Store Sections

The Store Sections routine collects as-built cross-sections of roads or other alignments and stores them optionally as points, as cross-sections or as an ASCII file, organized by station. The routine has three main sections:

1. Definition of Alignment
2. Specification of Cross-Section Settings
3. Main Measurement

Note: This routine is often combined with office software to check as-built road cross-sections against desired grade and to calculate quantities for payment.

Define Alignment

In most scenarios involving Store Sections, a baseline (centerline) is desired upon which the stations and offsets of the cross-section points will be based. The alignment options consist of (and are also discussed in detail in Stake Line/Arc):

• Define Line
• Define Alignment
• Define Arc (3 Points)
• Define Arc (PC, PT, Value)
• None: Used exclusively when cross-sectioning practices around the Geodimeter format are desired.

Note: When defining lines or arcs, the points can be established through the existing Point List or through a Map Screen pick. Once defined, control is moved into the Settings interface.

Store Sections Settings

• Store Data to Section File: When enabled, section measurements can be stored to an external cross-section file.

  Note: The Section file can be used directly in Carlson desktop CAD applications such as Carlson Civil, Carlson Construction or Carlson Takeoff and optionally exported to other Section formats.

• Select File: Launches the standard File Selector that permits the data to be saved to an existing or new *.SCT file.

  Note: When the alignment option of None is selected, you must specify a new or existing Geodimeter *.RAW file and the routine will continue under Geodimeter data logic.

• X-SCT Settings: Use this button to establish cross-section station range settings and/or individual cross-section stations of interest.

  Note: Before collecting cross-sections, it is important to set/review the X-SCT stations you wish to capture. This way, if the station rounds to a station that doesn't exist in your list, you are warned before proceeding with storing.

  More Information

  

  The list of cross-section stations consists of one "range" entry with any number of additional "odd stations."

  • Add Odd Stations: Use this button to establish a cross-section station of interest (e.g. culvert, utility crossing, etc).
    More Information

    

    • Station: Indicate the desired station for the cross-section.
    • Left Offset: Indicate how far left from the reference alignment the cross-section can extend.
    • Right Offset: Indicate how far right from the reference alignment the cross-section can extend.
  • Edit: Permits the currently selected station entry to be modified.
    More Information

    

    • Do not use range of stations: When enabled, only Odd Stations sections will be used.

      Note: This is essentially the same result as a Remove action.

    • Beg. Sta: Indicate the beginning of the station range.
    • End. Sta: Indicate the ending of the station range.
    • Interval: Indicate the desired spacing between cross-section stations.
    • Left Off: Indicate how far left from the reference alignment the cross-section should extend.
    • Right Off: Indicate how far right from the reference alignment the cross-section should extend.
    • Offset from alignment to X-Section: This option lets you, in effect, use an alternate, parallel centerline at a left (negative) or right offset from the main centerline.
    • Add Start and End Stations: When enabled, the Start/End Stations will be added as "odd stations."
    • Add PI, PC, PT, TS, SC, CS, ST Stations: When enabled, all "special" stations along the alignment will be added as "odd stations."

    Note: Editing of an "odd station" uses the Odd Station interface.

  • Remove: Deletes the currently selected station entry.

    Note: The initial "range" entry cannot be removed fully.

  • Save: Saves the current cross-section station configuration.
• Station Tolerance: Indicate how far "off" a measurement can be from a given cross-section station and still be considered a part of that cross-section station. If you set a tighter "Station Tolerance" in X-SCT Settings (option Edit) than the "Rounding" Tolerance, you will be warned even though the rounding is correct.
• Store Comma Separated File: When enabled, section measurements can be stored to an external comma-delimited (text) file.
• Select File: Launches the standard File Selector that permits the data to be saved to an existing or new *.TXT file.
• Store Point in CRD File: When enabled, measured cross-section points will be stored into the current coordinate/job file.
• Use Sta-Off as Desc: When enabled, the calculated Station/Offset of the measured point relative to the Defined Alignment will be used as the Point Description.
• Round Station to Nearest: When enabled, the calculated Station value that is being stored in the external text file will be stored to the nearest value specified.

