Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method, apparatus and article of manufacture for modeling a variety of three dimensional structures that may be represented as a longitudinal series of repeating cross-sections. In one embodiment, users construct each cross section from a collection of subassembly components selected from a catalog of subassemblies. Each subassembly is represented as a data component that stores modifiable parameters, and a logic component that generates a parameter-specific geometry of the subassembly for use in a cross-section of the model. A graphical user interface allows a user to select a subassembly, to modify the parameters for the subassembly, and to integrate the subassembly element into the computer model.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for creating a complete 3D model of complex infrastructure configurations, such as divided highways, roadway intersections, etc. Current CAD applications have been limited to creating 3D models based on the geometry of a single alignment. In one embodiment, each baseline for a 3D model using four data inputs: a topographical terrain model, an alignment specifying the longitudinal 2D geometry for the structure being modeled, a profile specifying the elevations of the baseline along the horizontal alignment, and the geometry for cross-sectional assemblies along the horizontal and vertical alignments.