GEOPAK V8 2004 Edition (very) Basic Training
Contents
The purpose of this little web page is to assist with training for WFLHD field staff in the use of the civil design software that our Project Development staff uses, (GEOPAK). Hopefully with the scheduled abridged training and this web resource, field staff will be able to extract information and obtain additional quantities from the design data sets provided to them.
The typical duration of the basic GEOPAK Road training session is 5 days. Since the goal of this abridged training is scheduled for 1/2 day, it is obvious to say that no one is expected to be able to complete a roadway design, but (as mentioned earlier) should be able to extract and obtain additional information and quantities from an existing design provided to them.
GEOPAK Road V8 2004 Edition (the basics)
One of the most important things to remember and to understand, is that the "Help" files that come with MicroStation (and GEOPAK) are actually pretty good and are easily accessible for the tool that you are attempting to use. It is possible to assign Help to a function key, (such as F1), then when a dialog has been given "focus" (or selected) all you are required to do is press (in this example) F1 and Help for that specific dialog is presented to you. No need to search through the index or contents of the help.
NOTE: See the Instructions for assigning Help to a Function key.
An attempt will be made here to only touch on the basic tools (that I think would be handy for those who don't normally use the software or haven't been formally trained) for GEOPAK Road and to cover them in some type of logical order:
Before attempting to follow any of the following instructions, review the MicroStation V8 (very) Basic Training page.
Starting GEOPAK
First of all you need to have MicroStation running. See Basic MicroStation Training for details on how to Start MicroStation.
Once MicroStation is running, and if this is the first time starting GEOPAK, use the MicroStation pulldowns and select Applications > GEOPAK > Activate GEOPAK, as shown below:
Future sessions of GEOPAK will be started immediately after MicroStation is launched, automatically.
User Preferences and "The Working Directory"
Since we design in both Metric and US Customary units, you must first tell the software what units you intend to be using. This is done by setting up the User Preferences. The User Preferences settings can be accessed using the MicroStation pulldowns Applications > GEOPAK Road > User Preferences as shown below:
The User Preferences dialog will appear as shown below. All Unit System and Output Accuracy fields can be adjusted by clicking on the little "down arrow" buttons and selecting one of the options.
- See the default settings for US Customary (English) units.
- See the default settings for Metric units.
The other important field to discuss here is the Working Directory:
Once set, (by using the browse icon or by typing it in manually) GEOPAK will be looking in that directory for all files to use in whatever operation you are trying to do. I have found that users confuse themselves when setting this directory if they are working on other projects and they forget that this is set. For new users, I recommend leaving this field blank. It can be helpful, once you get more familiar with the software.
NOTE: if left blank... the software assumes that the Working Directory is the directory where the MicroStation file was opened from.
Additionally, 3 other directories can be set by pressing the COGO Preferences button (above) and setting them to specific directories. I recommend leaving these blank as well:
The GEOPAK Road "Tools" tool frame
There are several ways to access the various GEOPAK tools. The old way is the use the MicroStation pulldowns. An example of how to access GEOPAK's Coordinate Geometry tools (using the pulldowns) is shown below:
The main GEOPAK tool frame (GEOPAK ROAD Tools) can be accessed by using the MicroStation pulldowns and selecting Applications > GEOPAK Road > GEOPAK ROAD Tools, as shown below:
A much better way to access the various GEOPAK tools is through the use of the GEOPAK ROAD Tools tool frame. An example of how to access GEOPAK's Coordinate Geometry tools (using the GEOPAK ROAD Tools tool frame) is shown below:
As you can see, this requires only one click, where the pulldown method requires four clicks. The GEOPAK ROAD Tools tool frame can be docked off to the side and out of your way.
NOTE: See the more detailed explanation of the GEOPAK ROAD Tools tool frame.
The Plan View Labeler
The Plan View Labeler is extremely useful for extracting plan view values (such as coordinates or stations and offsets) and placing the text automatically on the drawing.
