Surveying and Coordinate Systems
Survey functionality, including direct import of raw survey data, least squares adjustments, coordinate system settings and transformations, editing of survey observations, automated creation of survey figures, and surface creation, is fully integrated into AutoCAD® Civil 3D® software. This provides a more consistent design environment where points, survey figures, and surfaces can be used throughout the design process without having to manually translate coordinate systems or transfer data from a survey package to your civil engineering design software. Survey data introduced into a project will result in design elements updating automatically.

Surfaces, Grading, and Dynamic Relationships
AutoCAD Civil 3D includes terrain shaping tools that support large-surface models while maintaining dynamic relationships to source data, including contours, breaklines, corridor models, and grading objects. Use surfaces as references for creating profiles, sections, and corridors. Any change to the source data results in automatic updates to surfaces and references, helping you save time and reduce errors.

The powerful daylighting and grade projection tools can be used to generate surface models for any type of grading projection. Easy-to-use graphical and tabular grading manipulation tools help you develop any surface. Solve challenging design problems using grading capabilities that remain dynamically linked to corridor models and alignments/profiles.

Building Information Modeling for Street and Highway Design
Quickly lay out dynamic plan and profile alignment geometry with local design criteria that you specify. These constraints remain in place when using interactive “best fit,” PI-based (point of intersection), or highly flexible element-based layout approaches.

Create intelligent models of roads and other transportation systems using the corridor modeling functionality. Corridor modeling uses customizable cross-sectional components called subassemblies to create a dynamic model of various types of transportation systems. Directly use alignments, profiles, survey figures, feature lines, and AutoCAD polylines to define corridor transitions and elevation constraints. Use the interactive intersection builder to create complex models through intersecting roads that remain dynamic as your designs change. Corridor models can ultimately be used to create proposed surfaces, earthwork volumes, material totals, drafted cross sections, and more.

Intelligent Pipes Layout
Use rules-based tools to lay out sanitary and storm drainage systems. Make changes to pipes and structures using graphical or numerical input, and conduct interference checks. Plot and complete final drafting of the pipe network in plan, profile, and section views, and share pipe network information, such as invert elevations, size, slope, and type with external analysis applications or use the Hydraflow extensions that are part of AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Facilitate Team Coordination—Synchronizing Design Changes
Your entire team can work from the same consistent, up-to-date model. Team members can stay better coordinated through all phases of the project, from survey to construction documentation. Using AutoCAD external references, data shortcuts, and Autodesk® Vault, project team members can share individual model elements, such as surfaces, alignments, and pipes and work off the same instance of a design object for multiple design tasks. Design changes are synchronized using one model that can result in multiple updates across several drawings, all of which is automatic.

Dynamic Quantity Takeoff and Earthwork Calculations
Customizable pay item information can be directly imported into AutoCAD Civil 3D for use in assigning pay item values to objects in the drawing, including AutoCAD entities and AutoCAD Civil 3D model elements. Automatically calculate quantities and generate reports based on pay item values, which can then be exported for use in Autodesk® Quantity Takeoff software or formats used by AASHTO Trns*port products.

The mass haul and earthwork features allow contractors and engineers to plan the movements, amounts, and placements of material during construction. As designs are changed, AutoCAD Civil 3D can quickly generate mass haul diagrams to help analyze the distance over which cut and fill can balance, the amount and direction of material to be moved, and the identification of borrow pits and dump sites.

Styles, CAD Standards, and Production Drafting
CAD and design standards are an important component of a project. Use the extensive library of country-specific CAD styles available to control virtually every aspect of drawing display such as colors, linetypes, contour increments, and robust labeling. AutoCAD Civil 3D provides a framework for customizing your own styles and standards to meet the specific needs of your organization. Automatically generate construction documents using the styles-based drafting environment to automate the creation of drafting while maintaining drafting standards. Use xrefs and data shortcuts to generate drafting across multiple drawings. When the model changes, the construction documentation is automatically synchronized to reflect the update.

Data Compatibility and Interoperability
Accessing and importing data from disparate sources is critical to civil engineering projects. With AutoCAD Civil 3D, you can easily import and export data between CAD and GIS platforms, including from industry-standard formats such as DWF™, Google Earth, LandXML, DGN, and SDF.