CI9971

Retaining Walls in AutoCAD Civil 3D-Made Easy Part IIIb

Export/Import to Autodesk Inventor
Joe Wright
Graitec Limited

Learning Objectives
Export a solid model to Autodesk Inventor

Description
This class will show simple and effective methods for easily creating variable-height retaining walls using
tools in AutoCAD Civil 3D software, and it will be of interest to anyone wishing to work on retaining wall
design. The class will cover concepts that are often misconstrued as complex, and we will deliver these
topics in an easy-to-understand and occasionally entertaining style. In this document (Part III), the
delegate will see ways to export the model into Revit and Inventor. We will also see ways in which
Autodesk Inventor can be used to improve the solid model.
See Part I, Part II and Part IIIa for further learning objectives.

Standards
This document is based around the styles and standards in the default _AutoCAD Civil 3D (Metric)
NCS.dwt file shipped with AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Screencast Presentation
A screencast presentation of this instructional demonstration will be made available to match this
handout. The screencast presentation matching this document can be viewed at:

http://autode.sk/1Q7Gopw
Your AU Expert Joe Wright
Joe Wright graduated with a degree in cybernetics in 1988, after which he co-founded MicroCAD, a U.K.
based Autodesk Gold Partner. Last year he sold his controlling stake in the company to GRAITEC Ltd.,
with whom he now works as a consultant. Joe has more than 25 years of AutoCAD software experience,
and he has worked with civil engineers for the last 7 years, helping them to get the most out of
AutoCAD Civil 3D software, and frequently picking up projects that were considered to be difficult. As an
educator, Joe is skilled in delivering complex topics, often making them easy to understand in a simple
and engaging fashion. His broad spectrum of knowledge regarding a wide range of software products,
along with his involvement in data management and solid modeling packages, has led him to introduce
processes to a wide variety of industrial sectors.
 Retaining Walls in AutoCAD Civil 3DMade Easy

Exporting solid models to Autodesk Inventor

Our requirements for this topic are as follows:
Export a solid model created from a corridor in Civil 3D into Autodesk Inventor
Improve the model using Autodesk Inventor
Import the model back into Civil 3D

FIGURE 1: THE SOLID MODEL, IMPROVED USING INVENTOR, RE-INSERTED INTO CIVIL 3D

Step 1 - Open the drawing AU-INVENTOR-IN-OUT.dwg in Civil 3D. The drawing contains a solid
model of a Civil 3D corridor created as outlined in Part II of this class, it also contains a graded
surface and an imported Revit building model. Examine the properties of the AutoCAD point
shown below, this should show the drawing is positioned thousands of meters away from the
origin point.

FIGURE 2: CIVIL 3D GRADED SURFACE, REVIT MODEL AND RETAINING WALL SOLID MODEL

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 Retaining Walls in AutoCAD Civil 3DMade Easy

Step 2 Draw a line using the AutoCAD Line command from 0,0,0 to the red point by using
the NODE object snap.

FIGURE 3: DRAWING A LINE FROM 0,0,0

Step 3 Freeze the layers REVIT MODEL, REFERENCE NODE and C-TOPO. Make layer 0 the
current layer.

FIGURE 4: FREEZING THE UNNEEDED GEOMETRY

Step 4 Zoom to extents. The line will be very long (over 700,000m) and the solid model will be
dwarfed by the line.

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 Retaining Walls in AutoCAD Civil 3DMade Easy

Step 5 Use the AutoCAD Move command to reposition the solid model from one end of the
line to other. (Note: use a normal selection window to select the solids not a crossing window).

FIGURE 5: NEUTRALIZING THE COORDINATE SYSTEM

Step 6 Freeze the layer REFERENCE LINE.

Step 7 Zoom to extents and take a 3D view. Use the AutoCAD ID command to list the
coordinates of a point on the model to ensure the model exists within 150m of the origin point.
Ensure X, Y and Z all meet this criteria.

