Make Existing Ground Surface
Function
This command makes the triangulation models for the existing ground
surface. There are three surfaces that are created: initial original
ground, original ground after applying subgrade zones, and original
ground after subgrade zones and topsoil removal. These surface files
are automatically named as "filename-og.tin", "filename-ze.tin" and
"filename-ex.tin" respectively. The "filename" is set to the name of
the current drawing (dwg) file. Also, the file extension will be .tin
for the binary format triangultion and .flt for the ASCII format
triangulation. This file format is set in Configure->Takeoff. The
subgrade zones are defined in the Define Layer Target/Material/Subgrade
command. If there aren't any subgrade zones for the Existing surface,
then the original ground after subgrades surface with be the same as
the initial original ground surface. The topsoil removal depths and
areas are set with the commands in the Topsoil Removal/Replacement
sub-menu. The topsoil removal areas will lower the ground surface by
the topsoil depth. If there aren't any topsoil removal areas, then the
original ground after subgrade and topsoil surface will be the same as
the original ground after subgrade surface.
Before running this command, the layer names for the entities on the
Existing layer target must be set in the Define Layer
Target/Material/Subgrade command. Also these entities must be at their
proper elevations. The entity elevations can be reviewed using commands
from the Inquiry menu and the elevations can be assigned if needed
using command from the Elevate menu. Another prerequisite is that the
Boundary Polyline must be set for the site. If the boundary has not
been set, the following
error message will appear.
If this error message appears, run the "Set Boundary
Polyline" command and pick the CLOSED polyline representing the
boundary of the site.
When the program finds errors in the existing entities, a Data Error
Log dialog reports these errors. Three types of conflicts are reported:
Crossing
Breaklines, Vertical Edges, and Breakline T-Intersections. Crossing
Breaklines
indicates that the intersection of two entities does not have a common
elevation. Vertical Edges indicates that two entities or
vertices of differing elevations have the same x-y location, thus
forming a vertical plane. Breakline T-Intersections indicates
that a 3d entity is abutting another entity, but the second entity
doesn't have a vertex at the point of intersection. Each type of
conflict is listed in its own category.
The Data Error Log shows the amount of elevation difference at each
error. You can use the Data Error Log to review, report and draw
markers at these error locations. Then you can exit the Data Error Log
and fix the data errors with the commands in the Elevate menu or other
drafting tools. After these errors are fixed, you can run Make Existing
Ground Surface again.
Clicking to the "plus" sign beside a category will display the
individual conflicts within that category. When a line item error
is selected, a highlighted arrow is temporarily placed in the drawing
to
indicate the
exact location of the specific conflict. Zoom functionality
allows the user to more closely inspect the specific problem area, and
if needed a marker can be drawn or a report generated for an
individual conflict or conflicts.
Zoom To pans the drawing to move the selected conflict to
the center of the screen. The zoom functions
are only active when a single line item is selected.
Zoom In zooms in on the highlighted area for closer
inspection. Multiple picks on
the zoom button will
increase the magnification.
Zoom Out zooms out away from the highlighted area.
Report All/One toggles between One and All
depending whether a single
line item conflict or a category is selected from the error
log. An error report is generated
listing the x-y position and the elevation difference of the entities
in conflict.
Draw All/One toggles between One and All
depending whether a single
conflict or a category is selected from the list. This option draws an
"X" symbol at each selected conflict. The
layer and size of the symbol is controlled in the fields below.
Continue closes the
Error Log and proceeds with the
contouring operation.
Settings has controls for the tolerances for error reporting and
for the Layer Name and Symbol Size to use with the Draw function.
Keyboard Command: mk_exist_tin
Prerequisite: a boundary polyline and elevated entities on the
Existing layer target