Stake Road

The main advantage of Stake Road is the ability to stake any picked point for "staged" or partial roadwork design, or for finding catch points towards the interior of the template (e.g. central median). Stake Road is one of four major commands used in highway work and is designed to lay out road surfaces (e.g. cut and fill stakes or "blue tops") at specific stations and offsets for construction. The four commands are summarized as follows:

1. Stake Slope starts the cut and fill process.
2. Stake Road handles detailed roadbed and grading work.
3. Elevation Difference offers a quick grade check.
4. Store Sections confirms the final road as-built information.

Stake Road has three main sections:

1. Choosing the Slope Staking Method and its Data
2. Setting the Station and Interval for Stakeout
3. Main Measurement

Note: All slope staking is improved if the instruction to the user is In-Out from centerline and Forward-Back along the axis of the centerline. For this reason, it is best to set the Stake configuration to In-Out and Left-Right and also enable the Use CL for Ref. Object option.

Choosing the Slope Staking Method

• Settings: (gears) The Settings icon at the top of the screen (only available for Section Files) that offers an option to Force Section-Templates use per Crt Job.
  More Information

  

  • Suffixes Left/Right distinct Surfaces: Indicate any preferred suffix values
  • Force Section-Templates use per Crt Job: This option is commonly used with the SDR "section template" file. They all are 3D strings such that even if they collapse to another, they continue to have contiguity.
  • Allow Road CrossSections which contains gaps: When enabled, cross-sections that contain gaps of data can be utilized.
  • Extend Start/End Road CrossSections: When enabled, offset values past the start/end of the cross-section can be staked.
  • Interrupt cross-section if zero-offset is not defined: When enabled, SurvPC will not advance to the other side of the cross-section if the 0-offset is not part of the cross-section data.
• Reference CL: (icon) Permits a master centerline (horizontal alignment) to be designated for reference, while you stake out a separate alignment as discussed under Stake Line/Arc.

  Note: Visibility of this option is controlled through the Job Settings - Allow Reference Centerline option.

• Design Files: This method produces a surface in real-time from source route files.
  More Information

  Road/Design Files are recommended for subdivision streets, access roads and simpler highway designs.

  

  • Settings: (gears) This button provides additional control for the assignment of the vertical profile (e.g. inside edge-of-pavement for a divided highway) on the template.
    More Information

    Indicate the method by which the profile should be assigned.

    

    • On/Off: Toggles the usage of the profile placement. When On, you will always be prompted with the Settings dialog after loading the Roading files so that you are reminded of any unusual, active profile offset before continuing.

      Note: The Off status is equivalent to the default condition of profile grade at Template ID Center.

    • Fix Offset: Indicate a fixed offset amount (Left or Right) from the centerline position.
    • Template ID: Indicate the template ID where the profile occurs.
    • Reference Alignment: Indicate if the profile should occur along an alignment path completely independent from the centerline path.
    • Vert Off of Profile: Indicate an additional amount of vertical offset that should be applied to the profile elevations.
  • Centerline:^† Indicate the file that governs the horizontal placement for the route.
  • Profile:^† Indicate the file that governs the vertical placement for the route.
  • Template:^† Indicate the file that governs the relative offsets and elevation for the route geometry.

    Note: Templates can be either single template ".tpl" files or multiple templates with transitions in a Template Series File.

  • Superelevation: Indicate a file that controls pavement superelevation along the route.
  • TPL Transition: Indicate a file that defines changes in grade distances or slopes for a specific template ID through a specified range of stations.

    Note: If a Template Transition file is to be used for lane changes, then this file type must be made using external software such as Carlson Civil or Carlson Takeoff.

  • TPL Grade Table: Indicate a file that serves as a lookup file for slopes and distances at stations for grade points within a template.
  • Load Roading Files: Launches the standard File Selector that permits a previously saved collection of road files to be read into memory.
  • Save Roading Files: Launches the standard File Selector that permits the current collection of road files to be saved to an external file for later use.

