MX Roads Manual

An Alignment constitutes the basic horizontal and vertical position of a design from which all surface
features are generated. For a road, the alignment may represent either the centerline, the channel or
any other convenient feature. Alignments are created in two stages: first the horizontal design, then
the vertical design. Complete alignments may be converted to M-strings for use with other options.
Typically you may use Design to design the geometric features of the alignment.
For horizontal and vertical design there are three methods; the element method, the intersection
point (IP) method and spline method .
- The Element method : lets you place individual geometric straight and curve elements, that can be
joined together to create a single master string.
- The Ip (intersection point) method : This is rapid placement and manipulation method, wherein,
you can place IP's (that is points) and the alignment will be created joining these IP's.
- Best Fit method : When you already have an existing alignment, and want to design a new
alignment with some difference like the curve radius, etc, this method can be used.
Element Method: Horizontal Design
If you were designing an alignment manually, linking straights and circular arcs with transitions, you
would sketch out your alignments initially on a plan with railway curves. With Alignment, instead of
the backcloth paper drawing, you have the backcloth display of the ground model. You then position
your arcs and straights with varying degrees of fixity until you feel you have the required solution.
Alignment automatically computes the arithmetic and displays the geometry.
There are three ways of specifying the geometry of a conventional alignment of straight elements
and circular arcs linked together with transitions. With each of these, the elements are referred to as
being either fixed, floating or free.
As you place each float or free element, Alignment analyses the part of the alignment connected to
the floating or free element.
Element Method: Vertical Design
When you have a background display of a ground profile you then position your curves and grades
with varying degrees of fixity until you have the required solution. Alignment automatically calculates
and displays the geometry superimposed on the display.
An element is either a straight grade or a parabolic curve. You specify each element in one of three
ways; fixed, floating or free.
Quick Alignment Method : Horizontal Design : It is used for designing alignments using the IP
(Intersection points) method. IP alignment is used to create straight elements. Arcs may then be
inserted at the intersection points of these elements.
Quick Alignment Method : Vertical Design : This option allows you to design vertical alignments
that consist of a grade-curve-grade-curve-grade sequence. The IPs between adjacent grades are
used as a reference for specifying the curves between adjacent grades.
Best Fit Horizontal Alignment: Creating an alignment from the surveyed data .
Analyzing an existing string is a valuable step in starting a horizontal alignment design. In addition as
the design develops, these options can be selected whenever you need to know more about the
existing centerline (in plan), for example, the horizontal curvature of the surveyed centerline between
certain points.
Best Fit Vertical Alignment: It is used for analyzing an existing string or a

section created through a surface, creating an envelope using the levels along
it, and fitting a vertical alignment through this envelope.
If you refer help section of MXRoad , you will get a detail idea about each
method.
Many users get surveys provided in CAD formats (AutoCAD DWG,DXF ,DGN, etc) this wiki
details the processs for converting a CAD file to an MX model.
Steps to Accomplish
1. Reference the CAD file into MX (Create a new MX plan display for this). Load
the References tool (Tools>References>References).
From the dialog box select Tool>Attach a reference file or select the Attach a
Reference icon . Browse to the files you require referenced into MX. The following dialog
box will appear which allows the scale to be adjusted if required. Select OK and the drawing
will be referenced into the MX plan display.
2. Right click on the reference file and select Merge into Master and click in the window to
proceed.
Click into the View window to accept the Merge to Master.
This will import the data from the reference file into standalone MX as Cad Elements which
can be converted to MX Elements.
3. Load the CAD Import Wizard. Load from the CAD Import Toolbar or via the
menu (MX>File>Import>CAD Data).
4. The first panel is the Cell Mapping Panel.

This panel controls how to deal with cells (AutoCAD Blocks. The Mapping Type options
are:
To Strings: Where a cell in the drawing only has a single instance, this indicates that it may
need to be dropped back from the cell representation for the elements to be correctly stored
in MX.
To Symbol: When a cell has multiple instances in the drawing, the cell should be converted
into an MX symbol.
Not mapped: Manual selection of this method is required to force this cell to be ignored.
Cells mapped to strings must be further broken down into their constituent parts using Drop
String Cells (AutoCAD Explode String Blocks).
5. The next panel is the Drawing Review Panel.

A summary of the current drawing to be converted is displayed. This includes information
which will affect the conversion of the drawing, and suggestions to improve the conversion.
Drawing extents / coordinate base: this may identify the need for a coordinate shift or
rescale of drawing units to match the model MX units.
Number of elements 2D and 3D - It may be preferred to ignore 2D elements in the mapping

/ transfer and retain the original graphics of 2D elements as a reference when working in
CAD.
6. The next panel is the Style Set Panel
This panel defines the name of the default model and style set to be created. Both the
model and style set default is the name of the current drawing.
Selecting Use Existing Style Set will set the model to use a style set already associated
with the model (this can be a company specific survey style set). If you leave this unticked a
style set will be created based on the levels in the CAD file.
If you select Use multiple features per level the MX feature levels created by the mapping
will default MX features back to the original level.
7. The next panel is the Feature Details Panel.
If you have selected Use Existing Style Set you will need to select feature names from
the dropdown menu to match levels with features. Do this for all levels.
8. The final panel is the Report panel.

This displays a report on the features found which will be converted to the MX model. This
can be in feature set format, or a list of the object types.
9. Select Import and the CAD elements will be converted to MX elements in the selected
model.
STEPS TO REMOVE NULL POINTS

 You can use Surface Checker to remove Null Levels.
How to remove them still the problem is carry on...?
Select your model where you have null Levels > Check on Null Levels > Hit Apply, you will
see report option, click on it.
Click on Edit button at bottom and then delete.

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An Alignment constitutes the basic horizontal and vertical position of a design from which all surface

Element Method: Horizontal Design

Best Fit Vertical Alignment: It is used for analyzing an existing string or a

4. The first panel is the Cell Mapping Panel.

5. The next panel is the Drawing Review Panel.

Number of elements 2D and 3D - It may be preferred to ignore 2D elements in the mapping

8. The final panel is the Report panel.

STEPS TO REMOVE NULL POINTS

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