Connecticut State Department of Transportation

CTDOT CONNECT DDE GUIDE VOLUME 3 - OPENROADS DESIGNER ROADWAY MODELING


   2.1 Horizontal Alignments


DESIGN STANDARDS
COMPLEX GEOMETRY
START STATION
STATION EQUATIONS
 
DESIGN STANDARDS

Design Standards are used to monitor various alignment parameters on OpenRoads geometry elements. The standards are stored in DGN Libraries in the following location:

...\CT_Configuration\Organization-Civil\_CT_Civil Standards - Imperial\Dgnlib\Design Standards

The design standards can be used for two purposes:

  • Provide default values for element creation tools such as radius of a curve for a selected CTDOT standard.
  • Check and report on the compliance of a geometric element with the design standard that has been assigned to the element.

When a design standard is violated, the user is notified in two ways:

  • An icon is displayed on the graphics to indicate that there is a problem.
  • The Civil Message Center reports any errors.

The Design Standards Toolbar allows you to select and apply a design standard. From the OpenRoads Modeling Geometry tab, select Standards > Design Standards Toolbar to access the dialog shown below. Design Standards can also be applied to an element after it has been created by using the Set Design Standard icon on the Design Standards Toolbar.

Open Design Standards Toolbar

The toolbar contains a drop-down list to select the design standards and the design speed. The vertical design standard, displayed in the drop-down menu to the right, is automatically set when the horizontal design standards is selected.

There are two icons located to the left of the drop-down menus. The first, Set Design Standard, is used to apply the current design standard to selected geometric elements. The second, Toggle Active Design Standard, is used to set the selected design standards active for relevant commands.

Design Standards Toolbar

 

 

COMPLEX GEOMETRY

Individual civil geometry elements are connected together as a single entity using the Complex By Element command.

Select Geometry > Complex Geometry > Complex By Element to access the command. 

Complex by Element Command Automatic - Screen Shot

In the example above, the Feature Definition is set to Use Active Feature as defined in the Feature Definition Toggle Bar. 

When the Method is set to Automatic, the software will automatically select elements to make up the complex geometry by searching for elements with endpoints that connect within the Maximum Gap value. If a fork is found, where two elements are found within the Maximum Gap tolerance, the user is prompted to identify which path to accept to compete the operation.

Be sure to enter a Name for the geometry.

When locating the starting element an arrow is displayed defining the direction to store the element. Complex elements can be stored in the opposite direction than they were originally defined by selecting the other end of the graphics. 

Complex by Element Command

 

START STATION

When an OpenRoads alignment is stored, the software assumes a beginning station value of 0+00. The station can be redefined by use of the Start Station command.

  Start Station Icon

The command has two parameters:

  • Start Distance The distance along the alignment to assign the Start Station. The beginning station is computed based on the Start Distance and the Start Station value.
  • Start Station The station value to be assigned at the Start Distance location.

After the beginning station has been defined, selecting the alignment will display the station rules as shown below.

Start Station - Screen Shot

 

STATION EQUATIONS

The station parameters can be edited by selecting the rule in the design file, or from the Properties dialog. Add Station Equation - The Add Station Equation command, located below the Start Station command, adds parameters for the Ahead Station and Back Station.

When the command is selected, the user is prompted to select the alignment to assign the station equation.

After the alignment has been selected, the location of the equation can be identified graphically, or by keying in the Back Station value.

Station Equation Screen Shot

The ahead station is stored as a “region” much like the legacy GEOPAK format. When the Ahead Station value is entered, it is not necessary to define the region number.

Station Equation Ahead Screen Shot

The station equation value can be reviewed and edited by selecting the element as shown below. The parameters can also be edited in the Properties dialog.