Trimble Business Center

Working with Corridors

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 About this tutorial

About this tutorial

A "corridor" is a 3D model of a linear structure, such as a road or waterway. The corridor
is based on a horizontal and (optionally) vertical alignment and includes templates that
define cross-sections throughout the length of the corridor.
In this tutorial, you will create a road corridor based on an existing surface and
alignment.

Note: If you need additional help at any time you are using the software, press F1 to
display the online help.

Step 1. Open the project

For this tutorial, you will use the project file Working with Corridors.vce. This project
contains a surface and alignment to be used to create a new road corridor.

Note: The downloaded WorkingwithCorridors folder contains this PDF file and the
Working with Corridors.vce project file.

1. In TBC, select File > Open.

2. In the Open File dialog, browse to ..\WorkingwithCorridors\Working with
Corridors.vce and click Open.
The project opens in the Trimble Business Center window.

Working with Corridors 2

 Step 2. Select the slope ratio type for the project

The project file is read-only. You can perform the tutorial steps without saving the
project file. However, if you are interrupted while performing the tutorial, you can save
it with a new name by selecting File > Save Project As. Then, you can re-open the
project to continue the tutorial at a later time.

Step 2. Select the slope ratio type for the project

Because corridors include slopes, you should verify that the slope ratio type for your
project is correct. The type can be either rise-to-run or run-to-rise.
1. In the Quick Access toolbar (located at the top of the Trimble Business Center
window), select Project Settings.
2. In the Project Settings dialog, select Units > Vertical Angle in the left navigation
pane.

Note that the Slope ratio type is set to Rise to run. This is the setting you want to
use for this tutorial, so you do not need to make any changes.
3. Click the Cancel button.

Step 3. Filter the view

To better view the alignment and surface included in the project, you can filter the view
to hide RTK vectors and points.
1. In the TBC ribbon, select Home > View > View Filter Manager.
The View Filter Manager pane shows that all Raw Data objects are selected for
display.

Working with Corridors 3

 Step 4. Create template node names

2. In the Raw Data list, deselect RTK Vector and Point.

You can see the change in the Plan View.

3. Close the View Filter Manager pane.

Step 4. Create template node names

Before creating a new corridor, you can create names that will be used to identify nodes
in corridor cross-section templates.
You can also create template node names when you are creating corridor templates, but
creating them in advance can help speed up the template creation process. It also
allows you to create a library of node names that can be used repeatedly in each of your
projects. Simply create the names you might need, then save your project as a template.
The names will be available for any project created using the template. For instructions
on creating project templates, see the tutorial Setting Up a New Project.
In this procedure, you will create two new template node names.
1. In the TBC ribbon, select Corridors > Corridor > Manage Nodes.

Working with Corridors 4

 Step 5. Create material layers

2. In the Manage Template Node Names pane, click the New button located at the
bottom of the pane. (You might need to scroll down to see it.)
A new row displays in the list.

3. Enter Travel Lane in the new row.

There is no need to change the Undefined selection in the drop-down list.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to create the name Catch Point.
5. Click the Close button.
Next, you will create a new material layer for the corridor.

Step 5. Create material layers

You can specify the available material layers in your project, each representing a
different surface within the corridor. For example, in addition to the default "Finish"
layer, you might specify layers for "Base course," "Stabilized subgrade," and "Subgrade."
Each time you create an instruction for a corridor template (as described later in this
tutorial), you can select one or more material layers on which the line segment created
by that instruction appears.
When creating or editing a corridor, you can specify its "current material layer" by
selecting it from the Layers list. This is the layer that will display in the Plan View and 3D
View. If you export the corridor, this is the layer used to create the exported corridor
surface. The line segments appearing on the current material layer are used to build the
corridor surface.
In this procedure, you will create a new material layer to use in the corridor.
1. In the TBC ribbon, select Corridor > Corridor > Manage Materials.
The Manage Material Layers pane displays. The default Finish layer displays in the
Material layers list.

Working with Corridors 5

 Step 6. Create a corridor

2. Click the New button.

A new row displays in the Material layers list.
3. In the Name field, enter Subgrade.

4. Click the Close button.

You are now ready to create a new corridor.

