Handout - 9667 - Herring - CI9667 - Field To Finish Using Point Clouds

CI9667 - A Whole New "Field to Finish" Using LiDAR Point Clouds
CI9667
A Whole New "Field to Finish" Using LiDAR Point Clouds
Shawn Herring
Consulting & Services Manager
ProSoft (Professional Software Solutions)
Learning Objectives
Learn how to import and register LiDar scan data in ReCap
Learn how to set up AutoCAD Civil 3D for Automated Linework
Learn how to import ReCap Point Clouds
Learn how to create points, surfaces and figures
Description
We have all probably seen the "Field to Finish" workflows over the past few years. But how do we work
LiDAR (light detection and ranging) point clouds from ReCap software into the mix? Come see how we
easily create all our features, survey figures, survey points, and topo surfaces directly from our scan
data. From simple topo surveys to ALTA surveys and more, this class will help you use that massive
amount of data with ease. We will use a bridge scan as the example and take this thing from "Field to
Finish" in a whole new way. So if you want to spend less time in the field and more time doing desktop
survey, this class is for you.
Your AU Expert
Shawn has held several positions in the industry giving him exceptional experience in surveying, GIS, and
design engineering. He has also gained incredible knowledge of the AutoCAD Civil 3D implementation
process while working in CAD management for commercial and
residential projects in Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and Idaho. Shawn has
been a part of major Civil 3D implementations for several Dept. of
Transportation's as well as many of the top 50 Civil Engineering firms
in 2015. Shawn continuously speaks at multiple user groups across the
country as well as 2015 being his 6th year to speak at AU.
Email: sherring@prosoftnet.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/herring2009
1
Project Background
For this project, we took our FARO scanner and performed roughly 20 scans of a main street under
construction in Billings, Montana. We did not use targets, we simply mounted the scanner in the back of
a truck, used a tablet to connect to the scanner and scanned at locations every 200 feet or so. The
purpose of this project was simply to capture the conditions prior to placing a 60 water main down the
road.
For the sake of this class and this document, we will take the data just a few steps further to see how
valuable a workflow using Recap can be in our everyday survey needs. We will not use any third party
software, just Autodesk Civil 3D and ReCap 360 Ultimate.
A little about ReCap 360 Ultimate
Now, as we know if the Autodesk world, things tend to change. Product names continue to shift and
evolve. For these examples we will use ReCap 360 Ultimate, and within the document I will just refer to
this as ReCap. The major benefits of ReCap 360 Ultimate on a basic level, are the two following
procedures:
Registration Allows you to perform scan-to-scan registration (targetless). Automatic
Registration and Target Based Registration refinements
Survey Control Verification Input XYZ values of targets, or any known point within the scan.
File formats that can be

Formats created by Autodesk ReCap
indexed
ASC RCS. A single point cloud file that is saved in the Output folder after
CL3 indexing. Point clouds saved in RCS format use meter as the unit of
CLR
measurement.
E57
FLS RCP. A project file that points to the individual RCS files and contains
FWS information about them.
ISPROJ PCG, PTS, E57. Formats that can be exported.
LAS
PCG
PTG
PTS
PTX
RDS (3D only)
TXT
XYB
XYZ
ZFS
ZFPRJ
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Table of Contents
Learning Objectives................................................................................................................................... 1
Description ................................................................................................................................................ 1
Your AU Expert ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Project Background ................................................................................................................................... 2
Importing RAW Filed Scans into ReCap 360 Ultimate .................................................................................. 4
Create Your Project ................................................................................................................................... 4
Import RAW Scan Data ............................................................................................................................. 4
Registration in ReCap ................................................................................................................................ 6
Setup Civil 3D for Field to Finish Workflow ............................................................................................. 13
What is Field to Finish? ........................................................................................................................... 13
Setting it up!............................................................................................................................................ 13
Setting up Figure Prefix Database ........................................................................................................... 14
Setting up Linework Code Set ................................................................................................................. 18
Additional Setup (if necessary) ............................................................................................................... 20
Description Keys.................................................................................................................................. 20
Description keys work by using Codes and Formats:.............................................................................. 20
Description Code Wildcards:................................................................................................................... 21
Point Groups ....................................................................................................................................... 21
Pre-Set Surface.................................................................................................................................... 21
Importing & Working with ReCap Point Clouds in Civil 3D ......................................................................... 23
Import Point Cloud (RCS or RCP)......................................................................................................... 23
Create Points, Surfaces and Figures............................................................................................................ 25
Picking points along the Scan.............................................................................................................. 25
Picking Points .......................................................................................................................................... 26
Setting up Survey Database and Running your Linework. .......................................................................... 28
3
Importing RAW Filed Scans into ReCap 360 Ultimate

Create Your Project
The first step in working with your RAW scan data is to set up a new project and import them into
ReCap. To do so, launch ReCap. First, you will notice probably the most obvious icon in Autodesk
product history!! Take a guess on which one to create a new project...YEPthis one:
Once you select new project, you will be asked to input the project name and location.
Select proceed to create your project.

