Concepts #

In Civil 3D, managing the sizes and types of pipes and structures is essential for designing effective pipe networks. The Part Catalog and Parts List are key tools that help engineers select, organize and document components like pipes and structures. This article will explain the basic concept of Part Catalog, Parts List, Pipe and Structure, and guide you through the process of adding pipe and structure sizes to the Parts List in Civil 3D.

Part Catalog #

The Part Catalog is a collection of predefined parts that are used in the design and creation of storm sewer, sanitary sewer, or other pipeline systems. The catalog contains a wide variety of pipe sizes, materials and structures that you can use in your design. The catalog is customizable, and users can add new parts or modify existing ones to suit project-specific requirements.

Parts List #

A Parts List is a list of all the pipe network parts (such as pipes, structures and fittings) that are included in a specific design or project. Parts List is also a kind of Style, and so it is drawing-based. When you copy a drawing from one machine to another, it will be copied over, as the Parts List is embedded in the drawing. Parts List is essentially just a pointer to the Part Catalog ( which is the real content) so by itself it doesn’t have any concrete information. You need to have the Part Catalog on the local machine and set it correctly ( for the gravity network and for the pressure network) before you can use it.

Pipe #

Pipe refers to the components used to convey fluids or gases, typically in stormwater, sanitary sewer or water distribution systems. They are essential parts of pipe networks and are defined by their type (material), diameter, length and slope.

Pipes can be made of various materials, such as:

• PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
• Concrete
• Ductile Iron
• HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)

Pipes in Civil 3D are not only physical objects but are part of the system being modelled for flow analysis, trenching or any necessary calculations. When added to a Parts List, the size and material of the pipe will be reflected in the project’s report.

Structure #

Structures are manmade components in a pipe network used to manage the flow of liquids or gases. Structure serves as junctions or transition points within the pipe network and may include:

• Manholes
• Inlets
• Catch basins
• Outfalls
• Valves

Structures in a pipe network are typically used for flow control, access points or to change the direction, size or material of the pipe. When modelling a stormwater or sewer system, you place structures where the flow must be diverted, stored or accessed.

Term	Definition	Role in Design
Part Catalog	A library of predefined parts (pipes, structures, fittings) used for network design	Contains the actual dimension of a certain Pipe/Structure
Parts List	A table that lists the parts (pipes, structures) used in the network, including sizes and materials. It is a Style, and a pointer to Part Catalog	A pointer to the specific Part Size in Part Catalog
Pipe	The physical component that carries water, sewage or other materials between structures	The primary element of a pipe network, determining the flow of materials between structures
Structure	A component like a manhole, catch basin or junction that connects or interacts with pipes	Provides critical connections between pipes and helps manage or alter the flow of the network

Adding Parts List Generally in Civil 3D #

Gravity Network: #

For sanitary sewer and storm sewer, pipe and size can be added by:

1. Set the Gravity Network Catalog, following the steps here.

2. Go to the Modify tab, click the Pipe Network in the Design section, and you automatically go to the Pipe Networks tab.

3. In the Network Tools section, click Parts List and select Edit Parts List. A ‘Parts List’ window is opened.

4. To manage the existing part list, click the ‘drop-down’ button at ‘A’ and select ‘Edit Current Selection’. Expand ‘B’ and select any part list to be edited. (e.g., Storm Sewer).

5. If you wish to create a new part list, select ‘Create New’ from the drop-down at ‘A’.

6. Click the icon button at ‘A’ and the ‘Network Parts List – Storm Sewer’ popup window will be opened. For creating a new part list, a ‘Network Parts List’ popup window will appear and users can name the part list under the ‘Information’ section.

7. Go to the ‘Pipes’ section, right-click the ‘Storm Sewer’ and select ‘Add part family…’ to open the ‘Part Catalog’ window.

8. Choose the new pipe type to be added and click ‘OK’.

9. To add size to the newly added pipe, right-click the new pipe and select ‘Add part size…’ to open the ‘Part Size Creator’ window.

10. Adjust the parameter to be added or just tick ‘Add all sizes’ to add all sizes available in Civil 3D for the new pipe and click ‘OK’.

11. Expand the newly added pipe to check the size added to its list.

Pressure Network: #

For water reticulation pipe/pressure network pipe, the steps are quite similar to the sanitary sewer and storm sewer pipe, except for setting up the catalog, which needs to be done on a Part List basis.

1. Load the Pressure Network Catalog, followed by adding the pipe or structure materials as in here.

2. Repeat steps 9 ~ 11 from the above to add the part sizes.

You may refer to the video below for a better visualization.

Adding Parts List using MCIntegrator #

MiTS users can also use MCIntegrator to add/adjust Part Catalog and Parts List in Civil 3D.

1. Go to the ‘MES’ tab and click the ‘Machine’ button in the ‘Parameters’ section to open the ‘Machine Settings’ window.

2. Click ‘I understand, CONTINUE’ and a new window will open to set up your Network Catalog and Parts List.

3. Click on the ‘Gravity Network Catalog’ at the ‘Network Catalog’ tab to configure the pipe catalog and structure catalog to be used in the ‘Pipe Network Catalog Settings’.

4. Go to the ‘Parts List’ tab and click on the ‘Gravity Parts List’ to adjust the network pipe and structure components to be used, following the steps in the section above (Refer to steps 3 ~ 11).

5. The Pressure Network catalog selection and the Part List adjustment can be done by clicking ‘Pressure Part List’ and following the same steps here.