Constraints
Overview
Constraints are the mechanism used to maintain controlled spatial relationships between selected Design Markers. A Constraint establishes a parent-to-child, hierarchical relationship from one Marker (the Parent) to another (the Child), while referencing a user-provided slope, percent grade, or elevation difference formatted measurement.
Once created, a Constraint will force the child Marker elevation to update any time the parent Marker elevation is modified. A designer can create entire networks of Constraints and effectively raise or lower an entire site or any given portion of it, by adjusting only a few Markers' elevations. Constraints manage the elevations of all Markers down the chain of the hierarchy.
​
Requirements
Design Markers
Constraints reference Markers directly and both monitor and control their elevations, while inhibiting horizontal adjustment of the Design Markers. [1]
-
Two Markers are required to create a linear Constraint
-
Three Markers are required to create a Constraints through a curved horizontal distance
​
​
​
​
​
Notes
[1] This is also true for moving Markers using the ASE command options
Preferences
Constraints / Connections Dialog
The vertex spacing is the only user-controllable property of the Constraint, aside from the predetermined measurement format (Percent-grade, slope, elevation difference).
​
To adjust Constraints Preferences:
​
-
Open the vertical design drawing
-
Check or Set the ASE Project Data Path
-
(Menu) Select: [vrtCtrl] → Constraints Prefs...
-
Adjust the controls inside the dialog as-needed
​
Vertex Spacing: Horizontal Curves
The maximum distance between vertices of the 3DPOLY object created to visually represent a user-defined Constraint between two Design Markers.
​
Productivity: Auto-Connect with Flow Labels
Clicking the box enables the automatic creation of an ASE Connection whenever a Flow Label is created
​
Adding Constraints
Inserting Design Marker into the vertical design drawing is the first step towards establishing vertical design control in ASE.
​
Through a Linear Path
To add Design Markers one-at-a-time:
​
-
Check or Set the ASE Project Data Path
-
(Menu) Select: [vrtCtrl] → "Manual"
-
Select and desired location on the site
-
ASE places a Design Marker and "associates" it with the two closest alignments
-
If Marker elevation prompts are enabled, enter the desired elevation at the command prompt
-
ASE adjusts the new Marker's properties accordingly
-
ASE prompts for additional locations to set Markers
-
Select another location or press <ENTER> to end prompting
Auto-Set
To add Design Markers throughout the site automatically:
​
-
Check or Set the ASE Project Data Path
-
(Menu) Select: [vrtCtrl] → "Design Markers" → "Auto-Set"
-
ASE places Design Markers throughout the site along all key points of the paving control layers and "associates" each Marker with the two closest alignments [1]
​​
​
​​
Notes
[1] Marker's relative offset must be within a preset distance from a road centerline to be eligible for alignment association
Elevating Markers
Design Marker elevation control is a fundamental element of the vertical design stage. There are a variety of ways to modify the elevation of any given Design Marker.
​
Absolute Elevation Entry
Enter an elevation manually:
​
-
Check or Set the ASE Project Data Path
-
(Menu) Select: [vrtCtrl] → "Markers" → "New Elevation"
-
Select one or more Design Markers
-
Press <ENTER> to end the selection
-
At the command prompt, type the desired elevation for selected Design Marker(s)
-
All selected & eligible [1] Design Markers are elevated to the specified value
-
Adjusted Markers' labels reflect the change [2]
​
Elevation Differential
Enter a differential value:
​
-
Check or Set the ASE Project Data Path
-
(Menu) Select: [vrtCtrl] → "Markers" → "Adjust Elevation+/-"
-
Select one or more Design Markers
-
Press <ENTER> to end the selection
-
At the command prompt, type the desired elevation difference for the selected Design Marker(s)
-
All selected & eligible [1] Design Markers are elevated to the specified value
-
Adjusted Markers' labels reflect the change [2]
​​
Match Civil Surface
To elevate one or more Design Markers to match the elevation of a Civil 3D surface at their corresponding X-Y locations:
​
-
Check or Set the ASE Project Data Path
-
(Menu) Select: [vrtCtrl] → "Design Markers" → "Apply Surface Elevations"
-
Select one or more Design Markers
-
Press <ENTER> to end the selection
-
All selected & eligible [1] Markers are elevated to the current surface at their X-Y location(s)
-
Adjusted Markers' labels reflect the change [2]
​​
Sync to Layout Profile
To elevate eligible Design Markers associated with an alignment, to match the relative elevation of a Civil 3D centerline Layout Profile with respect to the Marker's measured offset distance from the alignment centerline:
​
-
Check or Set the ASE Project Data Path
-
(Menu) Select: [vrtCtrl] → "Design Markers" → "Sync' to Profile"
-
All eligible [3] Markers are elevated to match the Profile at their stations, relative to their offset
-
Adjusted Markers' labels reflect the changes
​
Constrain to Other Markers
Design Markers may be connected to other Markers via Constraints. This relationship allows a 'Parent' Marker to control the relative elevations of all other Markers down-stream in the constrained hierarchy.
Constraint Formats
Constraints may be created and edit via any of these measurement types:
-
Percent Grade : Through linear or curved paths
-
Slope :Through linear paths only
-
Elevation Difference : Path does not apply
​
More About Constraints​
For more details about working with Constraints see:
Constraints
-
Overview
-
Creating
-
Editing
​
​
Notes
[1] Only 'Parent' and 'Neutral' Markers can be re-elevated directly. 'Child' Markers can only be adjusted via their 'Parent' or Constraint
[2] Zero elevations are ignored in the Design Marker label
[3] Use the following diagram to gain a better understanding of how ASE decides which Markers get sync'd to a profile