The Plan View Labeler is available from the Plans Preparation tool box as shown below:
NOTE: See the more detailed explanation of the Plan View Labeler.
The Profile View Labeler
The Profile View Labeler is extremely useful for extracting profile view values (such as grades or stations and elevations) and placing the text automatically on the drawing.
The Profile View Labeler is available from the Plans Preparation tool box as shown below:
NOTE: See the more detailed explanation of the Profile View Labeler.
The Cross Section Labeler
The Cross Section Labeler is extremely useful for extracting cross section view values (such as plan view coordinates, slopes, elevations and offsets) and placing the text automatically on the drawing.
The Cross Section Labeler is available from the Cross Sections tool box as shown below:
NOTE: See the more detailed explanation of the Cross Section Labeler.
The Cross Section Navigator
The Cross Section Navigator allows quick access to individual cross-sections.
The Cross Section Navigator is available from the Cross Sections tool box as shown below:
NOTE: See the more detailed explanation of the Cross Section Navigator.
Understanding Earthwork (from Cross Sections)
Earthwork quantities are obtained from the cross sections. These quantities are calculated using the average end area method. Many different types of quantities can be obtained from the cross sections such as:
- Individual Pavement/Aggregate layers.
- Roadway Excavation.
- Embankment.
- Subexcavation.
- Various other excavation and backfill items.
The element attributes in the cross section file are extremely important for obtaining accurate quantities. In addition, these elements must connect to one another in very specific ways in order to obtain correct, accurate quantities.
NOTE: In order for the following instructions to make any sense, review the more detailed explanation of Calculating Earthwork including the "Rules" and various examples.
Easy step by step instructions for drawing and calculating subexcavation on your design cross sections:
The bottom and edges of subexcavation can be drawn on 2 different levels, each also has a different color from the other:
- Suitable Subexcavation (suitable for use in embankments and included in the mass ordinate):
- lvname = x_p_subex_exc1
- co = 30
- Unsuitable Subexcavation (unsuitable for use in embankments and excluded from the mass ordinate):
- lvname = x_p_subex_exc2
- co = 20
Simply draw lines in the cross section at the elevations and offsets that represent the boundaries of the subexcavation for each station.
NOTE: The ends of the x_p_subex_exc2 lines must connect to existing ground line.
The example below illustrates Unsuitable Subexcavation drawn manually at station 28+50:
At this point, you could simply run your earthwork input file and obtain an end area for all soil types for station 28+50. Obviously, to obtain a volume for subexcavation you will need to draw subexcavtion at another station, such as 28+00 or 29+00.
Also at this point, (if you had drawn subexcavation at another station) a volume would be calculated for backfilling this subexcavation area. By default the backfill material will be calculated and added to the normal embankment material quantity.
If you want to break this material out and separate it from the normal embankment material, 2 more sets of lines must be drawn, the necessary element attributes for the backfill lines are shown below for the first set of lines:
- SubExBackfill (calculates subexcavation backfill separately from normal embankment)
- lvname = x_p_subex_backfill1
- co = 40
The example below illustrates (the soil type) SubExBackfill drawn manually at station 28+50:
NOTE: The ends of the x_p_subex_backfill1 undercut lines must connect to other proposed undercuts or proposed finished grade elements .
Now... to separate the backfill below existing ground from the backfill above existing ground, the second set of needs to be drawn. The necessary element attributes for the backfill lines are shown below for the second set of lines:
- RdwyExc (calculates subexcavation backfill separately from normal embankment)
- lvname = x_p_subex_backfill2
- co = 41
The example below illustrates (the soil type) RdwyExc drawn manually at station 28+50, where it simply traces the existing ground line and connects to the edges of the subexcavation. The unsuitable excavation lines (yellow lines) are only shown to illustrate how the x_p_subex_backfill2 line needs to connect:
NOTE: The ends of the x_p_subex_backfill2 undercut lines must connect to other proposed undercuts or proposed finished grade elements .
