Using PointClouds to create the existing conditions model can help reduce errors and ensure accuracy. In InfraWorks, there is a “Point Cloud Terrain Analysis” tool. You must run point cloud terrain generation to process the data and extract features before using the “Point Cloud Modeling” tool.
Point Cloud Terrain Analysis will classify the following:
• Ground: Classify ground surface points; less detail will be smoother.
• Linear Feature: Classify points representing road curbs, guardrails, and other linework. Aggressive processing will find more linear feature points (even faint ones in the data) than Optimum. Selecting Passive process will find fewer points.
• Vertical Feature: Classify points representing trees, streetlights, and signs.
Let’s get started! Here’s how:
1. Inside our model in InfraWorks, we want to import our point cloud. In the “Data Sources” panel, select the
icon and choose “Point Cloud”.
2. The only two file types InfraWorks will accept are RCS and RCP. If your files are not saved in this format, run it through ReCap first.
3. Select your point cloud and add it into InfraWorks.
4. It will appear in your “Data Sources” list. Double-click the point cloud and review the details. After review, select “Close & Refresh” and let that process and bring it into the drawing.
By taking a closer look, you can see how it adds a more realistic element to your model.
5. Now we want to classify the point cloud and run the terrain analysis tool. Select the “InfraWorks” icon and select the
icon. From there, you will find several options, including “Point Cloud Terrain”, “Point Cloud Modeling”, “Point Cloud Themes”, “Linear Feature Extraction” and “Export Point Cloud…”.
6. Select “Point Cloud Terrain”.
7. In the “Point Cloud Terrain” window that pops up, you will see a list of “Processing Rules”. Here you can edit “Ground”, “Linear” and “Vertical” features. We will set all of those to “Optimum”.
8. Turn off “Override Model Point Cloud”. We want to have the raw data and a new point cloud that it’s going to create. It will create a new proposal called “ProcessPointCloud”.
9. Choose to export “All Points” in the “Export Processed File”.
Your Point Cloud Terrain settings should look something like this:
10. Choose a location to save it in by clicking the link next to “Save File”.
11. Click “START PROCESSING”. Depending on the size of your project, this may take some time as it is classifying millions of points and allowing them to model features.
Once that process has been completed, you can start to run through options and model features.
“Point Cloud Themes”:
1. On the left side of the screen, select “Point Cloud Themes”.
2. We’re going to zoom into the area of our model with lots of vegetation, buildings, cars and more.
3. In the “Point Cloud Themes” panel on the right, select the “+” sign to add a new theme.
4. A window titled “Theme Properties” will appear. Change the “Analysis Type” to “Classification”. Leave the default name of “Classification”.
5. Select “OK”.
You’ll be able to see on the right side of the panel, that the point cloud is now classified. All of this will help you create a surface from this point cloud in Civil 3D.
Now we’re ready to take the next step and extract features.
