Pipe Design: Autocad Civil 3D 2010 Education Curriculum Unit 3: Land Development
Pipe Design: Autocad Civil 3D 2010 Education Curriculum Unit 3: Land Development
Pipe Design
Overview
In this lesson, students learn how to add pipes and structures to a pipe network in plan view
and in profile view. Students also learn how to label the pipes and structures in both views.
The Hydraflow Storm Sewers Extension is used to calculate pipe sizes and invert elevations for
a storm sewer pipe network. You create a pipe network to model storm sewer, sanitary sewer,
and water main systems. By creating a 3D model of a pipe network, you can quickly explore
different design alternatives and check for interferences with other subsurface features.
The following illustration shows a pipe network in plan, profile, and 3D views. The arrows
indicate the pipe network.
When you label a pipe network, you display the engineering data that you need to complete
and evaluate the design and to construct the pipe network. Pipe labels can be created when
you create the pipe network or after you create the pipe network. Pipe labels automatically
update when you make changes to the pipe network.
The following illustration shows a labeled pipe network.
Design a storm sewer network that includes pipe sizes and invert elevations.
Exercises
The following exercises are provided in a step by step format in this lesson:
1. Create a Pipe Network
2. Draw Pipes in Profile view
3. Edit a Pipe Network
4. Label Pipes
5. Design a Storm Sewer
The parts you create are added to the pipe network object in the Prospector tab tree view.
When you select the Pipes or Structures items, their properties are displayed in the item view.
In the following illustration, the three structures added to the network are displayed.
The Pipe Network Catalog installs with the software and is external to drawings. It
contains all of the available structure and pipe types.
You create a parts list and include only those parts that you regularly use to create the
pipe network. Your parts list is created based on the parts contained in the pipe network
catalog, and is saved in the drawing template DWT file. Parts lists are useful for
organizing pipe network parts. You create a separate parts list for storm sewers, sanitary
sewers, and water mains.
Pipe and structure rules govern how the engineering details of a pipe network are
calculated when the pipe network is initially created, or when you choose to apply them.
The rules also affect how the pipe network parts behave when they are moved or
edited. Pipe and structure rules can be associated with the individual pipe and structure
parts you add to the Parts List. Pipe rules and structure rules are created independent of
each other and are organized into rule sets.
Pipe rules account for the following:
Pipe-to-pipe match: Pipe drop and connection location (invert, obvert, center) between
adjoining pipes.
Structure rules account for the following:
Pipe drop across structure: Change in elevation between invert in and invert out.
Null Structures
When you create pipes that connect without structures, a null structure is created. A null
structure has no function except to connect two pipes. Null structures appear as simple
objects in the drawing area and are listed in the Prospector tab tree view.
In the following illustration, the designer drew all the required structures without pipes using
Structures Only mode.
You can add pipes to the design later using Pipes Only mode to make efficient use of space
and materials. The completed design is shown in the following illustration.
5. In the drawing area, click the location for the first structure.
A structure is created at the location. The vertical placement of the structure is
determined from the elevation data of the referenced surface.
6. Click the location for a second structure.
A structure is created at the second location. A pipe is created that connects the first and
second structures. The elevation and grade of the pipe are determined using the
referenced surface and the design rules for the selected pipe type.
7. Add additional structures as required. You can change the type of structure and pipes that
are created as you continue with your layout.
4. Click the location for the start point, then the endpoint of the pipe.
The pipe is created. The endpoint of the current pipe is the start point for the next pipe
you draw.
5. Click the location for the endpoint of the second pipe.
When you create a pipe network, use the Station and Offset transparent command on
the Transparent Commands toolbar to create structures based on a fixed offset from an
alignment.
When you create the drawing template for your organization, include parts lists that
contain the pipe and structure parts your team would use on a regular basis.
You can automatically check for interferences between multiple pipe networks using
Pipes menu > Utilities > Create Interference Check.
To keep drawings free of annotation, create tables that show pipe network data.
The following illustrations show the development of pipe networks using two pipe network
part creation modes. In the following illustration, structures have been created at regular
intervals along the alignment without pipes using the Structures Only pipe network part
creation mode.
In the next illustration, a second pipe network is created to show the placement of culverts in
the project. This network is made up of single pipes created using the Pipes Only pipe network
part creation mode.
You use the circular grip to rotate the structure. This is useful for asymmetrical structures and
structure styles that display text. You use the square grip to change the location of the
structure. When you move a structure, connected pipes move with the structure. Profile
structures and pipe locations and associated annotation automatically updates.
Note: When you use grips to change the location of pipes in plan view, you disconnect the
structure from the pipe.
There are similar grips that can be used to graphically edit structures and pipes in the profile
view. These are shown in the following illustration:
You can also edit the Pipe Properties or Structure Properties. Each dialog box displays the
engineering properties of the pipe or structure. The Pipe Properties dialog box is shown in the
following illustration:
Guidelines
Keep the following guidelines in mind when you draw and edit pipe networks:
A single pipe style controls the display of pipe parts in plan, profile view, and section
view. A single structure style controls the display of structure parts in plan, profile view,
section view, and 3D views.
Pipe styles and structure styles should be developed and saved in your company/client
DWT drawing template.
To provide additional engineering details for the construction of the pipe network, draw
pipes and structures in profile view.
Labeling Pipes
You use pipe label styles to label pipe network pipes, and you use structure label styles to
label pipe network structures. Pipe and structure label styles are found in the Settings tab of
Toolspace. This is shown in the following illustration:
Modify the command settings for pipe networks to set the default pipe and structure
label styles. When you do this, the correct label styles are automatically applied when
you label the pipe network.
Use spanning labels to label lengths and slopes over multiple pipe segments. Spanning
labels are useful when you want to label the length of an entire pipe network that spans
several structures, or if you want to label a pipe network with null structures, such as a
water-main network.
Is a Civil 3D extension that can read pipe network geometry, pipe types, and structure
types created in a Civil 3D pipe network.
Performs hydraulic analysis of both simple and complex storm sewer networks.
Can calculate pipe diameters, invert elevations, and energy grade lines for up to 250
connected storm sewer lines.
The following images show a storm sewer network in Hydraflow Storm Sewers Extension in
different views.
The first image shown is the layout of a storm sewer network in plan view.
Guidelines
Keep the following guidelines in mind when you create pipe networks:
Assign the Manning n (smoothness coefficient) value to pipes in the parts list in Civil 3D.
When you create a pipe network from parts in the parts list, the Manning n value is
transferred to Hydraflow Storm Sewers Extension. Otherwise you need to assign the
Manning n value manually in Hydraflow Storm Sewers Extension.
In Hydraflow Storm Sewers extension, you must specify US Customary for imperial units
or SI for metric units.
In Hydraflow Storm Sewers Extension, ensure your design codes are in accordance with
local standards for pipe sizing.
Key Terms
Top Surface The top surface is a surface that represents the finished design grade
and is useful when creating pipe networks. Manhole rim elevations and
pipe invert elevations are calculated from the top surface based on
minimum depth and slope criteria.
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, students learned to create, edit, and label pipe networks in AutoCAD Civil 3D
software. Students created a storm sewer pipe network consisting of manholes and concrete
pipes. Students then edited the pipe network in the plan and profile views. Students also
created label styles and labeled the pipes in plan and profile views. Finally, students used the
Hydraflow Storm Sewers Extension to calculate the pipe sizes that carry a specified amount of
flow and imported the new computed network into Civil 3D.
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