Import Contours from AutoCAD Civil 3D

SketchUp Pro
1

Hi,

I have contours created in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Is it possible to import this contours into SketchUp?

Thanks

2

Yes.
See these Help articles

How should I prepare a CAD file for import into SketchUp?
http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/38578

Importing 3D DWG or DXF files
http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/114366

Reducing DWG or DXF import file size
http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/114368

Can I create terrain from imported contour lines?
http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/38587

Sandbox From Contours Tool: Creating a sandbox from contour lines
http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/95051

How can I improve performance when using the Sandbox tools to work with terrain?
http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/43283

3

Thank you for information provided

4

I have been able to do this successfully. If I remember correctly, I had to explode the entities in the AutoCAD file multiple times in order to get them to import into SketchUp. Once in sketch up, I ran a simplify contours extension and then was able to manipulate the contour lines normally. Once you have contour lines, you can push/pull them into their proper position and if you need, you can produce a surface mesh using the sandbox tools.

5

Hi Brent,

Yes it works well and I can create surface with sandbox tool.

Next question, how do I change this surface to TIN surface?

Regards

6

Click … View > Hidden Geometry

See this section of the SketchUp Concepts Guide > Modeling Terrain and Organic Shapes
http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/115432

See:
View Menu (Windows)
http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/114256

View (Mac OS X)
http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/114255

Surface is a SketchUp entity.
Its existence depends upon the state and visibility of Edges common to Faces. (Soft or Not Soft)

Surface Entities
http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/115411

Soften Edges Dialog Box
http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/114940

Eraser Tool: Soften Edges
http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/94954

7

When importing contours from AutoCAD Civil 3D and you want to preserve drawing origin option when importing. Can the SketchUp (0,0) origin then be reposition to the imported file and avoid the performance problems?

8

When importing contours from AutoCAD Civil 3D and you want to preserve drawing origin option when importing. Can the SketchUp (0,0) origin then be reposition to the imported file and avoid the performance problems?

9

Moving the Drawing Axes doesn’t change the internal World Axes.
It won’t alleviate the problems that can occur when modeling great distances from the Origin.

10

I have been given DXF and DWG files with contours. I do not have AutoCad and so cannot explode or prepare them. As you can appreciate the contour lines are not imported.

Is there a way around this problem that you know of?

11

Hi,

My suggestion, go to Autodesk.com and download Autocad trial version and
open your existing file (DXF & DWG files).

Hopefully this helps.