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TrainingStormwaterWastewaterWater
DifficultyadvancedAdded2027.0Statusdraft

Create Pipe Network in Plan

A surface is required before you start creating a pipe network. It can be an NGL surface or, for example, a road surface. Different surfaces can be used during the pipe network creation (e.g. a portion of the pipe network can be related to NGL and the other portion to the road surface).

There are a few options for creating a pipe network. You can create a network by using the Pipe Network Creation Tools or Create pipe network from object or Create pipe network from GIS data.

Create Pipe Network by Using Pipe Network Creation Tools​

Open the command by going to Home ‒ Pipe Network ‒ Pipe Network Creation Tools. The Create Pipe Network window opens where you can specify a Network name, the Network parts list you want to use, the reference Surface name, the reference Alignment name (pipe network chainage will be taken from the alignment) and the labels for pipes and structures. When you click OK, a toolbar containing the Pipe Network Creation Tools will open.

  1. Pipe Network Properties ‒ used to specify all the properties related to a pipe network, like the pipe network name, pipes and structures labels, reference surface, reference alignment, pipes and structures layers and a name template (you can specify what name and number will be assigned to every pipe and structure). Sometimes the labels specified in the Pipe Network Properties window doesn't display, to resolve this use the Add labels command to display the labels for pipes and structures.
  2. Select Surface ‒ use this command to set the reference surface.
  3. Select Alignment ‒ use this command to set the reference alignment.
  4. Parts List ‒ select the parts list you want to use for the network creation.
  5. Select Structure ‒ select the structure you want to use for the network creation.
  6. Select Pipe ‒ select the pipe you want to use for the network creation.
  7. Draw Pipes and Structures ‒ use this command to create the pipe network. You can create both pipes and structures or structures only or pipes only. During the pipe network creation, you can change the reference surface, reference alignment, pipe type and structure type. You can create the next structure by typing a distance value into the command line and pressing Enter. The direction of the next structure is taken from the cursor position relative to the previous structure. If you need to create a pipe at a certain road chainage and with a specific offset from the centreline, you can use the Station Offset pipe-network-training-create-pipe-network-in-plan screenshot transparent command.
  8. Toggle Upslope/Downslope ‒ you can toggle the flow direction.
  9. Delete Pipe Network Object
  10. Pipes Network Vistas ‒ opens a panorama window with information about the network pipes and structures
  11. Undo ‒ if you make a mistake during the pipe network creation it is recommended to use the undo command from this toolbar instead of using the normal AutoCAD Civil 3D undo command.

Create Pipe Network from Object​

You can use this command to create a pipe network from a drawing entity such as a line, polyline, arc, or feature line. Access this command from the ribbon Home ‒ Pipe Network ‒ Create Pipe Network from Object. When you start this command, it will prompt you to select an object and the flow direction, afterwards the Create Pipe Network from Object window will open. You can specify the Network name, Network parts list to be used, the pipe type, network type, the reference Surface name and a reference Alignment name (the pipe network chainage will be taken from this alignment).

Create Pipe Network from Multiple Objects​

Devotech iDAS has tools to create a pipe network from multiple objects (lines and polylines). Use one of the following commands depending on the network type: Sewer Wizard, Storm Wizard, Water Wizard and Bulk Water Wizard.

Pipe Network from GIS Data-(.shp file)​

  1. In the ribbon go to Insert – Import – Import GIS data:

  2. Browse for the .shp file and click connect:

  3. Specify the network Name and Parts list:

  4. Specify the Coordinate system:

  5. Specify which pipe shape you want to use and click Add:

  6. Map pipe data:

  7. Map the manhole data (using the same method as the pipe data):

  8. You can specify to import data only from a specific region:

  9. Specify the clean-up setting: