CivilDesigns

Ch-11 Es. Exercises

Applying Section Styles

Sections vs. Corridor Sections

Sections are created from surfaces and are similar to surface profiles, typically represented as a single line that can be labeled with a label set. Corridor sections, however, are different—they represent assemblies placed onto a section view, consisting of subassemblies, points, links, and shapes. Due to these differences, styling and labeling methods vary between sections and corridor sections.

Section Styles

Section styles control the appearance of sections, either directly or by displaying them on a different layer. A common use of section styles is to differentiate sections representing existing and proposed ground surfaces. They can also be used to show point markers at each vertex in the section line.

Exercise 11.1: Apply Section Styles

This exercise demonstrates how to apply section styles to distinguish between finished ground, existing ground, and rock surfaces.

  1. Open the drawing Applying Section Styles.dwg which you can download from Video Tutorial Description below.
    • The drawing contains three section views displaying a corridor section, an existing ground section, and a rock section.
  2. Select the lowest section in the 8+50.00 (0+260.00) section view and click Section Properties in the Section: Rock ribbon tab.
  3. In the Section Properties dialog box, go to the Information tab.
    • Change Object Style to Rock and click OK to apply changes.
    • Press Esc to deselect.
    • The rock section now appears as a gray dashed line.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the section above the rock layer, but set its style to Existing Ground.
    • The existing ground section now appears as a red dashed line, along with the rock section.
  1. Select the lower section in the 9+00.00 (0+270.00) section view, right-click, and choose Properties.
  2. In the Properties window, set Style to Rock and keep the Properties window open.
  3. Press Esc to clear the selection, then select the existing ground section. Use the Properties window to change its style to Existing Ground.
  4. Press Esc again, then click on one of the grid lines in the 9+25.00 (0+280.00) section view. Click Section View Properties in the ribbon.
  5. In the Section View Properties dialog box, go to the Sections tab:
    • In the Style column, change the style of EG to Existing Ground.
    • Change the style of Rock to Rock.
    • Click OK to apply changes.
    • Press Esc to clear the selection.
    Now, all three section views should correctly display the existing ground and rock sections.
  6. Save and close the drawing.

To review the completed exercise, open Applying Section Styles – Complete.dwg.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/s034pfmtkcnzd3j/Applying+Section+Styles+-+Complete.dwg/file

Watch Complete Video Tutorial here for This Exercise:

Applying Section Labels

At times, it is necessary to annotate sections with details such as elevations, slopes, and offsets. Similar to profile labels, section label sets allow for applying multiple labels at once while controlling increments, weeding, and other settings.

Types of Section Labels

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2025 provides four types of section labels:

  • Major Offset Labels: Placed at constant increments along the section to show offset, elevation, grade, etc.
  • Minor Offset Labels: Similar to major offset labels but at smaller increments and dependent on them.
  • Segment Labels: Used to label the grade, length, and other properties of section line segments.
  • Grade Break Labels: Placed at points where segments meet, showing offset, elevation, and other details.

While major and minor offset labels are applied at fixed increments, segment and grade break labels appear where their respective section components exist. To avoid clutter, label sets can be configured to skip closely spaced points.

Exercise 11.2: Apply Section Labels

  1. Open the drawing Applying Section Labels.dwg which you can download from Video Tutorial description below.
  2. Select the rock section in the lowest section view and click Edit Section Labels on the ribbon.

3: In the Section Labels – Rock dialog box, perform the following steps:

  • Set Type to Grade Breaks.
  • Choose Rock for Section Grade Break Label Style.
  • Click Add.
  • For Dim Anchor Opt, select Graph View Bottom.
  • Enter 0 in the Dim Anchor Val field.
  • Click OK to apply.

Three labels will appear at the bottom of the section view with lines extending upward from each label.

4: Press Esc to clear the selection. Select one of the labels and click Edit Label Group on the ribbon.

5: In the Weeding column, change the value to 5 (2). Click OK and press Esc to clear the selection.

As shown in Figure 11.2. Now, more labels will display as the Weeding setting allows labels to appear with a minimum spacing of 5 feet (2 meters) instead of 100 feet (25 meters).

