Surface Modeling

Generate contour maps in minutes.

Create and edit three-dimensional models of the ground surface and then automatically represent these models as contour maps. Reduce the amount of time needed to generate a topographic map from survey points and linework. Surface Modeling can also assist in the modeling of proposed designs.

USE EXISTING DATA

Use Surface Modeling to create a Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) from a set of points and breaklines from existing contour data or in a project. Surface smoothing produces aesthetically pleasing contours and grids and ensures that your contours never cross and always agree with spot elevation labels.

FLEXIBLE
Flexible contour annotation lets you annotate the elevations where you want them and how you want them. Surface Modeling TIN's can be directly used by RoadCalc, Intersection Design, Site Design, Storm Sewers, Sanitary Sewers, Water Surface Profiling, Watershed Modeling and Profiles.

"We are very pleased with the Eagle Point products. We have found them to be extremely user friendly and very powerful programs. We are particularly pleased with the Data Transfer and Surface Modeling modules. These modules coupled with total station field surveying units have greatly enhanced our production efficiency and drawing quality." - Gordon Meyers, Chief Division of Engineering Svcs NC Wildlife Resources Commission

Toll-free 800-678-6565 Phone 563-556-8392 Fax 563-556-5321 4131 Westmark Drive Dubuque, IA 52002-2627 www.eaglepoint.com sales@eaglepoint.com

Surface Modeling Features

SURFACE MODEL MANAGEMENT

Save time by setting up surface prototypes that contain common surface and CAD settings. In your project, simply apply your prototypes to new surface models. Select a surface model from another Eagle Point project. This allows you to share surface information between projects without having to copy files or graphic entities. Reduce your CAD file size by placing surface triangles, contours and rectangular grid in a separate CAD file without losing reference to your surface features.

For faster TIN generation, weed polylines/chains to mathematically remove redundant points. Our masking options, which are similar to a filtered selection set, help you create more accurate surface models. Selected items can be included or excluded from use, included as a smooth breakline (such as a weathered ditch) and for use as vertices-only (such as a fence line).

TRIANGULATED IRREGULAR NETWORKS ( TINS)

TINs are developed in the shortest time possible using the most advanced digital terrain modeling techniques known. The steps to create a model are efficient and logical. An unlimited number of points and breaklines can be used in making surface models. Surface Modeling assumes that everything in your selection set is usable for a surface model. You can exclude objects by making them invisible, restricting the elevation range to be used, defining a boundary or void region, using a maximum length of triangle side or masking the unwanted objects. Arc segments arent a problem. Surface Modeling automatically densifys and triangulates arcs as if they were 3-D. Surface Modeling can gracefully handle breaklines (fault lines) that cross without sharing a common intersection point, and offers an automated repair of crossing breaklines to clean up mistakes prior to creating your models. Dynamically edit TINs and watch your contours update when edits are made. Other TIN editing methods allow for triangle deletion, changing elevations on points and triangles, adding points to the model, and inserting missing breaklines. Surface Modeling automatically creates missing breaklines from existing contour data, eliminating flat triangles and more accurately creating models. This yields correct profiles and sections for Eagle Point civil design solutions. When finished building your surface model, you can import the triangles into your CAD file using specified elevation ranges and color assignments. Set a boundary to limit the region of triangles you want imported.

3-D MODEL INPUT

Generate a surface TIN (Triangulated Irregular Network) using a combination of 3-D CAD objects, external point/breakline files and an external Node database. Gone are the days of building point and breakline files prior to creating a model. Surface Modelings triangulation works using a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) approach. No more guessing what information is included in the TIN. If its not on screen or windowed in CAD it wont get used. Triangulate 2-D or 3-D breaklines imported from Data Collection or Data Transfer. Import ASCII points and breakline files directly into CAD for 3-D modeling. No need to call-out special features as hard fault lines. 3-D polylines/linestrings are pre-assigned as breaklines. Efficiently trace or draw contours at a specified elevation interval. Quickly raise 2-D contour objects to their correct elevations by setting a beginning elevation and contour interval and striking a line through the desired lines.

MODEL PREPARATION
Control triangulation through the use of a boundary or void regions. Irregular-shaped sites usually mean a good deal of cleanup work around the model's exterior to remove unwanted triangles. With Surface Modeling, you can draw a rough boundary to effectively limit triangulation and other output such as contours from appearing in the affected areas.

Toll-free 800-678-6565 Phone 563-556-8392 Fax 563-556-5321 4131 Westmark Drive Dubuque, IA 52002-2627 www.eaglepoint.com sales@eaglepoint.com

Surface Modeling Features

Create a composite surface model for your proposed site by merging 2 or more surface models.

RECTANGULAR GRIDS
Create smoothed rectangular grids at user-defined intervals for spectacular 3-D presentations. Apply a vertical exaggeration to bring out the relief on flatter sites. The objects created are 3-D faces/shapes that can be shaded and rendered to aid in visualizing the site. Sometimes a site is more visually pleasing if the grids run in a specific direction or if only longitudinal lines are displayed. You can accomplish this by changing grid orientation and line visibility in the display settings. Create color-defined elevation ranges to see the changes in elevation by color bands for presentation purposes. Adjust CAD settings to control layer/level and color appearance. Save space and regen time in your base drawing by placing your grid entities into an external drawing file.

CONTOURING
Save valuable time viewing objects in 3-D without waiting on regen time or erasing objects from CAD. Preview contours and other surface model features before committing them to CAD. Represent contour strings as 3-D polylines/linestrings with one command. Send the contours to any drawing. Use Eagle Point's unique smoothing algorithm to smooth the surface model rather than smoothing the contours. This produces aesthetically pleasing contours that never cross. Need to see the contour for the 100-year flood elevation? Ask for a user-defined contour at the desired elevation. Extensive prototype setup capabilities let you have your contours displayed with your CAD settings.

AUTOMATED LABELING
Surface Modeling automatically generates aligned contour labels, creating easy-to-read, professionally finished contour maps. Annotate your contours by simply dragging across them, specifying a distance interval or by selecting the ends of open contours. Set a rotation angle for your contour annotation. Annotate your contours by placing lables above, below or through the middle of your contours. Label index, intermediate, user-defined or other existing CAD polylines/chains individually or in combination. Place spot elevations anywhere on your model, either individually or on a user-defined grid.You can set a rotation angle for your grid placement. Set text rotation or choose which CAD symbol to use for your elevation labels. Dynamically track northing, easting and elevation coordinates just by dragging your mouse across your site. Quickly calculate 2-point grades and distances across the model. Quickly clean up existing contours, contour labels, spot elevations and grids without having to isolate layers/levels.

ABOUT EAGLE POINT For over 25 years, Eagle Point has provided technology solutions and services to the AEC and Geospatial markets. We use a defined process to explore your business and provide you with the right balance of solutions to help your organization thrive. Weve helped over 30,000 clients worldwide.

Toll-free 800-678-6565 Phone 563-556-8392 Fax 563-556-5321 4131 Westmark Drive Dubuque, IA 52002-2627 www.eaglepoint.com sales@eaglepoint.com