Roadway design takes many factors into account: geographic and financial constraints, compliance with geometric guidelines, safety and vehicle capacity. Autodesk's InfraWorks 360 addresses all of these concerns in one 3D model.
The update adds many new features in road, rail and bridge design. It also includes functions to enhance sharing and collaboration.
InfraWorks 360's interface highlights problem areas and is detailed and intuitive. Image courtesy of Autodesk.
The biggest game-changer in the new update, however, is traffic simulation. Traffic simulation models hail back to the 1950s and have diversified enormously in the decades since, and, as the picture shows, are now being rendered in 3D. Microscopic simulators such as MATSim and SUMO track individual cars and agents. Macroscopic models such as Visum focus on aggregate flow dynamics. Mathematical models such as the cellular automata model and discrete event model incorporate various degrees of randomness and determinism.
Traffic simulators can be used independently for real-world purposes. For example, the program SUMO was used to simulate traffic on roadways in Cologne, Germany during the 2006 Soccer World Cup.
The main purpose of traffic simulation in Autodesk InfraWorks 360 is to give the designer a better idea of what does and doesn't work before handing their design over to the traffic engineer for final approval. This saves both parties a lot of trouble, as it's less likely that the design will need to be handed back and forth for minor changes.
The InfraWorks 360 traffic simulator allows the designer to determine traffic makeup, flow and time of day (to account for rush hour) and to set up turn lanes and intersections. The software gives the designer great flexibility. It incorporates left- and right-handed roundabouts, staggered intersections and visible pavement turn signs. Visual indicators show which roads are over capacity, so the designer can quickly make adjustments.
Other additions to the InfraWorks 360 software serve to enhance the model's flexibility, so the same model can be presented to multiple parties for approval. Improvements on the rail design system give the user more freedom in defining troughs at tunnel entrances, circular tunnels and viaducts, among other things. Multiple tracks can also be grouped and manipulated as a single unit, making the model more realistic.
Bridge design is more customizable in the update. Varied design styles and further customization options bring simulated models closer to the designer's vision.
Higher efficiency, less model recalculation and better web integration makes Autodesk InfraWorks 360 well suited for sharing over web and mobile. The update adds a read-only mode to give the designer more control. Another added feature is tooltips to mark points of interest on the design, as well as add further information or link to pages on the web.