Knowledge Base

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Exporting a LandXML Design Surface File from Location to Civil 3D

Updated September 05, 2019

Download the files for the example HERE 
(Note: it is a .zip file, you will need to save and extract the files first)

This article demonstrates how to export a RoadEng Location design surface as LandXML and import into Civil 3D.

Start Location Module and follow the below steps.

• Download Align stage 1.dsnx from the attached files​​.
• File | Save as. Change the file type to LandXML (*.xml) and write Road1.xml as the file name.
• In the LandXML Export dialogue just select Surface and in Layer box select All Surfaces.
• Continue to set the LandXML Export dialogue box to match those shown in the figure below and press OK.

Set the offset to 20. Offset is used to control the section width and can be measured from C/L (centerline) or from SS (Slope Stake).

Figure 1 – LandXML Export dialogue

•  Start Civil 3D (imperial version), select Insert tab and then in the Import tab, click on LandXML and open the Road1.xml file and press OK. By importing the Landxml file, Civil 3D automatically loads all surfaces and the alignment to the Import XML dialogue box.

Figure 2 – Import LandXML dialogue in Civil 3D

• Then click on sample lines in Profile & Section Views tab. Select the alignment and set the Create Sample Line Group dialogue box to match those shown in the figure below and press OK.

Figure 3 – Create Sample Line Group dialogue in Civil 3D

• Civil 3D asks to specify station along the baseline. Select a point on the alignment and then enter the left and right swath widths for the sample line. Several sample line could be defined through this process. 
•  Click on Section Views button and select Create Multiple Views and set the below dialogue box according to those shown in the figure below and press OK.
• Because the station range is automatically from start to endpoint of the alignment, Civil 3D creates sections for all sample lines. Different options are adjustable in section views.
• Click on Create Section View button and identify section view origin point. Section views for all sample lines will be displayed on the screen.

Figure 4 – Create Multiple Section Views dialogue in Civil 3D

Figure 5 – Section Views for sample lines in Civil 3D