  1. Repeat the same steps to apply Grade Break labels to the rock section in the other two section views.
  2. Save and close the drawing.

To review the completed exercise, open Applying Section Labels – Complete.dwg.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/atb3mx9siywyq84/Applying+Section+Labels+-+Complete.dwg/file

Watch Complete Video here for this Exercise here:

Anchors in Section Labels

In Exercise 11.2, step 3 introduced the concept of anchors, which are unique to section and profile view labels.

  • Graph View Bottom (Dim Anchor Opt): Aligns labels to the bottom of the grid.
  • Dim Anchor Val: Sets an offset from the anchor point for fine-tuning label placement.

A quick way to check if a label style supports anchors is by looking for a second grip when the label is created. This grip can be moved, allowing further control over label placement.

Label Sets for Section Views

Similar to alignment and profile labels (covered in Chapters 6 & 8), label sets can also be used for section views.

Instead of manually configuring rock labels in step 6 of Exercise 11.2, you can:

  1. Use Save Label Set after setting up the first configuration.
  2. Use Import Label Set to apply the same configuration to other section views.

This method ensures consistency and saves time.

Controlling Corridor Section Display with Code Set Styles

Unlike regular section styles, corridor sections use code set styles for customization.

What Are Code Set Styles?

A corridor section is essentially an assembly composed of subassemblies.
Each subassembly consists of:

  • Points
  • Links
  • Shapes

Each of these elements has codes assigned to them. Code set styles work by linking these codes with specific styles to control the display of corridor sections.

Example of Code Set Styles in Action

  • A shape representing pavement might have a code Pave.
  • Two different shape styles could be:
    • Basic Pavement: Displays only the outline.
    • Hatched Pavement: Fills the shape with a dot hatch.
  • A Basic Code Set Style might apply the Basic Pavement style to all objects coded Pave.
  • A Detailed Code Set Style might apply the Hatched Pavement style to the same objects.

By switching between Basic and Detailed code set styles, you can instantly change the appearance of a corridor section.

Exercise 11.3: Apply Code Set Styles

In this exercise, you will apply different code set styles to corridor sections and observe the changes. You will explore code set styles for an individual section and a section view group.

  1. Open the drawing named Applying Code Set Styles.dwg,which you can download from Video Tutorial description below.
  2. Click the corridor section in the bottom section view, then click Section Properties on the ribbon.
  3. In the Corridor Section Properties dialog box, go to the Information tab, change Object Style to Road Sections, and click OK. Press Esc to clear the selection.
  4. Using the same procedure, change the style to Road Sections – Top Highlighted.
  5. In the lower-right corner of your screen, click the Customization Menu icon. If there is no check mark next to LineWeight, click LineWeight to activate it on the status bar.
  6. Click the LineWeight icon on the status bar to turn on the display of lineweights. The icon turns blue when the feature is enabled.
  7. Change the style of the corridor section to Presentation.
    • In this style, the pavement is hatched with a different pattern than the curbs.
  8. Press Esc to clear the previous selection. Zoom out and pan north to locate the section view sheets. Click one of the section views, then select View Group Properties from the ribbon.
  9. Click the Sections tab. In the Style column, change the style for Jordan Court to Presentation.
  10. Click OK to close the Section View Group Properties dialog box and return to the drawing. Zoom in and observe the changes in the section views.
    • The code set style has been applied to the entire section view group(see Figure 11.3).
  1. Save and close the drawing.
    You can view the results of successfully completing this exercise by opening
    Applying Code Set Styles – Complete.dwg.
    https://www.mediafire.com/file/pn0uh6uj0q2p1be/Applying+Code+Set+Styles+-+Complete.dwg/file

Watch Complete Video Tutorial here for this Exercise:

Applying Labels with Code Set Styles

As seen earlier, code set styles effectively assign styles based on point, link, and shape codes. They can also be used to apply labels to corridor sections, where codes play a key role in automating label placement.

Exercise 11.4: Apply Labels with Code Set Styles

In this exercise, you will use a code set style to add labels to a corridor section and modify the style to include a label at the crown.