  ^†Note: This is a required file.

  Note: If you wish to "clear" a file, just click its button and click ❌.

• Section Files: Sections are made up of simple offsets and elevations that can have optional descriptions such as "EP", "SH", and/or "FS" and must be accompanied by a horizontal alignment file (centerline).

  Note: For complicated roads, cross-section data is very often the "official" design data for purposes of construction. Staking out cross-sections according to the plans, therefore, is standard operating procedure in road construction stakeout.

  More Information

  Horizontal tab

  Indicate a preferred method of how to establish the required horizontal geometry that is to be staked:

  

  1. Centerline File: Launches the standard File Selector that permits a desired Centerline file to be specified.
  2. Select Polyline: Switches to the Map Screen where a polyline can be selected that defines the horizontal geometry.
     More Information

     Note: Reverse Alignment Direction: After selection of a polyline, you can use the "Reverse" icon (lower right) to reverse the direction of the alignment, ensuring that it increments the stationing in the desired direction.

     

     This feature is found throughout the software and is found in a variety of commands, including (but not necessarily limited to):

     • Stake Line/Arc
     • Point Projection
     • Station Store
     • Store Sections
     • Stake Slope
  3. Define Point List: Enter a sequence of points to define the alignment.

     Note: When defining the horizontal and/or vertical geometry, the points can be established through the existing Point List or through a Map Screen pick.

  4. Preview: Displays the alignment graphically, highlighted as a bold line.
  5. Edit: Permits changes to the horizontal alignment via the Centerline Editor command.
  6. Save As: If an alignment was defined by points or a polyline, you can optionally save it as a centerline file.

  Additional controls include:

  • Centerline: The name (if saved) that contains the horizontal alignment geometry.
  • Start Station: Enter the starting station unless it was pre-determined by a centerline file.
  • Ending Station: This shows the ending station of the selected alignment.
  • Cutsheet: The name (if activated) of the referenced Alignment Cutsheet.

  Vertical tab

  

  1. Profile File: Launches the standard File Selector that permits a desired Profile file to be specified.
  2. Select Polyline: Select a 3D polyline on the screen to define the profile.
  3. Define Point List: Enter a sequence of points that have elevations to define the profile.
  4. Preview: Displays the profile graphically.
  5. Edit: Permits changes to the vertical component of the alignment via the Profile Editor command.
  6. Save As: If the profile was defined by points or a polyline, you can optionally save it as a profile file.

  Additional controls include:

  • Profile: The name (if saved) that contains the vertical alignment geometry.
  • Start Station: Enter the starting station unless it was pre-determined by a profile file.
  • Ending Station: This shows the ending station of the selected alignment.
  • Apply Vertical Alignment: The vertical alignment or profile is optional but using it improves accuracy between sections within vertical curves as well as at high and low points of vertical curves.

  Section tab

  

  1. Add Section: Launches the standard File Selector that permits a desired Section file to be specified.

     Note: SurvPC supports using multiple surfaces simultaneously by using multiple Section files or by extracting the section for each surface when all surfaces are within a single file (as exported by Carlson Civil).

     Note: Sections used in Stake Road should be complete cross-section files, with all offsets, to enable precise, interpolated stakeout within the left-to-right range of the sections, on station, or at interpolated stations.

  2. Delete Section: Permits the removal of the currently selected Section file or all Section files from the dialog box.
  3. Layers: Permits the currently selected Section file to be assigned to a desired layer/color to aid in the preview and/or usability of the Section.
     More Information

     

     Select the desired layer for the Section and tap the Orange Arrow to return to the previous dialog box.

     • Color: Permits the color for the currently selected layer to be changed.
     • On/Off: Toggles the visibility status of the currently selected layer.
     • Current: Sets the status of the currently selected layer to be used for the section.
     • On All: Toggles the visibility of all layers to On.
     • Off All: Sets the visibility of all layers except the Current layer to Off
     • New: Permits the creation of a new layer name.
  4. Load Roading Files: Launches the standard File Selector that permits a previously saved collection of road files to be read into memory.
  5. Save Roading Files: Launches the standard File Selector that permits the current collection of road files to be saved to an external file for later use.