Step 6. Create a corridor

In this procedure, you will create a corridor for a road that is to be constructed based on
the surface and alignment contained in the project.
1. In the TBC ribbon, select Corridor > Corridor > Create Corridor.
The Create Corridor pane displays.

2. In the Name field, enter Road01.

CL is the only alignment in the project, so it is selected by default in the Horizontal
alignment and Vertical alignment drop-down lists.
For this procedure, you can ignore the ground and material fields.

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 Step 6. Create a corridor

You will now select a CAD polyline included in the project to be used as a reference
line in the new corridor. You will be able to create offsets in the corridor based on
this line.
3. In the Reference Lines box, click the +/- button.
The Edit Reference Lines pane displays.

4. Click in the Select lines to add or remove field. Then, click the aqua CAD polyline in
the Plan View. In the context menu, select CAD Polyline.
If necessary, use the mouse wheel to zoom in to better see the line.

The field shows that one item is selected.

5. Click the Add button.

Working with Corridors 7

 Step 6. Create a corridor

A message displays saying that the selected item was added as a reference line to
the new corridor.

6. Click the Close button.

The quantity of reference lines to be included in the corridor is displayed in the
Create Corridor pane.

7. In the Reference surfaces list, select the existing check box.

8. Click OK.
The Insert Corridor Template pane displays.

Next, you will insert a cross-section template into the new corridor.

Working with Corridors 8

 Step 7. Insert a corridor template

Step 7. Insert a corridor template

You can create and insert one or more cross-section templates into a corridor.
(However, you cannot insert more than one template at the same station.) Each
template includes instructions that define cross-sections for a specified length of the
corridor (for example, the various offsets and slopes for a road).
In this procedure, you will create a single template that defines the corridor from station
0+00 forward.
1. In the Insert Corridor Template pane, ensure Road01 is selected in the Corridor
drop-down list.
2. In the Begin station field, enter 0.
Note that when you move the cursor from the field, the 0 changes to the standard
stationing format: 0+00.00. This indicates that the new template will be inserted at
station 0+00.00 in the corridor and will be used to define the corridor from this
station to the next template or, if there are none, to the end of the corridor.
3. In the Options drop-down list, ensure New definition is selected.
4. In the Template name field, enter Template01.

5. Click the Insert button.

The Edit Corridor Template pane displays. The pane includes three sections: (1) a
template graphic view tab, (2) an Instructions list, and (3) an instruction properties
section.

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 Step 7. Insert a corridor template

On the graphic view tab, the green line represents the surface in the project. The
centerline node 1 > CL, which is based on the horizontal alignment, was
automatically created and added to the template. You can also see that a node 2 was
added (approximately 15 ft to the left of 1 > CL) based on the single CAD polyline
you added to the corridor earlier.

6. If the Project Explorer is not already open in your project, select Home > Data >
Project Explorer. In the Project Explorer pane, expand the Corridors node and the
Road01 node to see the new template node.
Note that a new (Road01 (Finish) corridor surface has been created as well, but it
will not display in graphic views until you create an instruction for the corridor.

Working with Corridors 10

 Step 8. Create instructions for the corridor template

Step 8. Create instructions for the corridor template

Now that you have created and inserted a cross-section template into the new corridor,
you can define instructions that specify what that the cross-section looks like along the
length of the corridor for which the template is defined: the various offsets and slopes
for the road.
Corridor templates are made up of nodes and instructions. Nodes are used to define the
various offsets and slopes in the templates. For example, a simple road corridor might
contain three nodes: a centerline based on the alignment (1), a right edge of pavement
(2), and a left edge of pavement (3).

The software automatically creates some nodes based on the alignment and reference
lines in your corridor. For example, node 1 in the figure above was automatically created
as the centerline for the corridor based on the corridor's alignment.
You can create additional nodes as necessary to define offsets and slopes for other
corridor features. For example, node 2 in the figure above was manually created to
represent the right edge of the pavement with an offset of 10 ft and a slope of -2%
relative to the centerline. To create a node manually, you define the instructions that
specify the node's offset and slope relative to other nodes in the template.
In this procedure, you will define a corridor template by first defining nodes and lines
for the right side of the corridor for both the Finish and Subgrade material layers. Then
you will use the Mirror Instructions command to copy the same node and line layout to
the left side of the centerline.

