Introduction to Smart Pits
Updated October 19, 2017
This article applies to:
- RoadEng Civil
- RoadEng Forestry
- Softree Optimal
- Open the Softree Optimal application.
- File | Open. Select Hart Rd optimal haul.dsnx. Press Open.
- Maximize the Profile window, ensure the Alignment Properties panel is visible.
You may have noticed that the Mass Haul is balanced. This is because the pits are defined as variable.
- View the pit properties for the current alignment:
- Make sure that V-align 1 is selected.
- Press the Options button and select the Pits tab.
Notice that all three pits are set as variable volume (smart pits).
Figure 1: Pits for the selected alignment.
- Press Cancel to close options.
Note: You can also access the Pits dialogue box from menu Edit | Assign Parameters by Range.
- Make a small change to the vertical alignment:
- Right click and change to the Add/Edit IP tool.
- Move your mouse over a VIP(indicated by the magenta square box symbol); note that the mouse cursor changes to a box .
- Click the mouse to capture the IP.
- Move the point slightly and left click to re-anchor the point.
Your Mass Haul is no longer balanced; Softree Optimal automatically updates volumes, but it doesn’t re-calculate the Optimal Haul (that option is turned off in this example).
- Re-Cost the current alignment:
- Press the Re-Cost^ button in the Alignment Properties panel.
- Press Calculate button inside the dialogue box.
Notice that the Mass Haul is again balanced; the pit volumes have been updated to balance (see below).
Figure 2: Balanced Mass Haul
- File | Exit. Do not save changes.