  1. Open the drawing named Labeling with Code Set Styles.dwg, which you can download from video description below.
  2. Click the corridor section in the bottom section view, then select Section Properties from the ribbon.
  3. Change Object Style to Design With Labels, then click OK. Press Esc to clear the selection.
    • The corridor section now includes labels for slopes, elevations, and shape codes.
  4. Open the Tool Palettes window by clicking the Tool Palettes icon on the Home tab of the ribbon.
  5. Click the Basic tab in the Tool Palettes window to bring the Basic palette to the forefront.
  6. Right-clickBasicLaneTransition and select Help.
    • You will be directed to the Help window for this subassembly.
    • Note that point P1 is coded as Crown (Figure 11.4). This is the code you will use.
  1. Scroll to the bottom of the Help page and study the coding diagram.
  2. Close the Help window. Click the corridor section, then select Section Properties ➢ Edit Code Set Style from the ribbon.
  3. In the Code Set Style dialog box, go to the Codes tab. Expand the Point section and locate the Crown code.
  4. Click the icon to the right of <None> in the Label Style column next to Crown. Select Crown Elev, then click OK.
  5. Click OK to close the Code Set Style dialog box. Press Esc to clear the section selection.

A marker and label are now displayed at the crown of the road. The code set style automatically recognized the Crown code in the corridor section and applied the label accordingly (Figure 11.5).

  1. Save and close the drawing.
    You can view the results of successfully completing this exercise by opening
    Labeling with Code Set Styles – Complete.dwg.
    https://www.mediafire.com/file/ua1evdokynhxkff/Labeling+With+Code+Set+Styles+-+Complete.dwg/file

Watch Complete Video Tutorial here for this Exercise:

Applying Section View Styles

Now that you have studied the display and annotation of sections, let’s explore the appearance of the section view that provides the backdrop for the sections. Section views share similarities with profile views—both can display a grid, apply vertical exaggeration, and use bands for additional information at the top or bottom. The key difference is that profile views display stations (along the alignment), while section views display offsets (perpendicular to the alignment).

Exercise 11.5: Apply Section View Styles

In this exercise, you will experiment with changing the section view style for an individual section view and a group of section views.

  1. Open the drawing named Applying Section View Styles.dwg, which you can download from Video tutorial description below.
  2. Click the lowest section view, then select Section View Properties from the ribbon.
  3. In the Section View Properties dialog box, go to the Information tab and change the style to Design 10V Major And Minor – No Padding. Click OK. Press Esc to clear the selection.
  4. Use the Section View Properties command to change the style to Design 1V Major And Minor – No Padding.
    • This view is similar to the previous one but without vertical exaggeration.
  5. Use the Section View Properties command to change the style to Design 1V – No Grid.
    • Since this style excludes the grid and labels, it can be used to create illustrations for reports.
  6. Use the Section View Properties command to change the style to Design 5V Major Only.
    • This view is similar to the previous ones but without minor grids.
  7. Press Esc to clear the selection. Zoom out and pan north to locate the three sheets of section views. Click one of the section views, then select View Group Properties from the ribbon.
    • This opens the Section View Group Properties dialog box.
  8. In the Section Views tab, click in the Style column in the first row next to Section View Group – 1.
    • The new style applies a vertical exaggeration of 2, making the section views take up more space from top to bottom.
  9. Select Road Section Type 2, then click OK. Click OK again to close the Section View Group Properties dialog box.
  10. With one of the section views still selected, click Update Group Layout on the ribbon.
    • The sections are rearranged, and the new layout may require an additional sheet (two extra sheets for metric drawings) to accommodate the extra space (Figure 11.6).
  1. Save and close the drawing.
    You can view the results of successfully completing this exercise by opening
    Applying Section View Styles – Complete.dwg.
    https://www.mediafire.com/file/we05keu7z6u7xax/Applying+Section+View+Styles+-+Complete.dwg/file

Watch Complete Video here for this Exercise:

All That with One Style?