If you look in your project folder, you will see two new items:
*(ProjectName)*.rcp Autodesk ReCap Pooject File
*(ProjectName) Support Folder When a scan properly imports Recap generates several files
within the Support folder, .rcc, .diff, etc., and all the files start with the project name.
Import RAW Scan Data

We can proceed in 3 different ways. We can select a group of files by choosing the option on the top
left of the import dialog box, we can select a folder and everything with that folder will import or we can
simply drag and drop from Windows Explorer onto the target.
Select the scan folders within Windows Explorer named Billings000.fls Billings010.fls.
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Drag them from Windows Explorer, hover over the target and drop them there. This will begin the initial
import process.
You will notice the import process beginning, at this point it may be lunch time, as it does take some
time to import. You will notice the progression on the dial of each scan.
As each scan completes, it will move to the next.
You could begin registration at this point, prior to all scans being imported. However, I find it more
helpful to allow all or a large chunk of scans to complete import before registration.
For these 13 scans, it took roughly 20-25 minutes to complete the import process.
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Registration in ReCap
ReCap has 3 options once you have complete your import. Remember, only RECAP 360 UTIMATE can
register.
1. Skip Registration Use if your scan has been previously registered, maybe in another project.
Or if you have something like an LAS file where you may just want to utilize the ReCap engine.
2. Manual Registration Allows you to go through scan by scan and manually stitch scans
together by utilizing targets and/or targetless registration by picking points.
3. Register Scans This is the Auto Registration options. ReCap attempt to perform cloud-to-cloud
registration. In some instances, auto registration will not be able to find enough matching data
to add a scan correctly. In most cases it will create multiple groups and leave some scans out
for you to manually register.
Choose option 3, register scans.
ReCap will go through a process of registering the scans together, and creating grouped scans.
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Upon completion, ReCap will give you an Auto Registration Report.

In this instance of 13 scans, ReCap created 3 different groups and left one scan that still needs to be
manually registered. We will also register group-to-group scans.
Select OK.
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8
We have completed the import and auto registered several scans. We now need to manually register
the remaining scans and groups to each other.
Select scan Billings001 from the left side and scan Billings002 from the right side. We need to select 3
common points from each side, in color coded order as shown below.
Once your third and final point has been selected, the registration symbol will turn red, yellow or green.
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Hover over the registration target to quickly review the upcoming results. Select MERGE SCAN.
Your scan group will be refined, and added to the group on the left.
Switch to scan Billing007 on the left and go to the unregistered scans (Group with ? mark) on the right.
Notice the auto registration continuing as you go? If this turns green, hover to review and merge scan.
All without picking a point!
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Lets finalize the scan by merging the two final groups. Make Billings008 current on the left, and
Billing009 current on the right. Try to find 3 common point to register your scans.
Once you merge your final scans, you can choose to view it in 3D, view a registration report (a .txt file
will be added to your project folder) or choose to move forward by selecting INDEX SCANS.
You may want to adjust a few things prior to INDEXING the scans.
Adjusting Import Settings
Applied to. Determines whether the settings are applied to all imported files or whether the
settings are applied individually.
Noise filter. Determines how aggressively stray points are excluded from the imported scan file.
Distance range. Sets which points are included in the imported scan based on a minimum and
maximum distance from the scanner.
Intensity range. Sets the range of points that are imported based on intensity (reflection) values.
Decimation grid. Controls the number of points to import by specifying the smallest cubic volume
that a single point can occupy. Lower values improve the quality of the point cloud but also increase
the file size.
Coordinate system. Aligns the point cloud with a specific ESPG coordinate reference system.
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Indexing Scan Files
After you adjust the settings for the raw scan files, you start importing, which automatically triggers the
indexing process. Indexing time can range from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the number
and size of the files you import. You can start working on the point cloud scene as soon as the first file
has been indexed.
Once INDEXING is finished. Select launch project.
Cleanup Point Cloud