  Note: Longitudinal Pipes can be loaded as a cross-section file and the pipe inverts can be staked in the same way that road cross-section points can be staked. The pipe format is recognized and the pipes display with their correct diameter shown.

  

  Other tab

  In situations where auxiliary centerlines need to be specified, use the functionality found in the Other tab.

  

  • Divided Highway: When enabled, the ability to specify Left/Right - Centerline/Profile data with optional Horizontal/Vertical offsets become available.
  • L/R: Indicate if the optional Horizontal Offset is Left or Right of the Centerline, respectively.
  • Off: Indicate a desired additional horizontal offset.

    Note: Explicitly specifying a negative offset value will set the L side.

  • VOff: Indicate a desired additional vertical offset.
• Cut Section from Alignments: Provides the ability to extract cross-sections directly from Centerline/Profile data pairs and/or 3D polylines that exist within the Map Screen. The normal use of this command is to extract sections from a set of 3D Polylines representing pavement, shoulder, and ditch lines, etc.
  More Information

  The first thing you need to define is the horizontal and vertical alignment files. These form the basis for cutting the sections and determining left and right offsets from the horizontal alignment or centerline. The centerline-defining screen is similar to the screens found in Stake Offset (and other commands). Once specified, indicate the alignment strings that should be used as the basis for cross-section points.

  

  • Clear: (icon) Permits the removal of all items from the Template Alignment list.
  • Map Pick: (icon) Launches a variant of the Map Screen that permits polylines with elevation data to be selected.

    Note: It is important to point out that all polylines that will be selected for cross-sectioning need to be drawn in the same direction.

    More Information

    Prior to issuing the Cut from Alignments command, it is a good idea to go to the Map screen and study the polylines involved using the command Draw - Modify - Reverse Polyline command.

    

    In addition to the various Map Screen View Controls is the following:

    • Allow Multiple Selection: When enabled, multiple polylines can be selected by picking two points that define opposing corners of a rectangle. Any polylines that contain non-zero elevations that are within or cross the rectangle are used.

    Note: When extracting sections from a drawing of 3D polylines, the layer of each polyline is used as the section point description. If several polylines are encountered with the same layer name, such as DITCH, then in the direction away from centerline, each subsequent common layer is given an appended number incremented by 1, as in DITCH, DITCH1, DITCH2, etc, to create unique section point descriptions.

  • Add: Launches a dialog box similar to that of the Stake Offset command that allows you to specify a Centerline/Profile pair that form the needed 3D content.

    Note: The station ranges of the two pieces of data must match.

  • Remove: Removes the currently selected template alignment from the listing.
  • Load: Launches the standard File Selector that permits a previously saved *.TPA file to be read back into memory.
  • Save As: Launches the standard File Selector that permits the current template alignments to be saved to an external *.TPA for later use/recall.
• LandXML Road Model File: Loads a LandXML "road model" of all alignments associated with the road.

  Note: In addition to the needed horizontal and vertical geometry for the route, additional RR Stringline Layers need to be specified and saved within the LandXML file. RR Stringline Layers typically represent alignment and geometric data used in railway design and construction. Specifically, it defines the track alignment and associated stringlines that guide the physical layout of railway tracks.

  More Information

  Each "breakline" along the road such as centerline, edge-of-pavements, shoulders and ditch lines can be considered to have its own horizontal and vertical alignment. By including all of these files in a single LandXML file, and by user selection of the true centerline for stationing purposes, the entire road can be defined in the form of a multi-alignment LandXML file. This method is commonly used by some U.S. Departments of Transportation and Scandinavia. In Scandinavia, for example, roads are often defined by a series of horizontal and vertical alignment "pairs" for each road breakline (edge-of-pavement, shoulder, etc.) and a single file can contain multiple roads, and all surfaces of each road (top, subgrade1, subgrade2, etc).