8a. Define the right travel lane – Finish layer

1. In the Edit Corridor Template pane, select Offset/Slope in the Instruction Type
drop-down list, if it is not already selected..
This instruction type allows you to create a node in the template for which you
specify the offset and slope in relation to another node. In this case, you will base
the new node on the CL node that was automatically created for the selected
alignment.
2. In the Offset/slope from drop-down list, verify <Previous Node> is selected.

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 Step 8. Create instructions for the corridor template

When you select <Previous Node>, the node created by the preceding instruction in
the Instructions list is referenced. If there are no preceding instructions in the list, as
in this case, the 1 > CL node automatically created for the horizontal alignment is
referenced.
3. On the Offset button, ensure that the Offset icon is displayed. Then, enter 12
in the field.
This specifies that the new node will be created 12 ft to the right of the 1 > CL node
(centerline). If you were to enter -12, the new node would be created 12 ft to the
left of the 1 > CL node.
4. On the Slope button, click the drop-down icon and select the Table option .
Then click the Table button .
The Station/Slope Table pane displays. This pane allows you to specify the slope
between the 1 > CL node and the new node at specified locations along the
corridor, from the current template to the next template (or the end of the
corridor).

5. In the Station/Slope Table pane, enter the following values.

Note: You do not have to enter values in the format shown here. For 0+00.00, you
can simply enter 0. For 4+33.00, you can enter 433. For a -2.00% slope, you can
enter -2. The correct format will be applied when your cursor leaves the table cell.

Station Slope
0+00.00 -2.00%
0+50.00 -2.00%
0+75.00 -4.00%
1+32.00 -4.00%
1+50.00 -2.00%
4+33.00 -2.00%
4+53.00 -4.00%
5+17.00 -4.00%
5+36.00 -2.00%
A negative slope percentage indicates to create the node beneath the centerline.

Working with Corridors 12

 Step 8. Create instructions for the corridor template

6. When you are done, click OK.

7. In the Name drop-down list, select Travel Lane.
This node represents the right edge of the right travel lane.
8. In the Material layers list, select Finish.

9. Click the Add button.

The newly created 3 > Travel Lane node is displayed in the template graphic view.
The instruction used to create the node is displayed in the Instructions list. Click in
the graphic area and use your mouse wheel to zoom in on the new node. Note also
that the corridor surface Road01 (Finish) is now displayed in the Plan View.

Working with Corridors 13

 Step 8. Create instructions for the corridor template

The fields in properties section of the Edit Corridor Template pane have been
cleared to allow you to create another instruction.

8b. Define the right shoulder – Finish layer

1. In the Instruction Type drop-down list, select Offset/Slope.
2. Complete the Instruction Details fields as follows:
 Offset/slope from: <Previous Node>
In this case, the <Previous Node> is the newly created 3 > Travel Lane node.
 Offset > Offset : 6
 Slope > Slope percent : -4
On the Slope button drop-down select the Slope percent option. The minus sign
preceding the number indicates the slope is in a downward direction from the 3
> TL node.
 Name: Shoulder
Since you did not enter Shoulder as a template node name using the Manage
Template Node Names pane, you can type it into the Name field now.
 Material layers: Finish

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 Step 8. Create instructions for the corridor template

3. Click the Add button.

The newly created 4 > Shoulder node represents the right edge of the shoulder
based on the right edge of the travel lane.

8c. Define the right drainage slope – Finish layer

1. In the Instruction Type drop-down list, select Offset/Slope.
2. Complete the Instruction Details fields as follows:
 Offset/slope from: <Previous Node>
In this case, the <Previous Node> is the newly created 4 > Shoulder node.
 Offset > Offset : 5
 Slope > Slope percent : -20
On the Slope button drop-down select the Slope percent option. The minus sign
preceding the number indicates the slope is in a downward direction from the 4
> Shoulder node.
 Name: Ditch
You’ll need to type this new node name in the field.

