Site Design / Earthwork Calc Software 5

[dutch1614]

I have read the existing thread on earthwork calculation software but have a different angle on the same question. I currently have Terramodel and Paydirt Sitework software programs. I have tried to use Terramodel to exhaustion and find it non-user friendly. I currently use it as a vehicle into Paydirt for my AutoCAD design drawings and do all of my site design manually in AutoCad. Also, my company is a design build firm and after I design the site, I work with our site people to build the job. So, in addition to looking for site design software with the road design and site modeling tools to expedite my road and site grading, I am also looking for the same software to be "contractor friendly" with its output, such as useful cut/fill maps, etc. I am not a fan of either Terramodel or Sitework. Right now I am favoring Carlson SurvCADD, Eaglepoint and the Autodesk Civil Series Product. I welcome comments on these products as well as opinions of current Terramodel and Sitework users. THANKS.

 

[jugglerbri]

dutch1614,

I've used AutoDesk's Land Development Desktop with the Civil addition now for about 3 years and I am continually amazed at the things it is capable of doing. It creates great surface models, has the ability to produce plan and profile sheets extremely quickly that is fully customizable. The earthwork calculation are easy and can be reported in several ways, either in a tabular report or in the drawing (cut and fill ticks or cut and fill contours). I used Eagle Point for about 4 months in my last job and I think LDD is much nices (it also crashes much less). Just my $0.02.

Brian

 

[bridgeboy]

I've been using Autocad's/Softdesk/LDD for 12 years. While it can't make the surface models with the same complexity as Terramodel, (at least with the same speed)it is much easier to use and more "garden variety".

I primarily do highway engineering and site work.

 

[RTyndall]

I too am a Terramodel/Paydirt user and compleatly agree with the non-user friendly comments. Try training people with it. I am totaly fed up with donut holes and all the other short comming of the product. I have also used Agtek/Autocad combination with about the same "user friendly" attitude. I don't know if it exists but there is a demand for a less obtrusive interface for LDD for use by contractors and such. Does LDD have a easy way to allow for compaction, area cuts and fills segrated from other areas, adjustments for subgrade, stripping of existing surfaces, strata, material designations for subgrade adjustments, all with comprehensive reporting of the same?
Even though we have several seats of Paydirt, I'd dump it in a minute if there is something better out there. I have looked and/or used Agtek, Paydirt, InSite and Quest. They all have short commings that don't make one a better choice than the other. If you are able to resolve your delemia, I would like to find out what you came up with.

 

[dutch1614]

Response to RTyndall....Thanks for the response. I feel better knowing there are other people as disgusted with this software as I am. At this point I sem to be heading down the road of either Eaglepoint or thr Carlson SurvCad product. I've gotten demos of each and am trying to experiment. I am moving toward these products because I feel there's more benefit to me with expanded site design features, versus the more user friendly earthwork volume reporting features provided in the Paydirts, quests, etc. It seems to me there are "contractor" programs with design functions or "designer" programs with contractor functions. I'll keep you updated on my progress. Please continue to share any thoughts you may have.

 

[deertic]

There is a new version of Paydirt available for current users. You can download version 5.11 from the Trimble web site. This is the best earthwork take-off program on the market in my opinion. The ease of data entry, types of reports, accuracy, and support place it far above anything else I've seen.

 

[mark777]

As for add-on packages, there's another important aspect to consider. Add-ons almost always seem to be a few months (at least) behind AutoDesk. You won't be able to upgrade AutoCad because your add-on hasn't been updated to be compatible, yet. With EaglePoint, I recall we couldn't upgrade AutoCad for well over a year because EaglePoint would not put out a updated compatible version of it's extremely buggy sewer module. Meanwhile, you've possibly missed out on some AutoDesk upgrade specials (or you got them but can't use them yet due to waiting on the add-on upgrade).

 

[10Gallen]

Hi all,
I'm in Australia and use a product called 12d. It is a modular system which has as its base terrain modelling. Modules can be added including road design, drainage, river modelling, surveying etc. Fully compatible backwards & forwards output with Autocad & Microstation. It is also scalable, from 5,000 to 5,000,000 points. Even better is the ability to 'rent' modules for project specific tasks.
I've used Autodesk Land Development Desktop and Bentley GeoPack, and find the terrain modelling to be much quicker for very large data sets.
Check out

http://www.12d.com

for info.
Isn't it nice to see the little homegrown products take on the big boys?
cheers
GAllen

 

[oijammu]

Hi All, Especially 10Gallen
I am in Tanzania. My Company has just aquirred 12d and your tip is godsend. In fact check highway engineering forum.
My Email is mooslimtj@hotmail.com

 

[jaytb]

It sounds like you all know a lot more than I do about Paydirt.

Here is my question. I have been told many times that I can import a dwg. file into version 4 (and the software help screen even talks about it) but I have been unsuccesful. We are upgrading to Version 5 and I believe that it comes with Terramodel so I am pretty sure I can import drawing into it.


I work for an excavation company and have had a few years experience with AutoCAD. There has got to be a better way of doing manual takeoffs with the digitizer. So am I niaive to believe that I can import CAD dwg files????

Thanks for the help everyone.
jaytb

 

[deertic]

You can import files directly into Paydirt if they are "cleaned up" CAD files. In other words they need to be only the layers with contours and the contours must be 3D. The new Paydirt does indeed have Terramodel CAD imbedded so it makes it easier to clean up any CAD files you may have received that were not ready to import into Paydirt. Your can also import building outlines (0 elevation poly lines)parking lot lines etc. and copy them to subgrade adjustments. Paydirt will automatically eliminate the 0 elevation poly line if you have a check mark in the box that allows this to be done.

 

[wenz]

Take a look at "keays software", "Boss International", NovaPoint", Caice, Surpac, and Agtek.

 

[tim216]

I have used Teramodel since the military picked it up in the 90s I have also used SoftDesk/LDD for several years in the civilian market. In my mind you cant beat Teramodel for earthwork.But you are correct on the none user friendly aspect of it. Carlson makes a phenominal product if an autocad envirement is where you are most comfortable.The thing to remember with tmodel is IT ISNT ACAD. Doesent run like it,dont even compare the two.If I was recomending any one product I would go with Carlson or LDD since the majority of the design firms use some kind of AutoCad product so import/export and sharing is a whole lot easier.