1.11 Structures: Noise fence

This part will introduce the power of open standard formats (LandXML, IFC). When you design noise fence or noise bank, it is quite often generated as a surface for noise bank and a 3D model for noise fence. Those surfaces can be exported into LandXML files and used directly inside Explorer. Typical design work in such cases is done with specific design package from where you can export your design into *.ifc file and use that inside Explorer to generate a final MAGNET VDC model. 

For the current workflow you can use two alternative workflows, depending on what you want to achieve:

1. If you want to include noise bank data into Explorer, ensure that such information is coming in LandXML format already. Or you can export that kind of data from a native design format into LandXML (for example exporting AutoCAD Civil 3D surface into LandXML).
2. If you want to include structure like noise fence into Explorer, ensure that such information is coming in *.ifc format. Or you can export that kind of data from a native design format into *.ifc (for example exporting Autodesk Revit model into *.ifc).

• 02_Design\08_Structures\Noise fence

From the folder you can see the sub-folder structure that is explained below:

• DWG - This folder includes one *.dwg file that represents noise bank design made with AutoCAD Civil 3D tools. That design can be exported into LandXML with AutoCAD Civil 3D tools. But any other design package can be used to do the same (from native format into open standard format). The exported file can be found from the folder LandXML.
• IFC - This folder includes one *.ifc file that was generated from Autodesk Revit project. IFC files, as open standard formats, can be directly used/imported into Explorer final model. We do that in later sections.
• LandXML - From here you find one LandXML file that represent noise bank design as a result from the *.dwg file that can be found from the folder DWG.
• Revit - From here you find one Autodesk Revit project file. This project file was used to generate an *.ifc file from Autodesk Revit. That export can be found from a respective folder, IFC. You do not need to reopen that *.rvt file to regenerate an *.ifc file.

General workflow

Because we already have final design files in open standard formats, you should practice with your own design package similar workflows. We do an example here with AutoCAD Civil 3D and Autodesk Revit software packages.

 

Step-by-step guidelines to export noise bank data into LandXML format using AutoCAD Civil 3D

 

Open drawing: 02_Design\08_Structures\Noise fence\DWG\Proposed_NoiseBank.dwg inside AutoCAD Civil 3D.

 

You should see a similar picture:

 

Check AutoCAD Civil 3D Toolspace palette, and under Surfaces node you should see 3 surface objects. We export those into LandXML format.

 

 

To export surface elements into LandXML format, use AutoCAD ribbon tab and select: Output > Export to LandXML tool. Similar dialog should open:

 

 

Select only Surfaces section and hit OK. Select a folder and file name for your LandXML (please note that you already have an exported LandXML file in the same folder):

 

 

You can now open that LandXML file inside Explorer (we look all the settings that apply to LandXML import into Explorer in later section):

 

 

Close Explorer window, as well as the AutoCAD drawing file.

 

 

Step-by-step guidelines to export noise fence data into IFC format using Autodesk Revit

 

Open project with Autodesk Revit: 02_Design\08_Structures\Noise fence\Revit\Proposed_Structure_NoiseFence_v2017.rvt. 

 

You should see a similar picture:

 

 

To export your design into IFC format, go to: Application menu > Export > IFC.

Select the location of your IFC file as: 02_Design\08_Structures\Noise fence\IFC (please note that you already have one IFC file in that folder). Select IFC setup and click Export.

You can now open that IFC file inside Explorer (we look all the settings that apply to IFC import into Explorer in later section):

Close Explorer window, as well as the Autodesk Revit project file.

 

 

Practice yourself

Sometimes you need to tune up your IFC settings before the export. Therefore it is encouraged to take a look into your design package IFC settings and check if objects are mapped correctly. By those settings you ensure that everything that is needed in your IFC file, will be exported under correct IFC Class Name. For example in Autodesk Revit you can check those settings from: Application menu > Export > Options > IFC Options.

 

Through those settings you can easily turn off some object groups that you do not need to show in your final VDC model (quite often used with building design objects, where in an infrastructure model you do not care what is inside of that building and therefore you are able to light up your model content by exporting only valuable/exterior information into IFC).