Here are a few things we can do to clean up out file prior to importing into Civil 3D.
Remove points
Create Regions
Optimize Points (New, upon Save)
Project Cleanup (New, Beta stage)
Export to RCS (Or other formats)

You may notice that if you simply save your cleaned up RCP file, and insert into Civil 3D, that many of
your edits (especially removing points) do not come along with it.
The simple work around I have seen it to export to an RCS file format.
To do so, just select the HOME icon on the top left, scroll to the right and select the EXPORT option. This
takes some time to unify and save all scan points, so sit back and relax!
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Setup Civil 3D for Field to Finish Workflow

What is Field to Finish?
The ability to download field collected survey data and automatically draw an intelligent base map is
called field to finish. Field to finish methods typically result in the automatic creation of: points, point
symbols, point labels, topographic feature lines, and general descriptive line work.
This workflow we will review is helpful whether you are using LiDar scanning or traditional survey
methods. The setup is the same and the output is basically the same.
Importance of .DWTs
It is important to begin any Civil 3D project drawing with a Civil 3D specific template file (.DWT). The
template file contains object and label styles in a general project environment that is specific to either
metric or imperial units.
There are many sample templates available out of the box when you install Civil 3D. These templates
are used as the starting point to develop your own custom styles, labels, and project settings.
The default location of these files is:
C:\Users\sherring\appdata\local\autodesk\c3d 2016\enu\template
The survey database files we will create are located on default at the following locations:
C:\Program Data\Autodesk\C3D 2016\enu\Survey
Those files being a figure prefix database, equipment database and linework code set.
Setting it up!
Lets start by opening out Civil 3D Standard Template file.
2 items that must exist are the Figure Prefix Database and the Linework Code set, we will choose to skip
the Equipment Database for now.
Switch to the Survey tab of the Toolspace palette.
You will see 4 options that can be expanded:
Survey Databases. A survey database collection expands to display all the networks (which
collect the control points, non-control points, known directions, observations, setups, and
traverse definitions), figures, and survey points.
Equipment Databases. Expands to display available equipment databases.
Figure Prefix Databases. Figure prefix databases enable you to determine the layer that a figure
is drawn on by creating a prefix for a group of figure names.
Linework Code Sets. Linework code sets are used to interpret the syntax of the field codes that
are entered into the data collector by the survey field crew.
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Setting up Figure Prefix Database

About Figure Prefixes
Figures are used to represent features such as buildings, roadway centerlines, and edges of pavement,
as well as topographic features such as tops of banks, bottom of slopes, and streambeds. Using figures
in survey data can greatly increase productivity and the accuracy of base map drawings and surfaces.
Figure prefixes are used to organize figures for graphical needs, for participation as surface breaklines,
and as parcel defining boundaries. When the first few characters of a figure name are matched in the
assigned Figure Prefix Database the corresponding style (or layer) is applied to the figure. If no match is
found, the figure is created on the default layer using the default style. The defaults are established in
the figure feature settings.
Figure prefixes require only the first few characters of a figure name to create a match and they do not
use wildcards. Figure prefixes are stored in the Figure Prefix database.
On the Survey tab in Toolspace, right-click the Figure Prefix Database collection, select New.
14
Enter a Name (I used AU2015)

Right click on you newly created database and select Manage Figure Prefix Database.
Select the plus sign icon to begin adding figure prefix information into the database.
15
When you add in a figure code, you will need to specify the following:
Name - Specifies the name for the figure prefix. The prefix name is used to match on a figure name at
figure creation time, for example, when importing a survey file.
Breakline - Specifies that the matched figures can be used as breaklines (when creating surface
breaklines from figures).
Lot Line - Specifies that the figure behaves as a parcel segment. When this property is selected and the
figure is inserted into drawing, the figure behaves as a parcel segment in the site that it is placed on.
Figures with this property may create parcels and can be labeled as parcel segments.
Layer - Specifies the layer that the figure object is placed on when inserting figures into a drawing. When
there is a prefix match, the following occurs:
*If the specified layer exists in the drawing, the figure is placed on that layer.
**If the specified layer does not exist in the drawing, the layer is created and the figure is placed on the
specified layer.
Style - Specifies the figure style that is assigned to the figure when the figure is inserted into a drawing.
When there is a prefix match, the following occurs:
*If the specified style name exists in the drawing, the style is used.
**If the specified style does not exist in the drawing, a new style with the specified name is created.
Site - Specifies the site name that is assigned to the figure if a figure prefix match occurs. The figure is
placed in this site when it is inserted into a drawing. If the site name does not exist in the current
drawing it is created.
We will create the following within the database:
16
17
Setting up Linework Code Set

