.
   
   
   
   
9. Open the properties panels and select the manual update mode.
   
   
10. You see that extra alignment grips appear.
    
    
    
    
11. Use these extra grips to adjust the 3D alignment vertically.
    
    
    
    
12. Press enter when done. Your alignment is now edited vertically. The offset grading you made automatically adjusts to the edited alignment.
    
    
    
    
13. Type in the Grading command in the commandline or select grading in the Civil panel of the Ribbon.
    
    You are prompted: Select input entity
    
    
14. Select one side off your offset grading.
    
    You are prompted: Select target surface or [slOpe/offset]:
    
    
    
    
15. Select the target surface. 
    
    
    
    
16. Move the cursor to change the slope of the grading or type in an angle.
    
    
    
    
17. Press enter and do step 13 to 16 again for the other side of the offset grading. You have now created and edited a smooth road running through your surface.
    
    

About Vertical Alignment View

The horizontal alignment creates a vertical section of the target surface. This 2D curve can be displayed in a separate viewport inside your model space using the command Alignmentview.

For more information about this command, visit the Command Reference article Alignmentview.

Procedure: Creating a vertical alignment view

1. Type Alignmentview in the command bar.

   You are prompted: Select horizontal alignment

2. Select a horizontal alignment

   

3. Click inside your model space to place the vertical alignment view.