  The LandXML Road Model, when loaded, requires selection of a main horizontal and vertical alignment. The routine then processes similar to Cut from Alignments, described above. The LandXML format for road design files is widely recognized around the world as the accepted form of data sharing. Carlson Software is the principal sponsor of LandXML.org beginning in 2014. As an example, a portion of an actual LandXML file might appear as shown here, which includes the route name, "track 6-5" in this case:

  ⋮
    <Alignments>
      <Alignment name="track 6-5" staStart="0" length="289.901357">
        <Feature code="DisplayAttributes">
          <Property label="LineName" value="track 6-5"/>
          <Property label="LineColor" value="5987163"/>
          <Property label="LineWidth" value="0"/>
          <Property label="LineStyle" value="Solid"/>
        </Feature>
        <CoordGeom>
          <Line staStart="0">
            <Start>7055398.511247 324053.189857</Start>
            <End>7055408.812607 324003.701019</End>
          </Line>
          <Curve staStart="50.54961" rot="cw" crvType="arc" radius="150">
            <Start>7055408.812607 324003.701019</Start>
            <Center>7055555.66489 324034.26909</Center>
            <End>7055416.587312 323978.078101</End>
          </Curve>
          <Line staStart="77.361772">
            <Start>7055416.587312 323978.078101</Start>
            <End>7055496.206042 323781.014829</End>
          </Line>
        </CoordGeom>
        <Profile>
          <ProfAlign name="Vertical Geometry">
            <PVI>0 447.340251</PVI>
            <ParaCurve length="4.207237" desc="">140 446.6531</ParaCurve>
            <ParaCurve length="3.246744" desc="">210.673714 446.9009</ParaCurve>
            <PVI>289.901357 447.693156</PVI>
          </ProfAlign>
        </Profile>
      </Alignment>
      ⋮
      <Feature code="RR Stringline Layers">
        <Feature code="RR Stringline Layer">
          EOBL_87,EOBL_88,EOBL_89EOBL_90,CLR_14,CLL_15
          <Property label="name" value="65 FSL"/>
          <Property label="centreline" value="track 6-5"/>
          <Property label="sorted" value="NO"/>
        </Feature>
      </Feature>
    </Alignments>
  </LandXML>

  When the LandXML file is loaded, all the roads appear in a list, along with all subgrades.

  You then select any road to stake out, such as "track 6-5" in this example. Within the selected road, you can pick any surface (much like in the Cross-Section method) and any point on the surface. If available, the description of the selected surface point is shown.

• Surface Files: Permits the staking of surface model (DTM) data.
  More Information

  The process and work-flow of the Surface Files option is virtually identical to that of the Cross-Section method described above. The subtle difference is the use of a Surface tab:

  Surface tab

  

• Solid Files: Permits the staking of BIM-oriented data (e.g. bridge models, etc).
  More Information

  The process and work-flow of the Solid Files option is virtually identical to that of the Surface Files method described above. The subtle difference is the use of a Solid tab:

  Solid tab

  

• Show Story Stake Report: When enabled, then any point that is staked on the road will lead to an entire report on all breaks, starting on the far outside of the section on the side you are on, to the point you staked, then past that point all the way to centerline.

  Note: Subsequent data will also be written to a Story Stake Cutsheet, if specified.

• Select Utilities: When enabled, additional utility data can be specified for the stake-out routine.
  More Information

  • From File:
  • From Map: When enabled,

    

• Load Road Net File: Launches the standard File Selector that permits a *.RNF file that can contain a packaged collection of roadway data to be read into memory. Refer to additional information as found under Stake Slope - Load Road Net File.
• Select Road Net Element: Permits the graphical selection of a RoadNET element that is to be staked. Refer to additional information as found under Stake Slope - Select Road Net Element.