In Step 3 of Exercise 11.5, when you changed the section view style from Design 5V Major And Minor to Design 10V Major And Minor – No Padding, the following changes were applied automatically:

  • Vertical exaggeration increased from 5 to 10, making elevation changes more dramatic.
  • Elevation grid intervals increased, displaying more major and minor grids along with labels.
  • Padding beneath sections was removed, optimizing space usage.
  • Minor interval of offset grid lines increased, making spacing adjustments.

This demonstrates the power of styles—manual adjustments would have taken several minutes, but applying a new style instantly updates all settings.

Applying Section View Bands

To display additional graphical and textual information about sections, you can use bands.

There are two types of section view bands:

1. Section Data Bands

  • Labels offset and elevation data at regular intervals along the section view.
  • Helps in reading terrain elevation changes at specific locations.

2. Section Segment Bands

  • Labels length and slope information for each segment.
  • Unlike section data bands, labels aren’t evenly spaced—each segment gets its own label.
  • Weeding can be applied to avoid overlapping labels when segments are too short.

Exercise 11.6: Apply Section View Bands

In this exercise, you will apply section view bands in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2025 to display station, elevation, and rock depth information. You will also apply bands to multiple section views and adjust the layout accordingly.

  1. Open the drawing Applying Section View Bands.dwg which you can download from Video tutorial description below.
  2. Click the bottom section view grid and select Section View Properties from the ribbon.
  3. In the Bands tab of the Section View Properties dialog box:
    • Ensure Section Data is selected for Band Type.
    • Verify that Design – EG Elev is selected under Select Band Style.
    • Click Add.
    • Set Gap to 0 for the newly added band.
    • Scroll right and select EG in the Section1 column.
    • Click OK.
    The band is added, but some values have strike-through lines at both ends.
  4. With the section view still selected, click Section View Properties again.
  5. In the Bands tab, uncheck Label Start Offset and Label End Offset, then click OK.The labels at both ends are now removed.
  6. Add a rock depth band using the following settings:
    • Type: Section Data
    • Style: Rock Depth
    • Gap: 0
    • Label Start Offset: Unchecked
    • Label End Offset: Unchecked
    • Section1: EG
    • Section2: Rock
  7. Add a band for offset values with these settings:
    • Type: Section Data
    • Style: Design – Offsets
    • Gap: 0
    • Label Start Offset: Checked
    • Label End Offset: Checked
  8. Open the Bands tab again and click Save As Band Set.
  9. Enter Off-Elev-Rock Depth as the name and click OK.
  10. Press Esc to deselect. Select the northern section view and click Section View Properties.
  11. In the Bands tab, click Import Band Set, select Off-Elev-Rock Depth, and click OK.
  12. Set Section1 to EG for the first two bands and Section2 to Rock for the second band, then click OK.

Now, the bands match those in the modified section view(see Figure 11.7).

  1. Repeat steps 10 through 12 to add the same band set to the third design section view.
  2. Press Esc to clear the previous selection. Zoom out, and pan north to the sheets of section views. Click one of the section views, and then click View Group Properties on the ribbon.
  3. On the Section Views tab, click the ellipsis in the first row of the Change Band Set column.
  4. Click Import Band Set, select Section Sheets, and click OK until all dialog boxes are closed.

The bands have been added to the section views, but they need to be rearranged to accommodate the additional space.

  1. With one of the section views still selected, click Update Group Layout on the ribbon.

Civil 3D automatically creates a fourth sheet as a result of this update (see Figure 11.8).

  1. Save and close the drawing.
    You can view the results of successfully completing this exercise by opening
    Applying Section View Bands – Complete.dwg.
    https://www.mediafire.com/file/lzslr54toya755b/Applying+Section+View+Bands+-+Complete.dwg/file

Watch Complete Video tutorial here for this Exercise:

Applying Group Plot Styles

A group plot style controls the layout of multiple section views within predefined sheet borders. There are two placement options for section view groups:

  • Production: Uses a .dwt template to fit section views on individual sheets.
  • Draft: Arranges section views as a single group without predefined sheet constraints.

Group plot styles can also overlay a grid across the entire sheet instead of applying grids to individual section views.

