The 12d Model Base contains all the capabilities necessary to produce a digital terrain model (DTM or TIN), including fast triangulation, contouring and sectioning routines. It is graphically interactive to give immediate feedback to the user.

Since the Base was written from the ground up for the civil and surveying market, the work flow follows traditional engineering ideas which makes it very easy to use.

The Base includes the string types 2d, 3d, 4d, interface, pipe, text, alignment and super to allow accurate civil engineering and survey modelling. Comprehensive cogo operations are included in the base.

Alignment strings consist of horizontal and vertical geometry. The horizontal and vertical components are created and edited interactively using the IP method on plan and section views.

The Base includes the ability to create cross-section templates and to apply a single template to the left and right of the design string. This allows the user to design pads, simple roads and railways, canals and similar models. Note that the Detailed Alignment Design module is required for more complex work.

When adjustments are made to the strings or templates involved in 12d Model functions, the 12d Model Recalc facility automatically removes invalid information and replaces it with the updated geometry and volumes.

This is particularly useful when designing roads, pads, dams or storage ponds, or any situation where a number of trials are needed to determine the optimal design.

Three types of views - plan, section and perspective - can be created by the user for examining, constructing and editing information. All views are linked so that data can be viewed and manipulated using more than one view, and all views reflect changes to the design.

All data may be displayed in the 3d perspective views. 12d Model has the ability to apply hidden line removal to strings on a triangulation and shading of a triangulated surface. A hidden line or shaded perspective provides a realistic three dimensional image which is often the easiest way to convey a design to people who find engineering plans and contours difficult to interpret.

The 12d Model section view extends the concept of a section to include a corridor either side of the string being profiled. Any strings in the corridor can be displayed in the section view.

Hence potential clashes between the profiled string and services such as telephone lines, electricity cables, gas lines and drainage and water pipes are easy to detect.

For the plan views, line styles and symbols can be defined by the user. For text, True Type Fonts are supported and decimal point justification.

Plots and reports of any of the data in the views can be created at any time. Plots can be output in a variety of formats including Windows printers, HPGL and PostScript, and, optionally, DWG/DXF and Microstation.

Powerful plot parameter files are provided for tailoring long and cross section plots and the availability of user defined title blocks, text fonts and line styles, means that final quality plots, requiring no CAD clean up, can be produced directly from 12d Model.

A powerful programming language (12d Macro language) is included in the Base. With the programming language users can build their own options using 12d Model’s vast library of graphics and analysis commands or by defining their own routines. Thus 12d Model can be easily tailored to meet your particular requirements.