Editing Pipe Networks Using Properties

Many of the values that you need to change when editing pipes and structures can be found within their properties. There are two ways to access the properties of a pipe or structure: the Civil 3D method or the AutoCAD method. To use the Civil 3D method, you select a pipe or structure and then click Pipe Properties or Structure Properties on the ribbon. This method provides extensive information about the pipe or structure, much of which can be edited to change the design. The one disadvantage of this method is that you must launch the Pipe Properties or Structure Properties command separately for each pipe or structure that you want to edit.

With the AutoCAD method, you select the pipe or structure and then use the Properties command from the ribbon or the context menu. Here you are given access to a limited number of properties, but the advantage is that you can modify multiple pipes or structures simultaneously.

To use properties to modify a pipe network design in your drawing, follow these steps:

The Exercise File can be downloaded at the end of the article  

1. Open the drawing named Editing Pipe Networks Using Properties.dwg located in the Chapter 14 class data folder. In this exercise, you will focus on the sanitary sewer pipes that lie within Madison Lane. In the profile view on the top right, notice that the pipe beginning at the intersection with Logan Court and ending at the Madison Lane cul-de-sac has been incorrectly placed at a very low elevation.

Tips:The problem with the incorrect pipe elevation was brought to your attention during the first exercise in this discuss, when the sanitary sewer pipe networks were first created.

2. In the upper-right viewport, zoom in to the Madison Lane profile and note the label at the right end that reads ELEV = 180.972 (55.160). This elevation corresponds with the center point of the cul-de-sac, which is also the location of the manhole.

3. Click within the left viewport, and then zoom in and click the manhole located at the center of the Madison Lane cul-de-sac. Click Structure Properties on the ribbon.
4. On the Part Properties tab of the Structure Properties dialog box, do the following:
   1. For Automatic Surface Adjustment, select False.
   2. For Insertion Rim Elevation, enter 180.972 (55.160).

   Tips:In the 3D viewport, you will see the manhole become very tall, like the one just down the road from it.

   3. Click OK.
5. This corrects the top elevation of the structure, but the pipe still requires some editing. Press Esc to clear the selection of the manhole. Then, in the plan view, select the pipe that begins at the Madison Lane cul-de-sac. Right-click and select Properties.
6. In the Properties window, change the Start Invert Elevation to 176.972 (53.941).

7. With the pipe still selected, click Pipe Properties on the ribbon.

Tips:The effects of these pipe edits are much more obvious in the 3D viewport.

8. On the Part Properties tab of the Pipe Properties dialog box, enter -1.5 for Pipe Slope (Hold Start). Click OK. The pipe is corrected, but the sump of the manhole at the cul-de-sac is still incorrect.

9. Press Esc to clear the selection of the pipe. Click the manhole at the center of the Madison Lane cul-de-sac, right-click, and select Structure Properties.
10. Although it is already set to 2.000 (0.600), type 2 (0.6) for Sump Depth and press Enter. Click OK. If you’re zoomed in closely to the profile view, it may seem as though it has disappeared. Actually, the profile view has become much shorter because it no longer needs to accommodate the excessively tall manhole (see Figure 14.14). The manhole depth is updated because the apparent change to the sump depth triggered a recalculation of the manhole dimensions.

Figure 14.14  The sanitary pipe network in profile view after correcting several elevations.

Editing Gravity Pipe Networks

• Editing Pipe Networks Using Grips
• Editing Pipe Networks Using Editing Tools
• Editing Pipe Networks Using Properties
• Editing Pipe Networks Using the Pipe Network Vistas

Download Exercise File :

• Editing Gravity Pipe Networks - Metric     --- ( 6.66 MB )
• Editing Gravity Pipe Networks - Imperial  --- ( 11.35 MB )