infrADAC user manualSurface workflows

Create and Manage Ground Surfaces

Create a persistent active DWG-host ground model for level prefills from supported surface sources and control generated geometry explicitly.

Software covered ACADinfrADAC ACADBCADinfrADAC BCAD
Create and Manage Ground Surfaces in infrADAC Video walkthroughCreate and Manage Ground SurfacesWatch on YouTube

1Overview

The ACAD/BCAD ground-surface manager stores surface definitions with vertices, triangles, source references and quality information. The active surface can supply levels to generated assets, Clone and direction workflows. DCAD has no native 12d TIN worker for these commands.

Use this guide when

An ACAD or BCAD project needs reliable surface-level lookup from an existing TIN or from spot heights, contours and breaklines.

2Ground surface actions

Choose Create, Define or Reset for the current surface state; Reset is not a required step after creation.

01

Create a ground surface

Build and activate a surface from model sources.

  1. Run ADACGroundCreate.
  2. Select Civil/TIN data, SpotHeight points/blocks, contours and/or breaklines.
  3. Set sampling and triangle-edge options, choose the output type, then review the build result.
Create a ground surface in the current infrADAC interface
Image placeholderCreate a ground surfaceShow the current infrADAC interface and result for: Build and activate a surface from model sources.PLACEHOLDER_IMAGE_URL_GROUND_SURFACES_STEP_01
Create a ground surface shown at this exact stage of the task.
02

Define an existing surface

Activate a stored or selected surface without rebuilding it.

  1. Run ADACGroundDefine.
  2. Choose a stored definition or select a supported existing surface.
  3. When no stored surface exists, choose Create or Select as prompted.
Define an existing surface in the current infrADAC interface
Image placeholderDefine an existing surfaceShow the current infrADAC interface and result for: Activate a stored or selected surface without rebuilding it.PLACEHOLDER_IMAGE_URL_GROUND_SURFACES_STEP_02
Define an existing surface shown at this exact stage of the task.
03

Reset or replace safely

Reset can retain or delete generated geometry.

  1. Run ADACGroundReset when the active surface is no longer valid.
  2. Choose Keep to clear only the active definition or Delete to remove generated geometry and its stored surface entry.
  3. Source entities are retained in either case.
Reset or replace safely in the current infrADAC interface
Image placeholderReset or replace safelyShow the current infrADAC interface and result for: Reset can retain or delete generated geometry.PLACEHOLDER_IMAGE_URL_GROUND_SURFACES_STEP_03
Reset or replace safely shown at this exact stage of the task.

3Ground model sources and outputs

The active definition can outlive visible preview geometry and feed several downstream tools.

Feature or choiceCurrent behaviour
Source supportReads supported Civil surface references, generated TIN triangles, points/blocks, contours and breaklines.Projects can build a ground model from available design data.
TriangulationDe-duplicates points, builds Delaunay triangles and can reject triangles exceeding a maximum edge length.Sparse or widely separated data is controlled.
PersistenceStores surface ID, active ID, vertices, triangles, sources, build settings and quality summary in drawing metadata.Level lookups do not rely only on visible objects.
Level servicesProvides elevation-at-XY, nearest vertex, bounds, triangle lookup and polyline/profile sampling.Other infrADAC tools can use one consistent ground source.

4Before you begin

  • Use a consistent coordinate system and elevation datum.
  • Prepare at least three usable source points unless selecting a supported Civil/12d surface.
  • Decide whether visible generated TIN geometry should be created or the model should remain preview/metadata only.

5Product differences

The task is shared where possible, but selection, interface integration and model operations follow the host shown below.

infrADAC ACAD

Can read supported AutoCAD/Civil-style entities and create 3DFACE or PolyFaceMesh geometry on ADAC-GROUND-SURFACE.

6Troubleshooting

No valid triangles are generated

Provide at least three non-collinear points, check contour elevations and relax an overly small maximum triangle edge length.

A Civil surface cannot be read

Civil APIs must be available for native surface elevation access. Otherwise select an exported TIN/3DFACE mesh or build from points, contours and breaklines.

Levels still use old ground data

Run ADACGroundDefine and activate the intended stored surface, or reset/recreate it after source changes.

7Related guides

Documentation hubinfrADAC User ManualThe complete infrADAC task and command library. ReferenceComplete Command ReferenceSupported infrADAC commands and 12d macros, filtered by product. Surface workflowsLand and Surface ToolsUse the ACAD/BCAD ADACSurface menu to route bulk land, ground-surface and direction operations. Surface workflowsBulk Create Lots and EasementsCreate cadastral Lot and Easement assets from closed polygons with sequential LotNo assignment. Surface workflowsBulk Create Contours, Spot Heights and BreaklinesCreate many surface assets from compatible source geometry with shared attributes and generated unique IDs. Surface workflowsFlow and Surface DirectionView, set, compare and clear fall-direction metadata on supported line and polyline assets.