AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic

Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

Roman Börnchen – UDS Urbane Daten-Systeme GmbH
Thomas Martin – UDS Urbane Daten-Systeme GmbH

CI4933 In this class, you will learn to create and edit land acquisition borders with AutoCAD Civil
3D. We will take a data journey from land registration to sites with alignments, gradients, and sections to
grading, then circle back to the starting point. You will discover the benefits of parcels and tables and
learn how to minimize land purchase costs with the dynamic functions available in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Learning Objectives
At the end of this class, you will be able to:
 Learn lots about a Workflow to create a land acquisition project
 Use AutoCAD Civl FDO Technic to insert SHP, SDF, JPG - Data
 Change SDF polygons into DWG Polygons
 Define Parcels, list the results in tables
 Add land purchase borders with AutoCAD Civil Corridor technique
 Learn to combine everything and get the best value out of it

About the Speaker

Roman Boernchen has worked with AutoCAD® since Version 2.61, and with Civil 3D® for six years.
He is also an expert on AutoCAD Map 3D and Civil 3D. He has held hundreds of CAD training courses
for design draftsmen and engineers. He advises public agencies, industrial companies, and
engineering firms on CAD concepts and standardization. Roman is a managing director with a civil
engineering diploma. He has great practical experience in a responsible position on several extensive
road construction projects, as a planner, and also as construction supervisor (consultant) for
government contracts. His special field is dataflow in Civil 3D. He is also a specialist in land
acquisition, which combines Civil and Map components.

Address: UDS Urbane Daten-Systeme GmbH phone: +49 40 44 63 48

Alstertower
Lübecker Straße 1 mail: boernchen@uds.de
D - 22087 Hamburg
 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

1 General

Purchasing land to build a road is one of the fundamental requirements for building a road.

It is clear to everyone that, from inception to completion of the design, quite a few changes are going to
be necessary. The land consumption and with it the costs must be kept under constant observation. Our
target is to have reliable cost figures at every stage of the project.

In AutoCAD Civil 3D we have a dynamic instrument which helps us to attain this goal. Which tools
AutoCAD Civil 3D puts at our disposal and how to use them, is the subject of this lecture.

Our example, the designed road, is modeled on a real project and the results correspond in direct relation
to reality.

All data used in this lecture have kindly been put at our disposal by the city council of Ingolstadt, for which
I give my sincere thanks. I should also like to thank Dana Probert, who inspired me to work more with
Parcels at the AU 2010 with her lecture "Power Track: Parcels. Not Just for Subdivisions Anymore".

I must also mention here that all landowners' names are fictitious. Any correspondence is purely
coincidence.

1.1 Requirements.

The basis of every design is the actual situation. The better we know this, the better the quality of our
design will be. If we think about the value of land, we need information about location, size and to whom
it belongs. These facts are usually stored in a GIS (graphic information system).

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

2 Planning and Analysis using FDO-Technology

If I'm thinking of compiling data from diverse sources, I go immediately and directly to the FDO
Department of AutoCAD Civil. The beauty of the FDO method is that the data remains and is displayed in
its original format and I can treat it like AutoCAD objects.

2.1 Connect Data

To do this I set the workspace "Planning and Analysis" by clicking the little arrow and choosing the
following option:

After a few seconds the user interface opens.

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

2.2 Connect Data from SDF /SHP and JPG Format

For our design I need the parcel data in SDF format, environmental data in SHP format and an aerial view
in JPG format. Here in the handout I only show the way to the link with the SDF parcel file. It's the same
for the SHP and image formats like JPG, except: on the left side of the Data Connect box
Add SHP Connection for the SHP data and Add Raster Image for the JPG image data.

Click the big Connect button

Add SDF Connection

Click Connect

Click Add to map

Data Connection
Workflow

First, I set up the connection to the SDF file, in which the parcel data resides.

To do this, on the left side oft the box I select Add SDF Connection and enter the path and the name of
the SDF file here C:\Ingolstadt_Booklet\SDF3\Pacels.sdf and click Connect.