Below is a fragment of the resulting graphics after running the earthwork input file, (V8_EARTHWORK.inp). Notice that the dark blue shape illustrates embankment and the fuchsia illustrates subexcavation and subexcavation backfill.
Finally, below illustrates a fragment of the earthwork log file for station 28+50:
Creating Staking Notes
Staking notes are created from the cross sections (for the most part). Some staking notes can be created using GEOPAK's Coordinate Geometry tool (COGO), but most of our standard staking notes are created from the cross sections.
NOTE: See the more detailed explanation of the Official WFLHD Staking Notes including other formats and various examples of each.
Creating Cross Sections from Field Notes
Many have asked if it is possible to take field cross section notes and somehow incorporate them into the cross sections given to them by design... or simply create a completely new set of cross sections from these notes. The answer is YES, and it's actually quite easy. It is actually done using GEOPAK Survey, not GEOPAK Road.
Requirements:
- Reference chain must be stored in the GPK file
- ASCII file must have columns for Station, Offset and Elevation, or Station, Elevation and Offset. The order isn't important, but must be consistent throughout the ASCII file.
- Each Row may have multiple OFFSET - ELEVATION data, (or ELEVATION - OFFSET data):
An example of a typical set of field notes is shown below:
NOTE: The example below illustrates field notes with an equation station, thus the yellow column of 1s. If you don't have any equation stations, simply leave the region number out.
NOTE: This ASCII file must contain the text END GROUND following the last line of data and one blank line at the very end of the file, as shown below:
Open a MicroStation file and access GEOPAK Survey from the MicroStation pulldowns, Applications > GEOPAK Survey > Survey as shown below:
The 2 dialogs below will appear:
The first step is to create a Survey "Project". Using the GEOPAK Survey pulldowns, select Project > New, as shown below:
The Project New dialog below will appear. Type in the name of the Project and either browse to or type in the GPK file number and press OK. The Directory and Description fields are optional and need not be filled in.
From the Survey pulldowns, select Dataset > New, as shown below:
The Dataset New dialog will appear as shown below.
- Set the Data Source to ASCII File(s) and the type to SOE to Cross-Section
- Select your ASCII field notes by clicking on the Dataset Add Source File to List icon, as shown below:
The Select Files dialog will appear as shown below. Select the ASCII file that contains your filed notes and press OK.
The Dataset New dialog will now reflect the dataset for loading into GEOPAK Survey. Press OK as shown below:
Once OK is pressed...on the Dataset New dialog (shown above) the SOE to Cross-Section dialog will appear as shown below:
- Select the Delimiter that complies with your filed notes, (most likely Space).
- Click on the first line of information (shown below in yellow).
- Adjust the buttons to correspond with the values in the columns.
NOTE: As you can see below, I've assigned Station to the first column, Region to the second, then repeated Offset, Elevation, Offset, Elevation.... Press the Next>> button to assign additional designations to additional columns.
- Select the Chain using the browse icon. Highlight the chain and press OK, as shown below:
Click on and adjust the Plot Parameters button (upper right corner of the SOE to Cross-Section dialog). The Plot Parameters dialog will appear as shown below center.
Adjust the fields as shown below center. Double click in the Cross Section Element Symbology rectangle to set the symbology for the ground cross sections to be drawn.
Press OK as shown below right:
Finally, click Process, as shown below:
An Alert dialog will appear informing you that the application is about to draw cross section cells into your MicroStation file. press OK, as shown below:
You should now have graphical cross sections that reflect your field notes.
NOTE: If you are attempting to draw remeasured ground lines into an existing cross section file, the cool thing here is that these field notes will be drawn directly on the existing cross sections. In other words, if you already have a cross section as station 28+50 and you load in field notes for that cross section... the new graphics will be drawn right there, on that cross section for easy comparison.
Useful COGO tips
The heart and soul of a GEOPAK design revolves around a file referred to as the GPK file. The GPK file is the Coordinate Geometry Data Base file. This is basically a container that holds all things relating to the Coordinate Geometry elements of a GEOPAK roadway design. Common elements stored in the GPK file are:
- Horizontal Alignments (also referred to as Chains or Baselines).
