InfraWorks 360 2016 Part 2
Part 2: March 2015 Updates
In the first release of the 2016 version, there were quite a few enhancements and new tools. The same sleek interface exists but with additional preview features. Remember, preview tools are free and require zero cloud credits while they remain in preview mode. Corridor Optimization still exists as a preview but as we saw in the later 2015 releases, Profile Optimization became fully integrated into the program and requires cloud credits to utilize.
Updates in the first release (March 2015):
- Model Builder can now read the extents of an SHP file to determine the outer limits of a model. In addition, Model Builder is no longer in preview mode but also does not require any cloud credits to utilize.
 Drainage Design has been given a little more TLC and as a result has more structures, pipe shapes and sizes and its own inlet analysis feature. The Size Pavement Drainage function designs pipes, sizes underground structures and adjusts slopes as needed. The Inspect Performance icon lets you analyze the efficiency of an individual inlet and check the depth and width to ensure it does not exceed the design requirements. It also allows you to check a pipeline from a series of two specific inlets or pipe connectors and view the depth of water in the pipe.
- The Line Girder Analysis has been added as a preview to the Bridge module. It runs an analysis on an individual girder using Autodesk Structural Bridge Design in the cloud and gives you a full report on each design girder using cloud credits. You can make changes to the design and rerun the analysis to ensure each girder meets design requirements. Every run of the analysis is free but the ultimate full report uses cloud credits and is customizable with company name, project name and logo.
- Land Areas change the material of a cut and fill grading. However, land areas with materials (i.e. grass, gravel, etc.) are just straight segment polygons that you draw on top of the graded area. Land Areas do not modify the geometry of the grading; they just apply a material over the top. The downside is that you have to trace your grading as it is not automatic. Coverage Areas, on the other hand, flatten the surface within the created polygon creating a building pad, park, etc.
- Traffic Simulation is a new preview mode in the Road Design module that allows you to simulate traffic (just like the name states). The beauty of this tool lies in the analysis showing you where traffic backups would occur and colored zones that show the backed up areas in red and the flowing areas in green.
- The web viewer has been updated a bit. The web viewer allows you to view scenarios from your internet browser. You can access it from within the program from the Manage Online Scenarios icon or share it with someone else by emailing sending a link created from inside of the program. It allows you to view published scenarios, turn layers on and off, use Design Feed to comment on the model or scenario and view a map inset of the model’s location.
- The biggest update within this release immensely improves the compatibility with Civil 3D. InfraWorks can be imported directly in the program. In Civil 3D 2016, an InfraWorks icon on the Insert tab allows you to directly import a part of the model or the entire model into Civil 3D. Civil 3D 2015 also has the same capability but needs an additional productivity pack installed from the manage.autodesk.com website. As long as both the InfraWorks model and the civil 3d drawing are set to the same coordinates, the conversion brings in the centerline alignments, surface, bridge (comes in as a group of 3D solids) and pipe networks into Civil 3D. The one and only option available to export InfraWorks to Civil 3D resulted in only the surface and centerline alignments being imported to Civil 3D. In addition, corridors can now be brought into InfraWorks and updated as the project progresses.