On the Survey tab in Toolspace, right-click the Linework Code Sets collection, select New.
In the New Linework Code Set dialog box, enter a unique file name.
In the Edit Linework Code Set dialog box, specify values for the following:
Information
Coding Methods
Special Codes
Line Segment Codes
Curve Segment Codes
Click OK.
18
Here are the few commands that are helpful in the field, remember, these are 100% customizable:
BEGIN, BEG, B, BF Starts a figure

E, END, EF Ends a figure
C3 Creates a 3 point curve (must be collected consecutively)
BC, C Starts a multiple point curve (must be collected consecutively)
EC, C Ends the multiple point curve
Below is a quick example of a properly coded field survey setup to use the Field to Finish method.
1056,7379009.7754,1532538.7845,4500.0820,TBC3 EC
1057,7379001.2567,1532528.3943,4500.0000,TBC3
1060,7379137.7118,1532438.5200,4500.2610,TBC3 BC
1061,7379140.5166,1532438.8480,4500.2790,TBC3 OC
1062,7379140.7627,1532435.7955,4500.2580,TBC3 EC CLS
1063,7379039.7648,1532576.0772,4500.7800,TBC4 B H0.5 V0 H0.6 V-0.5 H2.0 V-0.33
1064,7379031.4424,1532565.7311,4500.5870,TBC4 BC
1065,7379024.0331,1532565.2711,4500.4110,TBC4 OC
1066,7379022.8961,1532572.5924,4500.3820,TBC4 EC
1067,7379031.2199,1532582.9526,4500.5760,TBC4
1068,7379039.5423,1532593.2986,4500.7700,TBC4 BC
1069,7379046.9516,1532593.7586,4500.9450,TBC4 OC
1070,7379048.0808,1532586.4310,4500.9740,TBC4 EC CLS
1071,7379188.3897,1532415.9050,4502.6810,PLANTER1 B H1.0 V0 H1.1 V-0.5 H-.1 V-2
1072,7379181.8650,1532407.7370,4502.5130,PLANTER1
19
Additional Setup (if necessary)

Description Keys
Description keys are used to match point descriptions much the same way figure prefixes work to with
figures. Description keys can be used to interpret the description of a survey point and automatically
apply an appropriate style.
For example, Control points may be styled to show a station symbol and display point number,
elevation, and full description information. Tree points may be styled to show a tree symbol and only
display description information. Description keys may also control the sizes and rotation of symbols that
are applied to points.
Description keys work by using Codes and Formats:

Code seeks a match to the points raw description. If a code is matched, then the point styling (or
layer) and description format are applied.
Format - a format interprets a points raw description for point label information in a drawing. If no
interpretation is needed the $* wildcard is used to pass the exact raw description through to the COGO
point label
20
Description Keys and Description Key sets are drawing dependent and not part of the Survey Database.
They are defined, saved, and remain as part of the .DWG and/or the .DWT.
Description Code Wildcards:

Wild cards make code description matching more powerful. Wild cards are used to reduce the need for
multiple description keys for points of similar, but slightly different, descriptions.
Wild Card Definition Example
* Matches any single or TR* will match TR-DEC, TR-PINE,

TR-OAK.
multiple character
@ Matches any single alpha STA@ will match STAR and STAA.
character
# Matches any single numeric TOE# will match TOE1 and TOE7.
character
Point Groups
A point group has the following characteristics:
It has persistent properties you can easily review or change.
A points list displays the points included in a point group. The point list can be updated
automatically. This might be necessary when you change the point groups properties, create
new points that match the point groups properties, or erase or modify points that match the
point groups properties.
A point group can be locked to prevent changes within a drawing.
Pre-Set Surface
I typically leave a preset EG (Existing Ground) surface in my template. It is mapped already to a Point
Group that is meant to include only points wanted in an EG surface. Making it quick and easy to add
breaklines, survey figures, edits. Just a quick timesaver!
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Importing & Working with ReCap Point Clouds in Civil 3D

Import Point Cloud (RCS or RCP)
RCS - A single point cloud file that is saved in the Output folder after indexing. Point clouds
saved in RCS format use meter as the unit of measurement.
RCP - A project file that points to the individual RCS files and contains information about them.
**IMPORTANT NOTE**
Recap projects are in meters and units are purely for display and wont change the datas units unless
converted during import. If your project in Civil 3D is already in imperial units then use scale factor of
3.2808 when you attach point cloud.
You can import ReCap projects into DWG files within AutoCAD Civil 3D. This can be done from the Insert
menu or by simply dragging the RCP file into Civil 3D.
Go to the INSERT ribbon tab, on the Point Cloud panel, choose Attach.
Browse to and select your scan file.