- Points, Curves, Spirals, Tangent Lines
- Profiles
- Parcels
The Coordinate Geometry (COGO) tool can be used to extract many things from these stored elements.
The COGO tool is available from the Horizontal & Vertical Geometry tool box as shown below:
When the COGO icon (above) is pressed, the initial Coordinate Geometry dialog appears, as shown below:
As you can see (above) there are 4 fields on this dialog. 2 of these fields are optional, (Project Name and Subject) and are normally left blank. Click on the browse icon and select the Job number (GPK file) as shown below:
The browse icon will open the Job: dialog providing access to all the GPK files available from the working directory. In this example, we only have one GPK file (job006.gpk) as shown below. Select the desired GPK file (in our case job006.gpk) and press OK as shown below:
Once OK is pressed, the initial Coordinate Geometry dialog will appear with the job number filled in. Type in the Operator Code, (usually your first and last name initials), as shown below. Press OK.
The Coordinate Geometry window will appear as shown below illustrating at the top of the window, the Job Number (006) and Operator: (sp).
You can think of the Coordinate Geometry tool as a huge calculator. This tool is very powerful and is actually where GEOPAK was born. Initially GEOPAK was just a Coordinate Geometry tool. This tool could easily take a full day of training all by itself. I intend to only show some of the things that I think would be helpful to those of you in the field, who really aren't designing, but may need to perform some calculations from designs that have been provided to you:
The COGO Navigator
The COGO Navigator has many uses. One of the uses is to print or describe any of the COGO elements. The COGO Navigator is available from the Navigator icon (looks like a little steering wheel) located at the top of the dialog as shown below:
NOTE: The COGO Navigator is also available by using the COGO pulldowns, Tools > Navigator.
The COGO Navigator (shown below illustrating all element types available) is shown below:
Printing/Describing a Chain:
Select Chain from the Element types (data point the chain name) and press the Print icon as shown below:
The results will be displayed in the Coordinate Geometry window as shown below:
NOTE: Use the vertical scroll bar (right side of the dialog) to slide down and view the entire chain description.
NOTE: See process to actually create and print a hard copy of this description.
Printing/Describing a Profile
Select Profile from the Element types (data point the profile name) and press the Print icon as shown below:
The results will be displayed in the Coordinate Geometry window as shown below:
NOTE: Use the vertical scroll bar (right side of the dialog) to slide down and view the entire profile description.
NOTE: See process to actually create and print a hard copy of this description.
Calculating Elevations along a Profile:
Another feature of COGO that might be found helpful is the ability to calculate elevations anywhere along a Profile. Available options include:
- Individual single stations.
- Even Stations.
- Increment Stations
From the COGO pulldowns, select Element > Profile > Elevation as shown below:
The Profile Elevation dialog appears as shown below:
Select the Profile by using the down arrow button as shown at above right:
To calculate a Single Station elevation, select Station from the available options, type in the station value and press Compute Elevation. The results will be shown in the COGO window, as shown below:
To calculate elevations at Even Station intervals, select Even Stations from the available options, type in the Station values and Increment and press Compute Elevation. The results will be shown in the COGO window, as shown below:
To calculate elevations at Increment Station intervals, select Increment Stations from the available options, type in the Station values and Increment and press Compute Elevation. The results will be shown in the COGO window, as shown below:
To Close the COGO window, simple click on the X (Close) icon at the upper right corner of the dialog as shown below:
Each time you close COGO, you will be asked if you want to Save session before exiting? The dialog is shown below:
Normally, you would simply click on No, as shown above.
NOTE: For complete details regarding COGO, access the GEOPAK Help files.
The Knucklehead's Guide
Don't forget; the WFLHD Complete Knucklehead's Guide for GEOPAK Road is always just a click away for those curious minds that would like to know a little more about how things work.