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 Step 8. Create instructions for the corridor template

 Material layers: Finish

3. Click the Add button.
The newly created 5 > Ditch node represents the right edge of the drainage slope
based on the right edge of the shoulder.

You are now ready to define a side slope for the right side of the corridor template.
The Side Slope instruction type defines a side slope node based on either or both of
the following:
 Cut slope and, optionally, a ditch width
 Fill slope
The side slope node specifies the cut or fill slope intercept with the target surface.

8d. Define the right side slope – Finish layer

1. In the Instruction Type drop-down list, select Side Slope.
2. Complete the Instruction Details fields as follows:
 Side slope from: <Previous Node>
In this case, the <Previous Node> is the newly created 5 > Ditch node.
 Target surface: existing
This allows the side slope to connect to the existing surface.
 Cut slope > Slope ratio : 1:2
Based on the project settings, this represents a slope type of rise-to-run.
 Cut ditch width: 3
This indicates that if a cut is required, a 3 foot-wide ditch is included.
 Fill slope > Slope ratio : 1:5
 Name: Catch Point
 Material layers: Finish
3. Click the Add button.

Working with Corridors 16

 Step 8. Create instructions for the corridor template

As you can see, the side slope extends until it intercepts the surface, which changes
along the length of the corridor. Depending on the surface at each location along
the corridor, a cut or fill might be required. If a cut is required, a 3 ft-wide ditch is
included, per the instruction.
You are done defining the Finished material layer for the right side of the template.
Next, you will define the Subgrade material layer for the right side.

8e. Define the centerline – Subgrade layer

In the Edit Corridor Template pane, do the following:
1. In the Instruction Type drop-down list, select Offset/Elevation.
2. Complete the Instruction Details fields as follows:
 Offset/elevation from: 1 > CL
 Offset > Offset : 0
The 0 offset ensures the new Subgrade node is located directly above or
beneath the 1 > CL node , depending on the Elevation value.
 Elevation > Delta elevation : -0.5
On the Elevation button drop-down, select the Delta elevation option. The
minus sign preceding the number indicates the new node will be .5 feet beneath
the 1 > CL node.
 Name: CL Sub
Type this new node name in the field.
 Material layers: nothing selected
By not selecting a material layer, you can ensure that a line is not automatically
created connecting the 1 > CL node to the new node.
3. Click the Add button.
The newly created 7 > CL Sub node represents the centerline for the Subgrade
material layer.

Working with Corridors 17

 Step 8. Create instructions for the corridor template

8f. Define the right travel lane – Subgrade layer

1. In the Instruction Type drop-down list, select Offset/Elevation.
2. Complete the Instruction Details fields as follows:
 Offset/elevation from: 3 > Travel Lane
 Offset > Offset : 0
 Elevation > Delta elevation : -0.5
 Name: Travel Lane Sub
Type this new node name in the field.
 Material layers: nothing selected
3. Click the Add button.
The newly created 8 > Travel Lane Sub node represents the right edge of the right
travel lane for the Subgrade material layer.

8g. Define the right shoulder – Subgrade layer

1. In the Instruction Type drop-down list, select Offset/Elevation.

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 Step 8. Create instructions for the corridor template

2. Complete the Instruction Details fields as follows:

 Offset/elevation from: 4 > Shoulder
 Offset > Offset : 0
 Elevation > Delta elevation : -0.5
 Name: Shoulder Sub
Type this new node name in the field.
 Material layers: nothing selected
3. Click the Add button.
The newly created 9 > Shoulder Sub node represents the right edge of the right
shoulder for the Subgrade material layer.

Next, you will connect the newly created Subgrade nodes with line segments.

8h. Connect the nodes – Subgrade layer

In this procedure you will define a line segment to connect the 7 > CL Sub and 8 >
Travel Lane Sub nodes.
1. In the Instruction Type drop-down list, select Connect.
2. Complete the Instruction Details fields as follows:
 From node: 7 > CL Sub
You can select the node name in the drop-down list, or you can select it in the
template graphic view.
 To node: 8 > Travel Lane Sub
 Material layers: Subgrade
3. Click the Add button.

