AutoCAD® Civil 3D® uses building information modelling (BIM) to help civil engineering project teams evaluate more what-if scenarios earlier in the design process and get transportation, land development, and environmental projects done faster and more efficiently.

AutoCAD Civil 3D helps civil engineers optimise project performance with geospatial analysis to identify the best project site, stormwater analysis for more sustainable designs, quantity takeoff and dynamic earthwork calculations to optimise material usage, and 3D visualisations to better understand project impacts on environment.

AutoCAD® Civil 3D® software, the building information modelling (BIM) solution for civil engineering, helps teams design, analyse, and visualise projects more efficiently. With built-in tools for geospatial and storm water analysis, quantity takeoff, and 3D visualisation, civil engineers can explore more what-if scenarios and optimise project performance. Core highlights and functionality of AutoCAD Civil 3D include:

Geospatial Analysis Integration in Conceptual Design
Integration of imagery and geospatial data allows for identification of the optimal solution early in the overall process, helping to save time and money. Leverage imagery and terrain models from Google Earth™ mapping services and other sources to visualise the ecosystem of a project. Import geospatial data, such as soil types, land use information, and environmental constraints, to quickly analyse and better understand the probable impacts of different alternatives.

Surveying and Coordinate Systems
Survey functionality, including direct import of raw survey data, least squares adjustments, coordinate system settings and transformations, editing of survey observations, automated creation of survey figures, and surface creation, is fully integrated into AutoCAD® Civil 3D® software. This provides a more consistent design environment where points, survey figures, and surfaces can be used throughout the design process without having to manually translate coordinate systems or transfer data from a survey package to your civil engineering design software. Survey data introduced into a project will result in design elements updating automatically.

Surfaces, Grading, and Dynamic Relationships
AutoCAD Civil 3D includes terrain shaping tools that support large-surface models while maintaining dynamic relationships to source data, including contours, breaklines, corridor models, and grading objects. Use surfaces as references for creating profiles, sections, and corridors. Any change to the source data results in automatic updates to surfaces and references, helping you save time and reduce errors.

The powerful daylighting and grade projection tools can be used to generate surface models for any type of grading projection. Easy-to-use graphical and tabular grading manipulation tools help you develop any surface. Solve challenging design problems using grading capabilities that remain dynamically linked to corridor models and alignments/profiles.

Building Information Modelling for Street and Highway Design
Quickly lay out dynamic plan and profile alignment geometry with local design criteria that you specify. These constraints remain in place when using interactive “best fit,” PI-based (point of intersection), or highly flexible element-based layout approaches.

Create intelligent models of roads and other transportation systems using the corridor modelling functionality. Corridor modelling uses customisable cross-sectional components called subassemblies to create a dynamic model of various types of transportation systems. Directly use alignments, profiles, survey figures, feature lines, and AutoCAD polylines to define corridor transitions and elevation constraints. Use the interactive intersection builder to create complex models through intersecting roads that remain dynamic as your designs change. Corridor models can ultimately be used to create proposed surfaces, earthwork volumes, material totals, drafted cross sections, and more.

Intelligent Pipes Layout
Use rules-based tools to lay out sanitary and storm drainage systems. Make changes to pipes and structures using graphical or numerical input, and conduct interference checks. Plot and complete final drafting of the pipe network in plan, profile, and section views, and share pipe network information, such as invert elevations, size, slope, and type with external analysis applications or use the Hydraflow extensions that are part of AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Integrated Hydraulic and Hydrological Analysis for Stormwater Management
Analyse pre- and post-development hydrologic conditions using integrated hydraulic and hydrology tools. Analyse your AutoCAD Civil 3D pipe networks models, culverts, and channels using hydrographs to make better and more sustainable stormwater design decisions. Generate robust reports for submittal to review agencies.

Facilitate Team Coordination—Synchronising Design Changes
Your entire team can work from the same consistent, up-to-date model. Team members can stay better coordinated through all phases of the project, from survey to construction documentation. Using AutoCAD external references, data shortcuts, and Autodesk® Vault, project team members can share individual model elements, such as surfaces, alignments, and pipes and work off the same instance of a design object for multiple design tasks. Design changes are synchronised using one model that can result in multiple updates across several drawings, all of which is automatic.

Styles, CAD Standards, and Production Drafting
CAD and design standards are an important component of a project. Use the extensive library of country-specific CAD styles available to control virtually every aspect of drawing display such as colours, linetypes, contour increments, and robust labelling. AutoCAD Civil 3D provides a framework for customising your own styles and standards to meet the specific needs of your organisation. Automatically generate construction documents using the styles-based drafting environment to automate the creation of drafting while maintaining drafting standards. Use xrefs and data shortcuts to generate drafting across multiple drawings. When the model changes, the construction documentation is automatically synchronised to reflect the update.

Data Compatibility and Interoperability
Accessing and importing data from disparate sources is critical to civil engineering projects. With AutoCAD Civil 3D, you can easily import and export data between CAD and GIS platforms, including from industry-standard formats such as DWF™, Google Earth, LandXML, DGN, and SDF.

Visualisation and Better Communication of Design Intent
Create simple and more effective visualisations by publishing model information to Google Earth or by creating 3D DWF files, to communicate design intent to nontechnical audiences. Develop robust reproductions of corridor models using render materials that correspond to specific corridor elements in the model, such as asphalt, concrete, or gravel. Create photorealistic animations and simulations leveraging AutoCAD Civil 3D models within Autodesk® 3ds Max® Design.