civil engineering software

[Robert222]

Could someone recommend good Civil engineering CAD software?
Creating existing topo grading and also new grading with contour lines, calculate cut and fill volumes etc?

 

[Robert222]

what about revit architecture?

 

[francesca]

Revit is not the best for civil engineering applications. For architecture and buildings it's superb, but the appropriate software for creating surfaces from survey data and designing grading is Civil 3D. (Assuming you're talking about the Autodesk stable.) If you want to go Bentley then InRoads would be the best bet.

Personally, I think that for site design AutoCAD Civil 3D is unparalleled. InRoads is not as flexible and not as good at reusing your 3D data as Civil 3D. Civil 3D is also a simpler interface with a lot of user-friendly add-ons. I had no trouble picking up Civil 3D on my own and using it effectively. I'm now an Autodesk-certified instructor. My experience with InRoads is that it is not intuitive at all. I am at a loss with it without formal training.

You can download a 30-day free trial of Civil 3D here:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=15019446

Bentley does not appear to offer the same service and even if they did, you'd have to have a trial of MicroStation or AutoCAD too as InRoads is just a vertical product, whereas Civil 3D is self-contained.

 

[Trackfiend]

AutoCAD Civil 3D. Offered in two trims:

Base Model: Everything you need for grading and cut/fill volumes (plus survey, corridor, pipe networks, etc.)

Deluxe Model: Base model plus hydrologic/hydraulic add-ons and Map 3D.

If you do any sort of drainage work, the hydrologic/hydraulic add-ons are well worth it.

 

[TerryScan]

I suggest you also look into Carlson Civil (

http://www.carlsonsw.com)

I am not affiliated, just a long time happy user.

 

[civilfouz]

what about covadis, it's good in survey issues, and also mensura, it's a French made but very useful

 

[brandoncdg]

Carlson is amazing for doing earthwork calcs, cut/fill numbers.

Civil Development Group, LLC
Los Angeles Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading

http://www.civildevelopmentgroup.com

http://www.civildevelopmentgroup.com/blog

 

[francesca]

Brandon, is there anything magical that Carlson does differently to calculate volumes cuts & fills? It runs on top of AutoCAD, so what benefits does it have over other vertical products like Civil 3D and InRoads? Or is it just cheaper?

 

[brandoncdg]

I could take a flatly drawn CAD 500 lot subdivision with 10% grade streets and get an earthwork number from the Carlson software within 5 hours. If drawn all by myself I could elevate the whole thing within an hour. I was using this at the company before I started mine and it was magic on some of the large projects we were working on.

I still have yet to see someone show me Civil 3D being usable in the Los Angeles Hillside grading environment. Yes I do know how to use the software and I could see where Civil 3D is amazing, I just don't think it's for everyone just yet.

Civil Development Group, LLC
Los Angeles Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading

http://www.civildevelopmentgroup.com

http://www.civildevelopmentgroup.com/blog

 

[beej67]

As low as fees are nowadays, I don't see how anyone can afford the ten thousand dollar price tag Civil 3D pushes. It may help your productivity some over cheaper alternative software, but certainly not that much. You can get eight weeks of labor from a qualified engineering professional for the cost of one Civil 3D license.



Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com