Building 3D GoTo Command!

When I started building models in TBC. I started with corridors and added small surfaces to get our earthwork quantities and to have a average end area report. Which the corridor is limited to how detailed you can be without adding surfaces for those missing pieces. I have switch to using Side Slope command. which I am still trying to figure out. I know now when I explode to copy the linestring not the CAD and to not do relayer linestring. Which it seems you still have to explode again after you copy that linestring.
This allows me to build all my 3D lines for the road, ditches, riprap, etc. etc. I like the Side Slope for the convivence of matching up grades at intersecting roads. Then I can run my MSI to generate a subgrade surface after i build a surface from the 3D lines. Then those two surface are dumped into the corridor to be able to generate a average end area report. I have not used the Vertical Design and will at some point.
For those that have used both the Side Slope and the Vertical Design command. Which is your go to for building models from just an alignment and 2D lines?

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I use sideslope in the corridor instructions and the Surface Tie command at intersections.

Surface tie at intersections. Intrigued. What is your process on the surface tie at the intersection?

Once I’ve built the corridors and exploded them to get the linework, I cleanup the intersecting lines per the plans.

The last lines I usually cleanup are the daylight lines. In this case, the plans call for a 5:1 slope from the right of way line to existing grade.

Using the Create Surface Tie command, pick the ROW line and create a 5:1 cut/fill slope away from the ROW line.

After you create the surface tie, you can explode it, delete it if you want, and trim the original daylight line to the new surface tie line.


So you’re left with a perfectly smooth daylight around curves at intersections. Hope this helps.