Adding Scale and other Fields to Title Block

Been updating the old title block to be a bit more automatic to save sometime I insert fields into the block attributes to give me the data I wanted as follows

Insert Copyright Year

Insert Drawing Name 

Inserting blanks as per link

Inserted Drawing Scale as per this video

Updated the scale bar values to update based on the scale as well

 

I did look at using a diesel expression first for the scale calculation but this did not work as the object ID is turned to a number straight away and the link to the viewport is broken here are some links on diesel for future reference anyway

http://civil3d.wordpress.com/2011/08/23/quick-to-the-diesel/

http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2010/ENU/AutoCAD%202010%20User%20Documentation/index.html?url=WS73099cc142f4875513fb5cd10c4aa30d6b-7b3c.htm,topicNumber=d0e393837

http://www.cadforum.cz/cadforum_en/qaID.asp?tip=3676

Using Parcel’s to calculate Open Channel Flow

A couple of years ago I developed a number of parcel styles and labels to calculate the capacity of basic open channels when you have limited data to do a full model.

Yesterday I had to use the styles again for the first time in a while and it took me a while to remember want to do, so I have made a quick screen capture of the process for future reference and others to review.

The label styles make use of expressions and user defined properties in the parcels. The process is not fully automatic but you can slide the parcel line representing the water level up and down to adjust the calculations and manually update the water surface length to get the correct wetted perimeter. Someone out there may have a clever idea on how this could be automated.

Also the Slide Direction tool does not seem to hold the bearing when moving from one segment of the road frontage (aka stream bed) to the next unless this is by design.

There is a link to the full screen movie here seeing the image below is a bit small.

Mapping Pipe XYZ now as easy as ABC

I have been doing a bit of research recently into the technologies available for the as built mapping of recently built and historic underground services. In relation particularly to Low Pressure and Small Diameter Gravity Sewers (design examples)laid to the ground surface contour by mole plough or similar techniques.
I come across this good presentation on the different types of mapping systems
http://www.geoplace.com/Media/MediaManager/GhassemiMike.pdf
and with a little more research found a specific system specification for a product out of Belgium which looks promising for the application I have in mind.
http://www.reduct.net/nl/index.php?n=9
http://www.reduct.net/content/files/ArticulatedMicroRange.pdf 

Only problem Civil3d pipes does not deal with pipes as a 3D string format , polyline format. I have commented on this before and Autodesk should be addressing it sooner rather than later. Currently the piping tools of Civil3d cannot deal with modern construction materials and techniques.
In the near future I foresee modern technology removing the need to run pipes in straight lines between  structures as long as all segments of length dx within a pipe of length x achieve the minimum hydraulic requirements water will in fact flow down hill and achieve the required result at a cheaper cost.
See you in the future Mcfly.

Model that SSA

Calculating New Zealand IDF data for Autodesk Storm and Sanitary Analysis

The main source of rainfall design for areas in New Zealand is the NIWA Hirds website . However the first thing you will notice on getting data from the Hirds website is that the you do not get the rainfall intensity data for the 5 and 15 minute duration storm and the 1,2,3 and 25 ARI event that SSA asks for.

Figure 1.0 Raw Hirds Data

Figure 2.0 Autodesk Storm and Sanitary Analysis IDF input screen

Thanks to the help of Graeme Mackay at NIWA who explained the equations behind the Hirds data. Detailed on pages 19 and 20 of the Hirds method help file available for download at the bottom of this page.

I have developed the attached spreadsheet to calculate the alternative duration rainfall data.

Here is a short video of the process you need to go though with the spreadsheet and SSA to get up and running

Update thanks to Matt Anderson

SSA allows editing of the Storm Duration and the Return Period. Note the 10 and 20 minute Duration added below.

When you right-click on the durations, you get:

c

No spreadsheet is needed.