The data connection is now established. In order to see the data, I add the drawing by clicking
Add to Map.

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

And for the data administration I need the Map Task Pane, to be found under View Palettes-Map

Click on Map Task Plane

and the dialogbox appears

And don't forget "ZOOM Extents" with the following result:

A lot of data.
For the plan, I only need a small part of it. I delete all objects that I don't need.

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

2.3 Creating AutoCAD Polygons from SDF /SHP Data

For generating Civil parcels later, I need AutoCAD polygons.

For these I use the Civil function Save Current Map to AutoCAD. This function automatically creates a
DWG with AutoCAD polygons from the displayed SDF / SHP objects.

I name this DWG ACAD-Parcel-Polygons and save it.

Because I want to work, not only with the GIS data from SHP / SDF, but also with the ACAD-Polygons, I
insert the just-created drawing ACAD-Parcel-Polygons in my current DWG on a layer designated for this
purpose.

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

3 Civil 3D using Parcel-Technology combined with a Civil project.

3.1 AutoCAD-Civil-Parcels

AutoCAD Civil parcels have several fascinating characteristics.

1. Parcels are clearly defined.

They can exist separately, but they cannot overlap. If we try to move two separate parcels one on top
of the other, then a new parcel is automatically generated in the common area.

2. Parcels can count.

Just as its position is unambiguous, each parcel also has its own number. Normally a new parcel is
assigned the next highest number. After 176 comes 177, etc. Other counting methods are possible.
But two parcels never have the same number.

3. Parcels recognize one another exactly and show it.

A fixed component of parcels is the knowledge of the area content and the length of all sides. If sides
are comprised of circular arcs, then they also know the arc length. All specifications mentioned can
be displayed as labels in the parcel. Or the parcel data is shown as a table. Then only its number
stands in the parcel itself. All other data is collected in the table, in which each parcel is allocated one
line. In this way many parcels can be managed easily and clearly.

4. Parcels are dynamic and divisible.

We can change parcels manually, like any other AutoCAD object. It can also be done automatically.
Parcels not only react with each other, but also particularly well with AutoCAD Civil alignments,
indeed so well, that we sometimes have to protect them. – But more about that later.
If we lay an alignment through a parcel, this causes two parcels to be generated from it. This
dynamic also applies to the tables, where a new table entry is created and all previous entries are
updated.

Perhaps you can now understand why I'm so very keen to get AutoCAD Civil parcels. It simply
makes sense.

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

3.2 AutoCAD-Civil-Parcels from AutoCAD-Polygons

I set the workspace “Civil 3D“ by clicking on the little arrow and select the following option:

After a few seconds, the user-interface opens.

Here are the AutoCAD polygons from which the parcels are to be generated.

I select the option Create Parcels from Objects

Please note ! When the command is selected for the first time and no site yet
exists, this box will appear:
Every parcel requires a site. Every site contains a parcel only once.
Parcels cannot overlap. But sites certainly can.

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

Here I generate a new area, which contains all the land parcels of the project area. This area is assigned
the name Site_Project_Area. I enter this name in the field Site. And I only want to label the parcels with
their numbers. Therefore, under AREA label style I choose: Parcel Number.

The AutoCAD Civil Parcels are now complete and look great.

Of course I'm now interested in all parcel data.

Because there's little space within the small parcels for further labeling, I'd like to put it in a table.

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

3.3 Use Parcel Data with Parcel Tables

Attention ! first Click on Modify_Design_Parcel or simply click on a parcel.

Click Add Tables

Select Add Area The dialog Table Creation appears

At the moment i leave everything as it is

Attention ! Don't forget to select the parcel. Simply click the green cube. And
choose all parcels with select objects.

Exit the box with OK.

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

Now just position the table on the drawing.