Interpolation

Note: If descriptions are provided, "intelligent" interpolation is performed between similar descriptions on slope transitions or widening lanes as well as vertical curves for all methods described above.

Stake Road - Set Target

Common to all methods, this dialog is the heart of the routine. Here is where you select the station and offset to stake out. You can even launch into a Slope Stake and then return to stake other template points.

Note: The selected or highlighted cross-section surface always appears thick red for purposes of stakeout.

• Grade: When enabled, the Grade Stake method can be used for stakeout and remain enabled when returning to the Stake Road command.
  More Information

  This option is popular in places like Australia and the United Kingdom. When you enter/select an offset, you can then pick any grade on the selected side by tapping the segment on the screen (typically closer to centerline) and that grade will extend to the offset shown. The goal is to mark the grade stake with a line representing the extended slope. You can also add an offset to the vertical grade. The process involves three quick steps:

  1. Enable the Grade toggle at the top of screen
  2. Select an offset
  3. Pick a grade on the screen to extend and stake

  The grade stake can be placed anywhere. You can place the grade stake on the left side of the road and extend the grades on the right side of the road.

  The Grade Stake method produces its own Cutsheet report of Cut and Fill.

  Note: It is worth noting that Slope Staking is disabled when in Grade Stake mode, since the two features are not related. Simply toggle the Grade option off to re-activate the Slope Stake button.

• Settings: (gears) This icon takes you to the alignment staking settings which includes:
  • Stake
  • Alignment
  • Road

  Note: This is also where you instruct the software to include and stop at critical alignment locations which also appear in the Station List.

• Sta: This is where you enter the station to stakeout.
• ← : You can go back to the previous station as defined by the alignment points or station interval using the green left arrow button.
• → : You can advance to the next station as defined by the alignment points or station interval using the green right arrow button.
• Station List: Select a specific station using the Station List icon.
  More Information

  

• Z: The elevation being staked. This value is based on the combined Design Elevation and Vertical Offset (V).
• Interval: This is where you choose the distance by which to increment the stations when using the Next and Previous buttons.
• Calculate Interval: This is used to divide the entire line into equal parts, which results in a calculated, non-rounded, incremental station.
  More Information

  

  • Increment Station Interval from Beginning Station: For centerlines that start on an "odd" station such as 1020 (10+20 in U.S. stationing format), this option would conduct stakeout by interval measured from station 1020. So, a 50 interval stakeout, instead of being 1050, 1100, 1150 would be 1020, 1070, 1120, etc.
  • Use New Values: When enabled, this option permits the stakeout geometry to be equally divided into "X" number of equal lengths.
  • Number of Segments: Indicate "X" number of equal-length segments.
  • Segment Length: Displays the length of each segment along the stakeout geometry.
• Play/Stop: This button allows the user to play (sequence) through the road file like watching a drive-through preview.
• CL Off: This is the total distance that the stakeout position is from the defined road centerline.
• Design Offset: Any offset can be entered, even if it is not a "breakpoint" on the template. For every design offset point selected, the elevation is calculated and presented.

  Note: When graphically picking an offset that has nearby neighbors, the Offset List screen is presented for verification.

• Offset List: This dialog allows the user to pick from the known offsets by a list rather than using the graphic screen.
  More Information

  

  Note: The Offset List also allows the user to select an optional second point of Reference for reporting Cut/Fill information while staking. For example, you could stake the edge of pavement but also reference Cut and Fill to the centerline. With this option, the selected offset and the secondary reference offset will both be reported

  

• Stk Off: This button allows the user to specify the horizontal and vertical offsets relative to the Design Offset.
  More Information

  

  Various methods can be used for computing the offsets based on the template or section points and their elevations, including:

  • Extend Current Slope
  • Apply Next Slope
  • Vertical Offset
  • User-defined Slope
• (H)/(S): Horizontal/Slope offset from the Design Offset.

