Engineering Art at Autodesk University 2013

Engineering Art
Jennifer Taylor
Director of Virtual Design

Cody Pennetti, PE
Civil Engineer

About Dewberry
•
•
•
•

Headquarters: Fairfax, VA
Number of Employees: 1,800+
Offices: More than 40 locations in 18 States
Services:
Architecture
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Management
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Integration
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Building Engineering
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Disaster Response
Flood Risk Management

MEP Services

Program Management

Site/Civil Services

Surveying/Mapping
Water Resources

Sustainability
Alternative Delivery

Transportation

• 2012 Revenue: $312 million

Class Narrative
1. A competitive advantage
exists within the ability to
effectively market the
process of a product.
2. The most effective way
to communicate the
process is through
technical visualizations.

Key learning objectives
At the end of this class, you should be able to:
1. Quickly Develop Conceptual Models for Proposals
2. Use Civil 3D for Model Based Design
3. Incorporate AEC Models to Market the Process of Modern Design

This class incorporates the following tools:
1. InfraWorks
2. Civil 3D
3. 3DS Max Design

Introduction Notes
 Create visualizations as a
means of telling a story
 Reference existing media
for guidance


Movies, commercials, art,
CG Architect, etc.

 Use existing content
surface model, aerial
imagery, buildings, etc.

Introduction Notes
 Import content from real
world sources
Existing

 Buildings, cars, road, colors
from image samples

 Emphasize the source of
the model
 Architectural/Engineering
final design content

Proposed

Purple Pipe Construction Facts
 Construction of
 16,000 feet of 20” and 36”
pipe from NCPCP to the
Covanta Energy Resource
Recovery Facility
 7,000 feet of 12” pipe to the
Laurel Hill Golf Club

Purple Pipe Sustainability Facts
 Sustainability Benefits
 Reduce nutrients discharged
to the to Chesapeake Bay
 Preserve 2 MGD Drinking
Water
 Improve drought resistance
 Offset treatment costs

Purple Pipe Technology
 Use of Civil 3D for
pipeline design and
existing utility conflict
detention
 Successfully completed
construction of 4+ miles
of pipeline in ultra-urban
region without single
conflict

Purple Pipe Workflow
 Available base data to
develop proposal design
and complimenting video
 Civil 3D pipe/road tools to
model existing utilities
and proposed pipeline
 3ds Max Design and Civil
View to show final
engineering design

GIS Based
Proposal
Graphics

Civil 3D
Pipeline Design

3ds Max Design
Engineering
Graphics

I. InfraWorks - Preliminary Design
& Visualization

Preliminary Design and Visualization
 InfraWorks allows for an efficient means of compiling
data (GIS, CAD, imagery,) and allows for rapid
production of design concepts.
 Visualizations of this data during project proposals is
used to demonstrate an understanding of existing
conditions and to show innovative solutions.

GIS Content – Quick Overview

Geometry
(line,
point,
polygon)

GIS
Attribute
Data
(name,
size, date)

 GIS is simply a geometric
shape with data (like an
excel sheet) attached to
the shape.
 GIS files come in multiple
format types, with the
most common as .shp file
 Typical to link to data, as
opposed to import

Recommended Existing Base Data (GIS)
 Surface Data
 Contour/Breakline/Point .shp
 C3D to IMX File

 Aerial Photography
 mrSID files
 tiff with World File
(.tiff & .tfw)

 Buildings
 Footprint .shp Files

Supplemental Base Data (GIS + Models)
 City Furniture
 Points of interest .shp files
(utility poles, traffic signals,
etc.)
 Landmarks from SketchUp
Warehouse or self authored

 Utility Information
 Pipes and structures from
.shp files
 Civil 3D networks (.IMX)

Proposed Improvements
 Design Pipeline
 Export alignment line to .shp
and set as barrier
 Alternatively, use Alignment
object an export .IMX

 Annotations
 3D Text objects (imported as
models from CAD, 3ds, etc.)

 Additional Linework
 MAPEXPORT - .shp

Cinematography Tips
 Begin with
comprehensive view
 Long slow scenes
 Rely on aerial imagery
 Avoid showing the edges
of the model
 Standard HD (720p)
 .wmv format
(15,000 kBit/sec)

Live Presentation Option
 InfraWorks Models can
be exported for web/iPad
based viewing
 Free motion of content,
low quality and limited
settings
 Consider video backup
https://infraworks360.autodesk.com/portal

Pipeline Model Based Design
 All infrastructure
components should be
Civil 3D objects







Horizontal Pipeline
Vertical Pipeline
Appurtenances
Pipe Trench
Existing Utilities
Aerial/Field Topography

 Pipeline objects are
interpreted as Civil 3D
objects shown below







Alignment Object
Profile Object
Pipe Network
Assembly / Corridor
Pipe Networks
Surface with Edits/Paste

Civil 3D Visualization/Design Optimization
 Pipe Networks


Existing utilities created as
Pipe Networks
 Assumed depth for nongravity systems (adjust at
test-pits)



Proposed utilities created
as Pipe Networks
 Gravity and non-gravity
utilities as applicable
(Pressure Pipe Networks
do not export)

The non-gravity
utility designations
typically come in
as 2D linework.

