CE 321 Highway Engineering

Laboratory Manual
For use with AUTOCAD 2015 and Civil 3D 2015

By R.J. Porter and Frank Gross

Lab revised for AUTOCAD 2010 by Lekshmi Sasidharan and Dan Kwon
Lab revised for AUTOCAD 2011 by Paul Stager
Lab revised for AUTOCAD 2013 by Jeff Gooch
Lab revised for AUTOCAD 2015 by Jungyeol Hong
Based on an earlier version by Karl Raynar and Brian St. John

Copyrighted 2005. No copying or other reproduction without prior written permission of the
authors. All rights reserved.

AUTOCAD ASSIGNMENT 1 - HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT

This is the first of three AutoCAD exercises where we will develop a preliminary design (i.e.
plan, profile, and cross section) for a new road connecting from Southwest Road to North Road
as shown on the attached map. Alternate B is a 2-lane highway with 12-foot lanes and 8-foot
shoulders. Preliminary estimates indicate that 140-feet of right-of-way are needed for the project.
In this exercise, we will develop a horizontal alignment for alternate B.
A field survey and preliminary design work provided the following information:
Beginning station: 10+00 (coordinates : 14615.70,1300.28)
Curve #1 data
PI: 39+75.72
Deflection angle: 87.42 (Curve to the left)
Radius: 1315
Curve #2 data
Deflection angle: 50.1249 (Curve to the right)
Radius: 980
Ending station should be 78+43.15 along the centerline (coordinates: 14380.46, 6906.11). Keep
in mind this is the stationing measured along the finished centerline (with curves), not the
tangents only.
The submitted AutoCAD drawing should clearly show the centerline, edges of pavement, and
limits of right of way.
Label all relevant information: stationing, PC, PT, PI, BS, ES, curve data (i.e. R, T, L, and delta),
and bearings with appropriate measurements and units. Be sure to include a scale and north
arrow. Plot the drawing on 11x17 paper.
Hand Calculations: PI, PC, PT, T, L (for both curves) and ES (all calculations should be based
on measurements along the centerline).

Equations for Assignment #1

PTA = PCA + LA
Relevant Curve Equations
T = R tan (/2)
L = R * , where is in radians

For subsequent curves:

Station Equations
PCA = PIA - TA

PIB = PTA + x2 - TA
PCB = PIB - TB

PTB = PCB + LB

X2 =3520.13

Figure 1 Alternate B connecting Southwest Road to North Road

Create Folder in X:\ named CE321

Start AutoCAD 2015

>Open new Template (acad)
>Set to AutoCAD Classic
Type Command CUI
Right-click on Workspaces, choose New
Workspace and name it Classic
In the top-right pane, click on the
Customized Workspace button.
In the left tree, check the boxes by Quick
Access Toolbar1 and in the branch
Toolbars also the basic toolbars Draw,
Modify, Properties, Layers, Styles and
Standard. (This will transfer them to the new
workspace)
In the left tree, check the whole branch
Menus (pull-down menus)
On the right, click on the root of the tree
(Classic) and in its properties (bottom)
change the Menu bar to On.
On the bottom, click on Apply and OK.
>Switch workspace
Click
on the bottom and check Classic.
Set Drawing Units
>Format >Units
Length Type = Decimal
Length Precision = 0.00
Angles = Surveyors Units (measured counter
clockwise)
Precision = N 0d 00 00 E
Insertion Scale = inches
Direction: East
Set Layer and Line types
>Format >Layer
Layer dialogue box
Create 4 new layers named ROW,
Centerline, Shoulder, and EOP
>Format >Linetype
Click load and then highlight and
select all line types and click OK
>Format >Layer
Make line type for ROW DASHED
Make Centerline CENTERX2
Make Centerline the current layer by
highlighting layer and click Set
Current

Exit the Layer Dialogue box

Make a new text style
>Format >Text StyleNew
Name it Romand
Under Font name select romand.shx
Click Apply, then Close
Insert Base Drawing into your new file
Copy english_roads.dwg from
M:\CE 321 Spring 2015\Assignment 1 Files drive
and paste it in
X:\CE321\ (your CE321 folder).
>Insert >DWG Reference
Click on file and select the file named
X:\CE321\english_roads.dwg
Click Open
Insertion point = 0, 0, 0 (Deselect
specify on screen)
Scale factors are all 1
Rotation angle = E
Zoom Extents to see entire drawing
> View > Zoom > Extents
Draw First Line
>Draw >Line
From Point: 14615.70,1300.28
To Point: @2975.72<N44d0624E
Press Enter to end line command
Draw Second Line
>Draw >Line
From Point: END (to use endpoint snap)
Select endpoint of first line
To Point: @3520.13<S44d0624W
Press Enter twice
Rotate second line into position
>Modify >Rotate
Type last to select the second line, hit Enter
Base Point: End of first and second line
Rotation angle is 180 + 87.42 = 267.42
because we are measuring all angles counterclockwise

Draw Third Line

>Draw >Line
From Point: 14380.46, 6906.11
Select endpoint of second line
Press Enter

Enter
Select object to trim: Click on each exterior
tangent, and hit Enter

Zoom Extents
Draw Curves using circle command
>Draw >Circle >Tan, Tan, Radius
Enter Tangent Spec: Select 1st Tangent
Line
Enter Second tangent Spec: Select 2nd
Tangent Line
Radius: Enter Radius (1315) and Press
Enter