  Note: The rounding is fully automatic. If you choose a 5-unit rounding and are targeting station 0+75 but take a shot at 0+77.93, it will round up to 0+80.

• Store Station and Offset in Note File: When enabled, the calculated Station/Offset of the measured point will be stored as additional note information.
• Limit Station Range: When enabled and available only when the Centerline-based Define Alignment method is used, cross-section measurement points within the cited station range will be allowed.

Once defined, the Main Measurement screen appears.

Main Measurement

The principal data collection routine occurs in the Map Screen and has very similar options based on the active type of equipment:

Within Store Sections are these measurement/configuration tools:

Store Sections 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.
			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 Store Sections are other common controls; most notably the various Map Screen View Controls.

If a shot is taken that doesn't round to a station in the list of "approved" cross-section stations, then a warning screen appears with options on what to do next.

In the warning dialog shown above, the tolerance has been exceeded on two accounts:

1. we round to 0+05, which is not in the list, and
2. our offset is 51.802, which exceeds our anticipated maximum offsets of 50 left and right.

Controls include:

• Current Tolerance: References the current Station Tolerance.
• Edit Current Station: When enabled, you can override the calculated station value.
• Round Station to the Nearest: Indicate if the station should be rounded.
• Use Closest Sta: When enabled, the measured point will be applied to the closest station.
• Current Offset: Summarizes the current offset of the measured point.
• Offset Left: References the current left offset associated with the station which can be altered as desired.
• Offset Right: References the current right offset associated with the station which can be altered as desired.
• Continue Storing: Use this button to commit the reading based on the corrective action (if any) specified above.

  Note: If a corrective action is not specified, storing the measurement will result in a new "approved" cross-section station at the rounded value.

Options When Storing in Raw/Geodimeter Format

Note: Unless you are looking for Geodimeter file format compatibility, you should consider storing a section output file in the Carlson Section since it can be converted and used in different roading software packages for plotting and computation of volumes.

Different options present themselves when the Raw/Geodimeter Format is chosen. This particular format was adapted for highway departments and survey companies that had built cross-sectioning practices around the Geodimeter format. This method requires that you enter the station (chainage) being surveyed, and only uses the centerline position to advise you on your station and offset. A horizontal alignment is not required.

More Information

The program detects the selection of this format, and before proceeding, opens with a starting screen where job-based metadata information is entered.

In addition to being able to provide various values for the project, there are pre-set job categories and tasks, which save into defined number categories in the old Geodimeter raw file as illustrated in the example below.

50=XSEC1
54=104 North
0=As-Builts 240-300
53=VF
90=2
97=0
51=3-28
56=65.0
74=30.10
55=3
96=2
6=6.562
80=123.000
91=1
37=5105.857
38=5069.091
39=991.905
37=5104.091
38=5074.931
39=990.724

Upon clicking ✅ in the dialog box above, the routine continues into an alternate version of the Main Measurement (XSCT) screen with five additional button designators:

1. STA: Begin with this button to set the station and station increment for collection of cross-section data.

   Note: The direction of taking the sections, (L to R or R to L), is important and is set by specifying Chainage Direction which sets:

   • a 80=[station] record for the station and,
   • a 91=1 record for L to R, or,
   • a 91=2 record for R to L
2. CL/BL: When you "cross 0" or are on the centerline or baseline, click the CL/BL button which sets:
   • a 92=1 record for centerline, or
   • a 92=2 record for baseline

   Note: The next shot is the centerline/baseline shot.

3. -0.00: If you select the -0.00 button, this indicates whether the next shot is a tie-in (catch) or extension beyond the tie-in. This sets:
   • a 93=1 record for the catch, or,
   • a 93=2 for the extension

   Note: The next shot is the catch/extension shot.

4. CHK: Permits checking into known points to be sure that tight coordinate control is maintained.
5. N: (green arrow) Moves onto the Next station as defined by the interval (Inc. Sta) and mimics the functionality of the STA button.

Note: As data points are stored, the coordinate values are stored as a series:

• 37=Northing
• 38=Easting
• 39=Elevation