Mastering AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008 [Paperback]

Dana Probert E.I.T. (Author), James Wedding P.E. (Author), P.E. Mark Scacco (Collaborator), Jason Hickey (Collaborator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0470167408 | ISBN-13: 978-0470167403 | Publication Date: July 30, 2007

Understand concepts, create perfect designs, and manage every stage of a project with this thorough guide to Autodesk's powerful civil engineering software. Authored by experts with close ties to Autodesk and the Civil 3D community, it features an in-depth, tutorial-based approach grounded in real-world examples so that you get the very most out of Civil 3D. This practical guide focuses squarely on how to use the software in a production environment and provides insights, insider tips, and advanced techniques you won't find anywhere else.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Design Your Way from Field to Finish with This Expert Guide to Civil 3D

Understand concepts, create perfect designs, and manage every stage of the project with this thorough guide to Autodesk's powerful civil engineering software. Authored by experts with close ties to Autodesk and the Civil 3D community, this book features an in-depth, tutorial-based approach that is grounded in real-world examples so that you can get the most out of Civil 3D.

Full of advanced techniques and insider tips, this practical guide focuses squarely on how to use the software in a production environment—and provides insights, tips, and techniques you won't find anywhere else. Whether you're new to Civil 3D or want to expand your skills, this is the comprehensive tutorial and reference you'll use again and again.

Coverage includes:

• Digging deeper into the Civil 3D tools to get more from the program

• Working field to finish with in-depth information on field surveying

• Applying simple techniques to tackle more complicated corridor construction

• Managing team and project environments with Autodesk Vault

• Creating construction documents in a flash with the Plan Production tool

• Migrating your Land Desktop data to Civil 3D

• Building project visualizations that don't break the bank or the schedule

Cut Office Time with Automated Linework Direct from Your Survey Crews

Create Accurate and Dynamic Surface Models Using the Best Techniques

Design Subdivision and Lot Layouts with Precision and Ease

Build Complex Corridors to Model Everything from Streams to Roundabouts

Collaborate More Efficiently with Autodesk Vault

Featured on the CD
The CD includes tutorial files and numerous third-party utilities and plug-ins.

About the Author

This book was written as a team effort from day one. Dana, Mark, Jason and I have covered the country and parts of the world training and teaching Civil 3D. Here’s a bit more about each of us.
Dana Probert, E.I.T., received her BSCE from Georgia Tech in 1998. Since then she has worked for consulting engineers in the United States and Canada, doing a variety of civil projects such as large planned residential communities, small subdivisions, commercial site design, stormwater management, road design, sanitary sewer networks, stream restoration projects, and municipal GIS. For most of this work, she has used AutoCAD-based products, including Land Desktop, Civil Design, Raster Design, Autodesk Map, and Civil 3D. Dana began instructing Civil 3D users in October 2004, and since then has used Civil 3D herself for subdivision layout design, road design, grading, stormwater management, and utility projects.
In addition to her own design work, Dana has been working closely as a team member with several firms on their Civil 3D pilot projects and implementation plans, and taught many Civil 3D training classes. Oh, and she also built the best 52-baseline corridor known to man.

James Wedding, P.E., spent nearly a decade in the Dallas/Fort Worth land development industry before partnering with Engineered Efficiency in February 2006. A graduate of Texas Tech with a BSCE in 1997, he worked as a design engineer focused on private development. His design experience includes small commercial to multiphase single-family and master planned communities. James has served as president of the Preston Trail Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, and was selected their Young Engineer of the Year in 2003.
One of the earliest gunslingers for the Civil 3D product, James has worked extensively with the Autodesk product team to shape and guide the software’s development. James is a highly rated repeat presenter at Autodesk University and a presenter on the Friday Civil 3D webcasts.

Mark Scacco, P.E., has been a consultant in the land development and construction industry for over a decade and has experience in all phases of development, from conceptual preliminary design through final platting and construction. He has designed projects ranging from small, oneacre sites to 500-acre, multiphase subdivisions and is still currently active as a civil designer. Mark received his BSCE from Purdue University and is a registered Professional Engineer in Illinois. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and the Geospatial Information & Technology Association.
Mark has authored several training manuals, frequently writes articles for industry magazines, and is a regular presenter at training seminars. Mark is a member of the Autodesk Civil 3D Gunslingers, authored the Civil 3D Implementation Certified Expert training material, and has trained dozens of the top resellers. He is an Autodesk Certified Instructor and has provided training and consulting across the United States and internationally in Korea and Japan.

Jason Hickey has 13 years of experience using Autodesk software for civil design. He started off his career surveying, and has progressed through the ranks of the industry since. With extensive experience in surveying, civil design, CAD management, and network administration, he fully grasps the concept of “field to finish.” Jason is a noted AUGI CAD Camp instructor and has trained companies both large and small in Civil 3D and, along with Mark, James, and Dana, maintains www.civil3d.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 984 pages
• Publisher: Sybex (July 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470167408
• ISBN-13: 978-0470167403
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 1.7 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #317,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Best book on Civil3D 2008, November 30, 2007

By 

Earl Cenac "Earl Cenac" (Castries, Saint Lucia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mastering AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008 (Paperback)

I purchased this book a few weeks ago. I decided that I wanted my office to standardize on Civil3d 2008 so I needed an authoritative book that could teach me all the intricacies of Civil3D. This book filled the bill and more.

What do you want to learn how to use in Civil3d? Parcels, Alignments, Surveys, (I am a Land Surveyor) any topic, this book covers it completely.

You could easily use it as a text book for Civil3D 2008.

It will become well worn as I use it very, very often.

Earl Cenac

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the Wait!, October 22, 2007

By 

Louisa G. Holland "MasterGraphics" (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mastering AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008 (Paperback)

Great work from the authors. This is the definitive Civil 3D 2008 book for any operator already familiar with AutoCAD. I would recommend this book to any user, from C3D newbie to advanced user. Readers will find handy how-to's and solutions to common pitfalls. Each example is realistic yet digestible. There are lots of screen captures to guide you along. The text is actually readable, unlike so many technical manuals. You'll find a smattering of quirky humor as well as intense discussion on advanced topics such as Vault and part builder.

My only minor complaint is that some of the text get a bit small in the screen captures. Other than that the book is well laid out and progresses topic to topic in a logical manner.

If you are even thinking about using Civil 3D, BUY THIS BOOK!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book, Bad Avenue, December 31, 2007

By 

Don N. Morgan (Dallas, Tx) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mastering AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008 (Paperback)

The book itself is extremely useful. Well written and contains information in a format that makes it useful for educational purposes. However, I would not purchase from Amazon.com or at least warn buyer NOT to purchase any of the like new books. In this case, the book was listed with minor defect - bend in spine, but in actuallity was missing a main component, the CD, which Amazon refused to produce or refund.