FIGURE 6: CHECKING THE WALL IS CLOSE TO 0,0,0

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 Retaining Walls in AutoCAD Civil 3DMade Easy

Step 8 A this stage we can output the model. We will output the solids as an ACIS (.sat) file. On
the AutoCAD command line type ACISOUT and select the two solids that represent the Wall
and Footings. Save the newly created .sat file to a convenient location.

FIGURE 7: EXPORTING THE ACIS SOLIDS

Step 9 Once the .sat file has been created, use NOTEPAD to open it. In Notepad on the third
line down, change the first number to -1. (The original number may be 1 or 23.9999999). A
value of -1 will make the ACIS (.sat) unitless, this will allow us to choose units on import into
inventor. Close and save you alteration to this file.

FIGURE 8: CHANGING THE .SAT FILE TO UNITLESS

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 Retaining Walls in AutoCAD Civil 3DMade Easy

Step 10 Open Autodesk Inventor. Choose Open from the launch tab. In the Files of type: box
select SAT Files (*.sat) and navigate to the .sat file you saved and modified earlier.

FIGURE 9: OPENING THE .SAT FILE IN AUTODESK INVENTOR

Step 11 The Create New dialogue box will appear. We are going to make an assembly, as the
Civil 3D solid model comprises of two solids (wall and footings). Choose Assembly and press
Ok. In the Import box, ensure meter is selected as the Units and add a prefix of C3D to
denote that this model has originated from Civil 3D.

.
FIGURE 10: SETTING THE CORRECT IMPORT OPTIONS

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 Retaining Walls in AutoCAD Civil 3DMade Easy

Step 12 Check the units are correct! Believe me, you dont want to spend hours working on
this model only to find youve been working at the wrong scale! So, once the model is loaded,
zoom in on one end, and using the Distance measure on the Inspect tab, click the edge shown
and verify it measures 0.5m.

Measure this EDGE

FIGURE 11: CHECKING THE UNITS ARE CORRECT

Step 13 Now we can improve the model in Inventor. The next page shows suggested
improvements. The processes inside inventor to achieve these goals are shown in the following
screencast presentation:

http://autode.sk/1Q7Gopw

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 Retaining Walls in AutoCAD Civil 3DMade Easy

Assign materials to
each solid

Remove and repair

diagonal links
between stepped
footings

Add weeping holes

and pipes along the
bottom of the wall

Add abutments as
required

Top off with coping

stones

Add buttresses and

rebar

Add wall anchors

and ties

FIGURE 12: IMPROVING THE MODEL INSIDE INVENTOR

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 Retaining Walls in AutoCAD Civil 3DMade Easy

Step 14 Once the model is complete we can re-import into Civil 3D. To do this we need to
export it out of inventor, as a .sat file. On the Inventor application menu, choose Export
followed by CAD Format, change Save as type: to SAT Files (*.sat) and save the file as an
appropriate name.

FIGURE 13: EXPORTING THE COMPLETED MODEL

Step 15 Back in Civil 3D, on the AutoCAD command line type ACISIN to re-import the model.

FIGURE 14: RE-IMPORTING THE MODEL BACK INTO CIVIL 3D.

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 Retaining Walls in AutoCAD Civil 3DMade Easy

Step 15 Verify the model is as expected. Then unfreeze the layers REVIT MODEL, REFERENCE
NODE, REFERENCE LINE and C-TOPO. Zoom to Extents. Then reverse the process outlined in
step 5 to move the geometry back to the correct coordinates.

FIGURE 15: RE-ESTABLISHING THE GEOMETRY AT THE CORRECT COORDINATES

Step 16 Freeze the layers REFERENCE LINE and REFERENCE NODE. Then zoom to extents.

FIGURE 16: THE WALL SOLIDS BACK IN PLACE

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 Retaining Walls in AutoCAD Civil 3DMade Easy

FIGURE 17: CIVIL TIN SURFACE, REVIT MODEL AND INVENTOR IMPROVED VARIABLE HEIGHT RETAINING WALL

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