  Note: The Stake Offset and CL Off inter-react.

  1. If you enter a Stake Offset of 2 and the Design Offset point was at 12, then the stake would go in at offset 14 off of CL, but the Cut/Fill would refer to the elevation at the Design Offset location of 12.
  2. A stake offset entry of 15 with a design offset of 12 left calculates to a setback of 3.
• (V): Vertical offset from the design elevation.
• Slope Stake: This feature allows for dynamic slope staking in the middle of the Stake Road routine. This option is very useful for road staging, and also for staking interior catch points like central median ditches.
  More Information

  Any point in the template or section can be used for running in a slope stake. You are asked to specify the desired Cut/Fill slope ratios.

  

  The slope can be auto-defined or user defined as follows:

  • Define Slope by Next Section Point: This option allows you to select the edge of the road and use the proposed design catch point for auto-determining the slope rate.
  • Define Slope by Previous Section Point: This option allows you to select the proposed design catch point and then use the next point toward CL for auto-determining the slope rate.
  • Extend Current Slope: This option will allow you to pick the edge of the road or catch point and use the next point toward CL to end the slope between then away from CL.
  • User Defined Slope: Allows you to enter the slope ratio by hand for on-the-fly slope changes.
  • Slopes by Template: This option extracts the slope definitions from the template file itself.
  • Pivot Point: This option allows the user to perform on-the-fly offsets relative to the stakeout position.

  When the Slope Stake is completed, the program returns to the main Stake Road dialog.

Main Measurement

Within Stake Road are these measurement/configuration tools:

Stake Road Measurement/Configuration Buttons

Legacy Icon	Graphic Icon	Availabe For	Action
			Read: Depending on whether or not the connected total station is robotic, the following options will happen: Total Station: The instrument will take a reading and report it. The reading is not stored as a point until either the Store option is selected or another reading is initiated. Robotic Total Station: The instrument will take a reading and offer to store the reading as a point.
			Store: Stores the current reading as a point. The functionality of this routine is governed (in part) by the General - Enter Key setting.
			Next: Advances to the next station to be staked.
			Modify: Permits the customization of the desired Stake Target.
			Launches the Configure interface for the active piece of equipment.
			Directs the user to the Total Station Orientation interface.
			Launches the GNSS Monitor/Skyplot command.

Note: Also within Stake Road are other common controls; most notably the various Map Screen View Controls.

Various options can be set through the Configure to adjust how the directions are provided to best suit your needs and also features an option to establish a Minimized View of the data.

Stake Road also allows you to navigate to the point in either plan view or cross-section view.

Stake Report

When the stake point is stored, a Stake Report is presented showing the differences between the Staked location compared to the Design location:

• Show Extra Offsets: When enabled, additional vertical offsets fields are provided.
• VOff 1 (2)/Elev: Permits additional vertical offset or elevation values to be input.
• Store Point: When enabled, the Staked Point location will be written into the current job file.
• Point ID: Indicate the desired point number.
• Point Description: Indicate the preferred point description or use the Code List button to set the description.

Offset Report

Depending on the status of the Show Story Stake option used at the beginning of the command, an optional Offset Report may appear.

More Information

• Progressive: Lists the incremental information from each breakpoint to the next, going in toward the centerline. It is commonly cited as a story or "and then" (or // nomenclature) staking.
• Total: Offset distances to all breakpoints are measured as totals from the offset stake. It is commonly cited as "and" (or / nomenclature) staking.
• Show Report up to CENTER: When enabled, data in the report will only continue to the Centerline. Alternatively, data will be included past the centerline.

Cutsheet Summary

Stake Road will produce Alignment-style cutsheets which includes the option to report Station/Offset as well as the Cut/Fill to any point. Other cutsheets that can be produced include:

• Slope-style cutsheets when using the Slope Stake option.
• Grade-style cutsheets when the Grade option is enabled.
• Story-style cutsheets when the Show Story Stake option is enabled.