Working with Corridors 19

 Step 8. Create instructions for the corridor template

Next, you will define a line segment to connect 8 > Travel Lane Sub and 9 >
Shoulder Sub.
4. In the Instruction Type drop-down list, select Connect.
5. Complete the Instruction Details fields as follows:
 From node: 8 > Travel Lane Sub
 To node: 9 > Shoulder Sub
 Material layers: Subgrade
6. Click the Add button.

You are now ready to create instructions to define nodes and lines on the left side of
the centerline 1 > CL node. For this tutorial, the left side will be defined exactly the
same as the right side, so you can use the Mirror instructions command.

8i. Mirror instructions on the right side of the template to the left side
1. Click the Mirror Instructions icon located at the top of the Edit Corridor
Template pane.
Instructions are copied to the left side of the template in a mirror-like fashion as
shown here.

Working with Corridors 20

 Step 9. Edit an instruction

2. To see how the template changes in relation to the existing surface along the length
of the corridor, use the slide control located beneath the Instructions list.
The station is displayed in the field to the left.

This template is complete, and you can now insert additional templates into the
corridor if necessary. However, you will not add any more templates for this
tutorial. Instead, the next procedure will explain how you can edit an existing
template by changing an instruction.
3. In the Edit Corridor Template pane, click the Close button.

Step 9. Edit an instruction

In this step, you will edit an instruction in the newly created corridor template by
redefining the left edge of the left travel lane to be based on a CAD polyline you added
to the project as a reference line earlier in tutorial. As the CAD polyline moves in
relation to its offset to the centerline, so too does the offset for the left edge of the left
travel lane.
1. If the Project Explorer is not already open, select Home > Data > Project Explorer.
2. In the Project Explorer pane, right-click the corridor template node 0+00.00,
Template 01, and select Edit.

Working with Corridors 21

 Step 9. Edit an instruction

The Edit Corridor Template pane displays.

3. In the Instructions list in the Edit Corridor Template pane, double-click the
instruction 10 > Travel Lane, or right-click it and select Edit.

Properties for the 10 > Travel Lane node display in the Instruction Details section.

Working with Corridors 22

 Step 9. Edit an instruction

4. Click the Offset button drop-down and select 2D line . Then select node 2 in
the graphic view. (Use your mouse wheel to zoom in if necessary.)
CAD Polyline displays in the Offset field.

5. Click the Save button.

The left edge of the left travel lane is now dependent on the location of the CAD
polyline.
6. To see how the template changes in relation to the existing surface and the CAD
polyline along the length of the corridor, use the slide control located beneath the
Instructions list.

Working with Corridors 23

 Step 10. Verify the maximum sampling distance

Step 10. Verify the maximum sampling distance

Corridor templates create a surface that is "sliced" at the major horizontal and vertical
components of the alignment. Additional slices are created at intervals (sampling
distances) defined in the project settings. In this step, you will verify the sampling
distance setting is correct.
1. In the Quick Access toolbar (located at the top of the Trimble Business Center
window), select Project Settings.
2. In the Project Settings dialog, select Computations > Corridor in the navigation
pane.

You could decrease the Maximum sampling distance to cause more slices to be
created, which would result in a smoother surface in horizontal and vertical curves.
However, for this tutorial you will not change the default value.
3. Click the Cancel button.

Working with Corridors 24

 Step 11. Export the corridor

You are now ready to export the corridor.

Step 11. Export the corridor

In this step, you will export the newly created corridor as a Trimble Access RXL road
template.
1. In the TBC ribbon, select Home > Data Exchange > Export.
2. In the Export pane, select the Corridor tab. Then select RXL road (corridor
alignment and templates) in the list.

The Data group allows you select the corridor surface and alignments you want to
export, and specify a begin and end station. You do not need to change the default
settings.
In the File Name group, the export location defaults to the project folder. There is
not need to change.
The Settings group allows you to select a RoadXML (.rxl) version, the template
generation method (corridor-based or custom interval), the tolerance to be used to
help determine which cross-section samples will be not be used to create cross-
section templates, and the station interval for the horizontal alignment when drawn
on the field device. You need to make one change to the default settings.
3. In the Horizontal alignment station interval field, enter 1.
4. Click the Export button.
This completes the tutorial.

Working with Corridors 25