Pipes in Cross Sections

[James Shaw]

This is mostly for Carlson, but I'm hoping to get some feedback from the
general users. We have just tried the Draw Pipe 3D Polyline, the Assign
Pipe Width to Polyline, and the Sections Points from Pipes trio of commands.
The descriptions on how these commands work are rather vague, but we were
able to successfully get the intended results. Herein lies our problem, we
originally assumed that the Draw Pipe 3D Polyline command was asking for the
invert elevation. After testing the results we learned that 'elevation' is
actually the center of the pipe. Additionally, when we show utilities in
cross sections we show both the inside diameter and outside diameter of the
pipe in order to accurately show and avoid the utilities from interfering
with one another. The Assign Pipe Width to Polyline command only asks for a
pipe width in inches and it is up to the user to decide which dimension they
are supplying.

What we would like to see is the command either revised, or given the option
to use invert elevations on the Draw Pipe 3D Polyline command, and the
Assign Pipe Width to Polyline command to allow input of the inside diameter,
outside diameter, or both, and for the pipe placement to be based off of the
invert elevations from the previous command.

Does this sound right to the other users? Do you use invert elevations in
your utility computations or is this a regional standard?

Let us know what you think.

James Shaw
G.W. Stephens, Jr. and Associates, Inc.