3.4. AutoCAD-Civil-Project Alignment_ _Corridor _Offset Alignment

Parcels and alignment interact, whereby an alignment automatically divides a parcel, namely in an old
and a new part. The new part becomes a distinct new parcel. I wish to use this feature to determine the
area which the new road needs.

But which area does the new road need?

To begin with, naturally the area of the roadway itself, plus the borders to the right and left. But it is
precisely this border that I don't know exactly, and which I need for the land acquisition.

AutoCAD Civil 3D gives me exactly this information in the form of offset alignment of the corridor of the
new road. The fantastic thing about this is that this corridor is dynamic. In other words, I have two
dynamic components in Civil, which interact with one another, the parcels and the corridors. So at any
point in the design I get not only an overview of how much land I need, what it costs, where it is located
and to whom it belongs, but also I can react flexibly and very quickly, should this be necessary.

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

3.4.1 Create a new Site

In the Toolspace I select the Site icon and click the right mouse-button. This little box appears and I click
on New

3.4.2 Creating a corridor

For the corridor I need a surface, an alignment, a surface profile, a profile and an assembly.

Attention ! I do not want this axis to react with the parcel in the
Site_Area_Project. I therefore create a new area (Area 1) for the alignment, so
the parcel and the axis are divided onto two separate sites.

Create an alignment, a surface profile, a profile and an assembly.

I have prepared these components as follows:

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

Now I select the command Create Corridor.

And select one after the other, the alignment, the profile and the assembly

This box appears:

Attention ! Whilst creating the corridor, it is important to select the surface as

the target and then click OK.

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

Here is the finished corridor

3.4.2 Generating the Corridor Offset Alignments

I click on the corridor in the drawing – this causes all commands for the corridor to be displayed.

I click on Alignment from Corridor and get the following box:

I allocate the name Alignment Offset Left.

Attention ! The name of the site must be the same as that on which the parcels
lie and that is Site_Projekt_Area!!!
So that's why I want the parcels and offset alignments to interact now.

Then I set Style Existing and No Labels. I don't need a profile, so I remove the tick. And click OK.

I turn off the corridor, the alignment and the surface and turn on the parcels and the offset alignments.

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

An this is what the result looks like:

The offset alignments and the parcels have interacted and automatically generated new parcels. What I
particularly like is how precisely the parcels were generated in the curve area.

To calculate the correct area here is not so simple.

For example: here parcel 136:

Now we're finished really, because everything else is just a repeat. But I would just like to show how
simple it is to view the data, and sort and export it to Excel immediately. Because that's what I promised.

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

4 Further Functions.

In order to manage the parcels in proximity to the road better, I copy all these parcels to a new site. To do
this I create a new site as described in 3.4.1 and call it Road_Site

Now I select all parcels situated within the offset alignment:

On the upper edge of the screen the following ribbon appears and I click Copy to Site

I'm prompted to give the name and I select Road_Site

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

In Toolspace under Sites I now select Road_Site and, in the lower part of the Toolspace (Prospector),
I view the data for this site. There I can sort, edit and do other useful things.

One of these is to select all parcels and copy all of them to the clipboard with the right mouse button.

Finally, I simply insert the data with PASTE into an Excel table.

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 AutoCAD® Civil 3D®: Land Acquisition, Dynamic Border Extraction, and Parcels and Tables

Conclusion

These are powerful tools that Civil offers us. In particular, FDO technology enables us to use GIS data
from other program systems like normal AutoCAD data. The parcels with their dynamic and, at the same
time, so well-ordered structure help us to retain an overview even in complicated land parcel situations.
And not to be forgotten: the fabulous design tools for creating corridors. If we deploy everything together
cleverly, we not only create a quick and flexible BIM-model, but we also enhance the quality, because we
don't need to estimate and guess so much. Instead, we work with exact and verifiable results.

As I was learning these things myself, there were some obstacles, which I needed help to negotiate. I
have therefore explained these points in more detail..

It would please me to know I was able to contribute to your working with these methods on your next
project. And that this handout helped you.

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