Exercise 11.7: Apply Group Plot Styles

  1. Open the drawing Applying Group Plot Styles.dwg which you can download from Video tutorial Description below.
  2. Click one of the section views displayed on the three sheets, then click View Group Properties on the ribbon.
  3. In the Section View Group Properties dialog box:
    • Go to the Section Views tab.
    • Click the first row in the Group Plot Style column (see Figure 11.9).
    • Select Left To Right – Top Down and click OK.

4: Click OK to dismiss the Section View Group Properties dialog box.

5: Click one of the section views, then click View Group Properties again.

  • In the Group Plot Style column, click the top row and select Bottom Up – Left To Right With Grid.
  • In the Style column, click the top row and select Design 1V – No Grid.
  • Click the ellipsis in the Change Band Set column.
  • In the Section View Group Bands dialog box, select Section Data, then click the red X to remove it. Click OK.
  • Click OK to close the Section View Group Properties dialog box.

6: Zoom in and examine the newly configured sheets.

  • The section views are now superimposed on a grid that spans the entire sheet.
  • Individual section view grids are removed, as the sheet already includes a grid.
  • Offset labels are applied at the bottom, replacing the section view bands.

7: Click one of the section views, then click Update Group Layout on the ribbon.

  • The updated section view styles and group plot style allow all section views to fit on two sheets (see Figure 11.10).
  1. Save and close the drawing.
    You can view the results of successfully completing this exercise by opening
    Applying Group Plot Styles – Complete.dwg.
    https://www.mediafire.com/file/ka0vsdflwlaeh4j/Applying+Group+Plot+Styles+-+Complete.dwg/file

Watch Complete Video Tutorial here for this Exercise:

Creating Section View Labels

Section view labels are independent annotations attached to section views. Unlike other labels, they are not connected to specific objects and can be placed anywhere to mark important locations, such as offset and elevation points.

Exercise 11.8: Create Section View Labels

  1. Open Creating Section View Labels.dwg which you can download from Video Tutorial Description below.
    • The view is zoomed in on Jordan Court, where the road widens for a turn lane.
    • You need to label the curb flowline with offset and elevation information for the contractor.
  2. On the Annotate tab of the ribbon, click Add Labels. In the Add Labels dialog box:
    • Feature: Select Section View.
    • Label Type: Select Offset Elevation.
    • Offset Elevation Label Style: Ensure Offset Over Elevation is selected.
    • Marker Style: Ensure Basic is selected.
    • Click Add.
  3. Click one of the grid lines in the section view. Hold Shift + Right-click, select Endpoint, and click the flowline of the left curb.
  4. Press Esc to exit the command. Click the newly created label and drag its square grip up and to the left to improve readability.
  5. Click the label, then click Edit Label Text on the ribbon to open the Text Component Editor.
  6. In the editor window:
    • Click before the word Offset to place the cursor.
    • Type CURB FLOWLINE and press Enter.
    • The result should match Figure 11.11.
  1. Click OK to close the Text Component Editor dialog.
    The label should now appear as shown in Figure 11.12.
  1. Save and close the drawing.
    You can view the results of successfully completing this exercise by opening
    Creating Section View Labels – Complete.dwg.
    https://www.mediafire.com/file/psrr96fesknhpa3/Creating+Section+View+Labels+-+Complete.dwg/file

Watch Complete Video Tutorial here for this Exercise:

Be Careful!

In Exercise 11.8, the label points to the curb, but it isn’t attached to it.

  • If the curb moves due to design changes, the label won’t update automatically.
  • You’ll need to manually adjust the label’s position.
  • To avoid this issue, consider using a code set style for a more permanent solution.

Now You Know

After completing this chapter, you can:
✅ Apply section styles, code set styles, and section view styles to modify cross-section appearances.
✅ Add labels through code set styles, section labels, and section view labels.
✅ Use bands to display additional information in section views.
✅ Apply group plot styles to arrange section views on sheets for better documentation.

Now, you’re fully prepared to display and annotate sections and section views in a production environment! 🚀

==> Chapter-12 Exercises: