CHAPTER 2: SURFACE

SURFACE

Definitions:

TIN Surfaces

A TIN surface is composed of the triangles that form a triangulated irregular network.

Contour Data

Contours are graphical illustrations of surface elevation changes.

Boundaries

Boundaries are closed polylines that affect the visibility of the triangles either inside or outside
the polylines. An outer boundary defines the extents of the surface. All triangles inside the
boundary are visible, and all triangles that are outside the boundary are not.

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Breaklines

Breaklines define linear surface features, such as retaining walls, curbs, tops of ridges, and
streams. Breaklines force surface triangulation to run along the breakline; triangles do not cross
a breakline.

Creating and Adding Data to a Surface

Exercise 1: Creating and Editing TIN Surface

NOTE: The drawing file to be used in this exercise is the same drawing file used in
Chapter 1: Points.

1. Open Chapter 1 drawing file.

2. Click Home tab ➤ Create Ground Data panel ➤ Surfaces drop-down ➤ Create Surface.
3. In the Create Surface dialog box, for Type, select TIN surface.
4. In the Properties table, specify the following parameters:

■ Name: EG
■ Description: Existing Ground surface from imported contour data
■ Style: Contours 5m and 25m (Background)
■ Render Material: ByLayer

5. Click OK.
6. In Toolspace, on the Prospector tab, expand the Surfaces collection. The new surface
name is displayed in the Surfaces collection in Toolspace on the Prospector tab.
7. Click Modify tab Ground Data panel Surface.
8. Click Surface tab Modify panel Add Data Point Groups.
In the Point Group Window Ctrl+click ELEV PTS and Survey points then click Ok. (Note:
These Point Groups were created in previous chapter)

9. At the command line, enter ZE.

The surface, which contains the imported point data, is displayed in the drawing.

Exercise 2: Using Style and Setting to Display Information, run analysis, and
annotating surfaces.

Elevation Banding
1. Click Modify tab Ground Data panel Surface.
2. Click Surface tab Modify panel Surface Properties
Surface Properties Window will appear.
3. Under information tab change surface style to Elevation Banding 1m Interval (2D).

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4. Under Analysis Tab:

Analysis Type: Elevations
Legend: Elevations
Create Ranges by: Range Interval 1m

5. Click Run Analysis, Then Click Ok.

6. Check Model Space; the Surface style has changed.
7. Select Surface on the model space.
8. Click Add Legend on the Ribbon and select Elevations. Click on an open area in
the model space to place the legend.
9. Repeat steps for any desired type of surface style and analysis.