Civil 3D - Translating Survey Data

Overview

There is often a need for a survey to be transformed from its original surveyed location to a different location, for example if the survey was initially surveyed to a local grid it may need to be transformed onto an OS Grid.

Lock / Unlock Points

When survey data is imported, the points are locked. Therefore, to transform a survey database, the survey points will need to be unlocked before they can be transformed.

To unlock points in the survey database users will navigate to the survey tab in the toolspace, expand their named survey database, expand the ‘Import Event’ node and expand the ‘named import event’. User will then right click the ‘Survey Points’ node, choose ‘points’ from the right click menu and the select ‘Unlock in drawing’ from the sub menu.

This will unlock the points prior to the points being placed in the drawing, which will allow users to translate their survey data.

Translate Survey

After the survey points have been unlocked users navigate to the Survey tab on the ribbon, expand the Modify panel and select ‘Translate Database.’ This will open the ‘Translate Survey Database’ dialogue box.

Base Point: users will enter a point number from the open database or click ‘Pick in Drawing.’ If the base point exists as a survey point within the survey database, the Name, Easting, Northing, Level, Description, Latitude and longitude property values are displayed.

Rotation Angle: users will select the value cell and enter the desired rotation angle.

Destination Point: users will select the value cells and enter the new Easting and Northing value for the point. Users can optionally add the Level change.

Summary: users can review the values for the Base point, destination point and translation before selecting Finish to complete the transformation.

This process has been completed when a user chooses to place the survey data from the database into the drawing. The data will appear in the new location based on the information specified.