Grading Workflow

The drtwrk workflow moves through Civil 3D, the cloud grading engine, and the web dashboard. Follow these steps to go from raw 2D linework to a finished grading design.

During automated grading, the drtwrk engine calculates lot and zone elevations based on your feature lines and preset parameters, generates a TIN surface from the resulting breaklines, and adds spot elevation and slope labels. You do not need to manually set individual point elevations — the engine handles that computation.

Prepare 2D linework

Run the 2DLINEWORK command in Civil 3D (or click 2D Checks in the DRTWRK Tools ribbon). Before running, open the Layer Review modal and map each CAD layer to the correct geometry type: lot lines, curbs, road centerlines, edge of pavement, edge of swale, and right-of-way.

The plugin then:

• Splits lines at intersection points so the connectivity network is correct
• Removes duplicate points and short segments
• Builds a node adjacency graph to represent which lines connect to each other
• Identifies and highlights errors: overlapping lines, open endpoints, and short segments

Review any errors in the Grading Prep Review panel. Dismiss or fix each issue before moving on. Use AutoFix for supported issues, or Focus to navigate directly to a flagged location in the drawing.

Make sure lot lines are present and correct, and that any property line has elevations assigned before running this step.

Create 3D feature lines

Run the 3DLINEWORK command (or click 3D Checks in the ribbon). The 3D process builds on the validated 2D linework by:

• Creating permanent feature lines in the Civil 3D site (these remain in your drawing)
• Extending any open endpoints to the nearest projection surface to obtain their elevation
• Adding PI points and projecting them onto the relevant surfaces to calculate elevations
• Reporting 3D-specific errors such as elevation errors and extension errors

Resolve any 3D errors before submitting. The wizard guides you through three stages: Site Configuration (set your road surface), Selected Layers (confirm layer mappings), and Construction Boundary (define the grading area).

If your feature lines include arc segments, a smaller mid-ordinate distance (for example, 0.1') produces a surface that follows the arc more closely. You can adjust this in your grading settings.

Configure grading parameters

Before submitting, configure layers and grading rules for this job.

1. Open the Layer Review step to confirm layer assignments and set the maximum issue length, which controls how large a defect has to be before it stops being flagged.
2. If you have presets saved from previous projects, select one from the dropdown to pre-populate all grading parameters. See Presets for details.

Submit grading job

Run the LOTZONEGRADING command or click Lot & Zones Grading in the ribbon. The grading viewer opens — assign a preset to each lot and zone, adjust any grading parameters, then click Submit.

The plugin packages the lots and feature lines from your drawing and sends the job to the drtwrk grading engine. A job ID is returned and the job enters the processing queue.

Monitor job in the web dashboard

Open the drtwrk web dashboard and navigate to the Jobs section. The dashboard updates in real time via WebSocket — you do not need to refresh the page. Job status progresses from Pending to Running to Completed (or Failed if an error occurs).

See Jobs for a full description of job statuses.

Review results and make manual edits

When the job reaches Completed status, open it in the web dashboard.

• The interactive 3D viewer shows the graded surface, lot boundaries, computed elevations, slope percentages, swale lines, walls, and drain inlets
• Review the pass/fail status for each grading constraint per lot
• Use the manual elevation editing tools to adjust any elevations that need refinement

See Grading for detail on the 3D viewer and edit tools.

Apply results back to Civil 3D

Export the completed grading results back to your Civil 3D drawing. The plugin writes back:

• TIN surface — a new surface built from the graded feature lines as breaklines
• Updated feature lines — points added, removed, or updated to match the approved grading solution
• Labels — spot elevation labels and slope labels placed on the surface

Your drawing now contains the finished grading design, ready for further annotation or plan production.