Convert to feature
lines

Assign elevation
by existing surface
(no intermediate
grade break)

Lower feature line
to assumed depth

Convert object to
pipe network,
merge networks

Alternative: create
pipe network with
depth rule
min=max

Pipeline Design (as Road Design)
 Plan View
 Waterline bends as PI
 Labels to show deflection
angle, station, n/e
 Based on standard bend
angles (11.25, 22.5, etc.)

 Horizontal Curves
 Labels to show start/end
station, radius

 Profile View
 Vertical Bends as PI
 Labels to show deflection
angle, station, n/e
 Based on standard bend
angles (11.25, 22.5, etc.)

 Vertical Circular Curves
 Labels to show start/end
station, radius

𝑅=

 Equivalent Radius


 Equivalent Bend (Vert.)

𝐿

1
2[tan( ∆)]
2

 100*ABS[ATAN({Grade In})
- ATAN({Grade Out})]

 L = pipe stick length
 ∆ = MAX deflection

Allowable
Deflection

Max
Design
Deflection

36”

5°

2.5°

18’

412’

42”

4°

2°

18’

515’

48”

4°

2°

20’

572’

9.85%

5.625°

19.89%

Pipe
Equivalent
Length
Radius

Equivalent Bend
11.25°

41.42%

22.5°

57.73%

30°

100.00%

Pipe Size

A (Grade Change)

45°

173.20%

60°

III. 3ds Max Design - Visualization

Export From Civil 3D
 Pipes
 Supported on export. If
using the road tools for
pipeline, create featureline
from alignment, then pipe
from object

 Surfaces
 Supported on export.
Ensure no overlapping
surface by using boundaries

Coordinate Notes
 Global Shift





Importing a Civil View file
will automatically apply a
global shift to the data to
account for geo-coord
Each new imported file will
relate to that shift
Two separate Max files
importing from the same
Civil 3D file, may not have
the same shift

Coordinate Notes
 Basic AutoCAD objects
are not currently
supported to be exported
and shifted.
 Use featurelines
(supported under Sites)
to allow for reference
building footprints,
property lines, etc.

Other Model Content
 Buildings
 Basic outlines with
extrusions (distance)
 Simple Revit models

 Site Features
 Export .FBX from InfraWorks
for a good library of homes,
power poles, cars, trains,
bridges, etc.

3ds Max Design Base Settings (Preferences)
 Mental Ray render


Reduce most settings
unless you see a
noticeable difference

 mr Photometric Exposure


Set Exposure Value to 14

 Civil View Daylight


Create daylight system
from Civil View explorer

Render Formats
 Always render to images
(.bmp), never to video
files
 Each frame can take 5+
minutes (23.96 frames/sec)
and an issue with a single
frame will cause you to rerender the entire video
 VirtualDub (or AE) compiler
to convert images to video

Lighting
 The sun is bright, and
complicated
 If you want objects to glow,
the light intensity has to be
as high as possible to
compete with the sun
 Photorealistic lighting takes
a lot of resources, but will
provide the best visuals
 Add lens flares in post

Additional Visualization Tools
 GIMP 2
 Used to edit aerial imagery,
remove flat features with
clone tool

Before After

 Cars
 Bridges
 Power Lines

 Aerial image location is
referenced, so do not
change rotation, crop, or
size of image

Additional Visualization Tools
 Forest Pack Pro




Along with a good tree
library, can allow for quickly
creating a mass of proxy
objects
Create libraries of Revit
based buildings to create
neighborhoods
 3ds Max can import Revit

Post Production
 Microsoft Expression
Encoder 4 (free)


Combine, trim, .avi to
convert to .wmv

 Adobe After Effects
 Consider ‘Game Engines’

Helpful Values
 Aspect Ratio




16:9 (wide screen)
720p: 720x1280
1080p: 1080x1920

 Frame Rate


24 = 23.976 FPS

 Exposure
 mental ray photometric – 14

 Daylight
 Adjust location in daylight
system, and time/date based
on aerial imagery

Autodesk is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear
in this document. © 2013 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

Engineering Art at Autodesk University 2013

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