Typically, the only thing you need to change on the Attach Point Cloud dialog box is the scale factor,
input 3.2808.
23
Select your point cloud from the screen, notice the context sensitive ribbon appear, explore your
options there.
You can easily crop out smaller work areas, this will help in extraction and/or picking your points.
Select your point cloud, on the Cropping panel, expand the rectangular selection and choose
POLYGONAL
Crop out an area of your point cloud and select ENTER.
24
Create Points, Surfaces and Figures

We have a few options here we could use.
Picking COGO points (Coded or not for Field to Finish)
Drawing Feature lines by snapping to the Cloud
Converting the Point Cloud directly to a Civil 3D Surface
Picking points along the Scan

We will need to turn on the 3D Object Snap mode. Select F4, or go Object Snap Settings.
Switch to the 3D Object Snap tab, on the right side you can select the snaps pertaining to a Point Cloud.
25
Picking Points
Orbit to a 3D perspective view. We will pick some points along the edge of pavement (lip of gutter).
From the Home tab on the ribbon, on the Create Ground Data panel, select the Points pulldown and
choose Point Creation Tools
Choose Manual
We will pick points along the EOP, coded as shown below:

B EOP1
EOP1
26
BC EOP1
OC EOP1
EC EOP1
EOP1
EOP1
EOP1
E EOP1
This should result in something similar to the following:
Continue to pick and code points for the following.

Buildings (BLDG)
Top of Curb (TBC)
Road CL (CL)
Sidewalk (SW, BOW)
27
Setting up Survey Database and Running your Linework.

We previously completed the necessary setup needed to run the Field to Finish workflows. We
completed the Linework Code Set and the Figure Prefix Database. We now need to setup and run a
Survey Database to complete the project.
From the Insert tab of the ribbon, on the Import panel, choose Import Survey Data.
Choose CREATE NEW SURVEY DATABASE, and name your survey database. It also may be a good idea to
select EDIT SURVEY DATABASE SETTINGS and ensure US Survey Foot is set as the correct distance fo
measurement.
Select NEXT.
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From the Specify Data Source menu, pull down the dropdown of Data Source Type and review your
options. In this case we will use POINTS FROM DRAWING.
Choose SELECT POINTS FROM DRAWING
From the command line, you can choose ALL, NUMBERS, GROUP or SELECTON. Choose ALL.
Select NEXT two times.
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Ensure your databases are set to the proper ones, and that Process Linework During Import is selected.
Select FINISH.
DONE!!
Notice how your linework has been drawn in as survey figures. You can then use the points you selected
to create a surface if you wanted. You can add in the survey figures as breaklines, and you can continue
picking points and reimporting the linework as you go.
Not too bad right?!
I have a more detailed Filed to Finish workflow document available if anyone would like it. Feel free to
reach out to me anytime with questions or suggestions.
Thank you!
Shawn Herring
Email: sherring@prosoftnet.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/herring2009
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Importing RAW Filed Scans into ReCap 360 Ultimate

Select proceed to create your project.

Import RAW Scan Data

As each scan completes, it will move to the next.

Upon completion, ReCap will give you an Auto Registration Report.

Indexing Scan Files

Once INDEXING is finished. Select launch project.

Cleanup Point Cloud

Export to RCS (Or other formats)

Setup Civil 3D for Field to Finish Workflow

Setting up Figure Prefix Database

Enter a Name (I used AU2015)

Setting up Linework Code Set

BEGIN, BEG, B, BF Starts a figure

Additional Setup (if necessary)

Description keys work by using Codes and Formats:

Description Code Wildcards:

Wild Card Definition Example

* Matches any single or TR* will match TR-DEC, TR-PINE,

A point group has the following characteristics:

It has persistent properties you can easily review or change.

A point group can be locked to prevent changes within a drawing.

Importing & Working with ReCap Point Clouds in Civil 3D

Browse to and select your scan file.

Crop out an area of your point cloud and select ENTER.

Create Points, Surfaces and Figures

Picking points along the Scan

We will pick points along the EOP, coded as shown below:

This should result in something similar to the following:

Continue to pick and code points for the following.

Setting up Survey Database and Running your Linework.

Choose SELECT POINTS FROM DRAWING

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