Trim Circles to create arcs

>Modify >Trim
First, select cutting edges
Select objects: Click on both tangent
lines and press Enter
Select objects to trim: Click on larger
portion of circle to be removed
Press Enter to return to Command
Prompt
Repeat Process for Second circle
(Note different radius for second circle)
Draw a Point at Each PI
>Format >Point Style
Select a type of point (not the dot)
Click set size in absolute units
Point Size = 80
Click OK
>Draw >Point >Single point
At Point prompt, type INT for
intersection snap and press Enter, then
select intersection of first two tangent
lines. Repeat for second PI.
Trim Exterior Tangents
>Modify >Trim
Select objects: Click on first curve, hit

Repeat process for second curve

Create Offsets for ROW, EOP, and Shoulders
Make Centerline a polyline
>Modify >Object >Polyline
Click on first tangent
Do you want to turn it into one: Yes and
Press Enter
At Pedit prompt type J for Join
Select both curves and the remaining two
tangents
Press Enter, Should read 4 segments added
to polyline
Press Enter for Command prompt
Construct Offsets
>Modify >Offset
Distance = 70
Click on Centerline
Click on one side of centerline
Repeat for opposite side of centerline
Repeat to draw EOP and Shoulder lines
using the appropriate offsets.
EOP is 12 and Shoulder is 20.
You will probably need to Zoom in to do the
shoulder and EOP.
Assign Lines to appropriate layers
Select ROW lines
>Modify >Properties
Change layer to ROW
Repeat process for EOP and Shoulders
placing them both on their respective layers

Add Stationing
Create new layer named tick and make it the
current layer
Draw a tick mark, away from the roadway that
is approx. 25 units long

Add text under the tick mark

>Draw >Text >single line text
Type J for Justify, press enter
Type C for Center and press enter
Starting point should be approximately
100 units below bottom of tick mark
Height = 40
Rotation Angle = E
Enter 00+00 and Press Enter twice
Make a Block out of the text and tick mark
>Draw >Block >Make
Block name = tick
Check Base Point Box: Specify Onscreen
Check Objects Box: Specify On-screen
Click OK
Select Point = Use INT osnap and
select the intersection of the tick mark
Select Objects: Select the tick mark
and text, and hit Enter.
Place Stations along Centerline
>Draw >Point >Measure
Select objects to measure: Select
centerline, near the starting station
Type Block and press enter
Block name = tick
Align with object = Y
Segment length = 1000
Stations should appear along roadway
Change station text
Beginning with the first station block that

appears in the alignment in the lower left end

>Modify >Explode
Select all station blocks and press enter
Change the first station text to 20+00
>Modify >Properties
Select text and change the text in the dialogue box
Contents and click OK
Repeat process to change remaining stations. e.g.
the next one will be 30+00, 40+00, etc.
Calculate Curve data and stations using given
equations (BS, ES, PCs, PTs, T, L, etc.)
Beginning Station = 10+00 (will have to label at
beginning of alignment)
Final Station = 78+43.15 (end of alignment)
Be sure to label these.
Freeze the ROW, EOP, and Shoulder layers
Label bearings and distances of tangents and
curve stations
Step 1 Explode Centerline
List the first tangent line
>Tools >Inquiry >List
Select first tangent line and press enter
Record the length and bearing of this line
Close Window
Use DTEXT to label lines
>Draw >Text >single line text
Type J for Justify, press enter
Type C for Center and press enter
Click start point near but not overlapping the
right of way lines
Height = 80
Rotation angle = bearing of line
Text = Distance: (e.g. 1718.64)
Text = Bearing: (e.g. N44d0624E)
Press enter twice
Repeat process to label other two tangent lines
Thaw the ROW layer
Position Text alongside ROW lines
To Move text use MOVE command
Draw Text to label curve data on inside of curve
(Delta, R, T, and L)
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Height = 40
Rotation = E
Label PCs, PTs and PIs
ZOOM to first curve
Draw Perpendicular line from first end point
of first curve to ROW.
>Draw Line
From Point: End
Click near beginning of first curve, press enter
To Point: PER for Perpendicular snap
Select the ROW line
Select the line you have just drawn and drag
the end of the line several units away from the
ROW line (use object snap to lengthen line).
Lengthen line to accommodate PC station text
Draw text to label the appropriate PC or PT
station (Height = 40, Rotation = E)
Repeat process for the other curve station
labels.
Also place labels near the PIs.
Zoom extents and thaw the EOP and Shoulder
layers
Create Blow-up of ROW for dimensions
Create a layer called blow-up and make it
current.
Draw circle around a small portion of ROW
>Draw >Circle >Center, Diameter
Click near centerline of roadway
Diameter = 300

trimmed
Base Point: Click near center of circle
Scale Factor = 3
Add ROW Dimensions
Zoom in on the Blow-up
>Dimension >Dimension Style
Should have Dimension dialogue box
Modify... Symbols and Arrows
Arrow Size = 40
Text
Text height = 80
Exit the dimension dialogue box
Dimension ROW
>Dimension >aligned
Select one side of ROW using the NEAR osnap
Select other side of ROW using PER osnap
Click on dimension
Text override = 140 (Not 420 caused by
scaling)
Repeat for EOP and Shoulder
Create another layer North Arrow
Make this the current layer
Copy northa.dwg from M:\CE 321 Spring 2015\
drive and paste it in X:\CE321\ (your CE321
folder).
>Insert >DWG Reference

Create a copy of the circle and its contents

>Modify >Copy
Select circle and all seven lines within the
circle
Base Point: Click near center of circle
Displacement: Move the copy away from
the ROW
Use trim command with circle as the cutting
edges to remove lines that are outside of the
circle

X:\CE321\northa.dwg
Check Specify location on screen.
Uncheck scale specify on screen.
Set rotate 90E
Click OK and place the north arrow near your
drawing.
Delete any extraneous text, blocks, lines etc.

Scale the Copy of the ROW

>Modify >Scale
Select objects that you just copied and
7