Stake Offset

The Stake Offset command is a three-screen routine:

1. The first screen identifies and loads in the alignment files.
2. The second screen identifies the offset point(s) to stake (slopes and distances) and the intervals or list of stations/offsets to stake.
3. The third screen goes to the main stakeout screen and shows the target point(s) and guides you to the destination.

Note: For all staking, there are configuration settings that govern the type of instructions you receive in stakeout. Familiarity with the various Stake Settings and Stake Configurations is suggested.

Identifying the Alignments

Begin by establishing the Horizontal and Vertical geometry (both are required) whose offset is to be staked. Common to both tabs and the Offsets/Target dialog box is:

• 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 as well as any type of predefined Station/Offset list.

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
   • Stake Road
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.

Shown below is an example of what you will see when you tap Preview in either tab. Notice that the centerline is shown, along with any existing point numbers in the vicinity.

Entering the Offset Points as Slopes and Distances

The Offset Stakeout screen allows you to enter one or two offsets from the centerline:

1. The first offset requires a percentage slope and a distance.
2. The second offset is for a curb or ditch and is prompted in the form of "distance over" and "elevation change up or down."

Note: An alternate approach would be to use the Stake Line-Arc (by Alignments) command.

• Reference Centerline: This button permits a master centerline (horizontal alignment) to be designated for reference.

  Note: For additional information about the interface, see the detailed write-up under Survey - Stake Line/Arc.

• Back: The Back button returns to the Alignments screen.
• Station: 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

  

• Interval: This is where you choose the distance by which to increment the stations.
• 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.
• Set Stakeout Target >: The button found to the right of the offset entry box will switch from RCurb to REOP to CL and back, and the large solid circle will move and highlight the correct location. These abbreviations are defined in Stake Offset Descriptions.
• Left/Right: You can specify whether to stake the left or right side of the road. The offsets are applied symmetrically. If you have a special case on a specific side of the road, do the right and left separately, with separate slope and distance entries.
• Offset: This is the first offset from centerline.
• X-Slope: This is the first offset slope. Negative represents downhill.
• Stake Curb/Ditch: When enabled, this will allow the user to input and activate a second offset defined by offset distance and height from the first offset.
  • Height: This is the vertical difference from the first offset to the second offset. A positive entry is interpreted as a curb and a negative (downhill) entry is interpreted as a ditch.
  • Offset: This is the distance from the first offset to the second (outer) offset.

Main Stakeout

Upon accepting the geometry to be staked, the main stakeout dialog box displays:

Within Stake Offset are these measurement/configuration tools:

Stake Offset 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: The next available point for stakeout is presented.
			Modify: Permits the customization of the desired Stake Station Interval.
			Launches the Target Elevation (elevation override) interface.
			Directs the user to the Total Station Orientation interface.
			Launches the GNSS Monitor/Skyplot command.

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

Various options can be set through Equip - Configure to adjust how the directions are provided to best suit your needs.

Target Elevation

In certain situations, it might be desirable to specify an alternate target elevation.