Import Geotechnical Data

Once a project has been created and opened the Import command, on the Geotechnical
ribbon, is used to bring in the geotechnical data. Once imported the other geotechnical
commands can be used to manipulate the data. By default the plan locations and 3D
boreholes will be drawn for every hole location.

Command: KNX_IMPORT

The import process uses a multi-step wizard as described below

tep 1: File Selection

The first step in the wizard is selecting the files to import.

From this step, select the File Type to import, select either: AGS4, AGS 3.1 or CSV.
For CSV files, Mapping, Delimiter and Quote Character should be specified to match the
files selected for import.
For definition of the formats see Import Formats
Click Add to browse and select the files to import, click close when selected, to remove the
selected files click Clear.
Overwrite empty values checkbox, is used when re-importing data, if checked on, any blank
fields in the new imported files will replace the existing data, if checked off the existing data
will stay the same unless been replaced with new values other than blank.
Next: will proceed to the next step in the import wizard.
tep 2: File Checks
The second step of the wizard validates the filenames and format are correct, if problems are
found with the files errors and/or warnings will be displayed, these are hyperlinks clicking on
them or give you details of the encountered problem.

Manage: the Manage dialog may be used to add an unrecognised column to the mapping
description, this functionality can only be used to add new banding columns in the Field
Geology Descriptions file.
General: If an error or warning is given and it is not referring to a new Banding column, the
wizard should be cancelled and the problems reported corrected.

Step 3: Locations Selected

Step 3 is used to confirm the borehole locations to import.
Using the checkboxes, Select All and Clear, select the locations to import.

Step 4: Plan
Step 4 displays a summary of the geotechnical data to be imported, press Next to proceed and
Import

Step 5: Import
The geotechnical data will now be imported, press Finish when complete.
CSV Geotechnical Module 2014/2015 Mapping
This this is the format used in the previous version of the Geotechnical Module. This version
of the mapping requires two files

Filename Requirement Description

Location Details.csv Mandatory Bore hole type and position

information

Field Geological Mandatory Strata and banding information

Descriptions.csv

Location Details.csv (hole.csv)

Column Description Mandatory Example

Heading

LocationID Location unique ID Yes BH0001

LocationType Type of activity at location Yes RC

Easting Easting or longitude of the location of hole Yes 123456.4

Northing Northing or latitude of the location Yes 232467.3

GroundLevel Ground level relative to datum of location Yes 35.43

or start of traverse

FinalDepth Final Depth Yes 8.37

Orientation Orientation of hole (degrees Clockwise 87

from north)

Inclination Inclination of hole (measured positively 56.3

down from horizontal in deg)

This file contains a row for each individual hole location.

Below is an example of a hole.csv file, note CPT (Cone penetration test) one has an
orientation and information
Field Geological Descriptions.csv (geol.csv)
This file contains the strata data per location of stratum, the four columns GeologyCode,
GeologyCode2, LegCode and BGSLexicon are not all mandatory, but at least one should be
fully populated to allow the software to correctly band the boreholes and strata.

Column Description Mandatory Example

Heading

LocationID Location identifier Yes BH001

DepthTop Depth to the TOP of stratum Yes 7.43

DepthBase Depth to the BASE of description Yes 8.12

GeologyCode Geology code LC

GeologyCode2 Second geology code SAND

LegCode Legend code 102

BGSLexicon British Geological Survey GOG

Lexicon reference

Description General description of stratum Stiff grey silty

CLAY

Below is an example of geol.csv file.

CSV Default Mapping
This mapping requires two or three files and follows the same format as used to import and
export from HoleBASE SI.

Filename Requirement Description

Location Details.csv Mandatory Bore hole type and position

information

Field Geological Mandatory Strata and banding information

Descriptions.csv

Orientation and Inclination.csv Optional Used for inclined bore holes

Location Details.csv
This file contains a row for each individual hole location, the table below gives details of the
individual column headings and which fields are mandatory or not

Column Description Mandatory Example

Heading

Location ID Location unique ID Yes BH0001

Location Type of activity at location Yes RC

Type

Easting Easting or longitude of the location of hole Yes 123456.4

Northing Northing or latitude of the location Yes 232467.3

Ground Level Ground level relative to datum of location or Yes 35.43

start of traverse

Final Depth Final Depth 8.37

Below is an example of the Location Details.csv, note the case and spacing in the column
headers.
Field Geological Descriptions.csv
Contains the strata or banding data per location of stratum, the four columns Legend Code,
Geology Code, Geology Code2 and BGS Lexicon are not all mandatory, but at least one
should be fully populated to allow the software to correctly band the boreholes and strata.

Column Description Mandatory Example

Heading

Location ID Location identifier Yes BH001

Depth Top Depth to the TOP of stratum Yes 7.43

Depth Base Depth to the BASE of Yes 8.12

description

Legend Code Legend code 102

Geology Code Geology code LC

Geology Code2 Second geology code SAND

BGS Lexicon BGS Lexicon GOG

Description General description of stratum Stiff grey silty

CLAY

Additional banding columns can also be imported for instance, colour, shape or Angularity,
by editing the Mapping when importing.
Below is an example of the Field Geological Descriptions.csv, note the case and spacing in
the column headers.
Orientation and Inclination.csv
The third file, Orientation and Inclination.csv, is optional and contains information on the
direction of the bore hole.
Only entries for when the borehole is not vertical down need to be added
Note: the inclination for a standard vertical hole is 90°, and inclination of the 0° would
create a horizontal borehole, and inclination of -90° would create a vertical hole going
upwards.

Column Description Mandatory Example

Heading

Location ID Location identifier Yes BH001

Orientation Orientation of hole (degrees Clockwise from 135

north)

Inclination Inclination of hole (measured positively 75

down from horizontal in deg)

Below is an example of the Orientation and Inclination.CSV file

ata Management
Connect: The module connects and accesses project data directly from the local Geotechnical
Module database installed on the local machine or it can connect to a central HoleBASE SI
database. The Connect command is also used to create projects in the local Geotechnical
Module database
Import: Used to import geotechnical CSV or AGS data into the current project
Update: Checks for changes in the current project in the database and updates the
geotechnical features in the current drawing.
Asset Management
Location: Used to control what location elements are displayed and how they are presented
including control over the 3D borehole banding and vertical exaggeration
Strata: The Strata Manager is used to create and display strata surfaces, the surfaces created
are standard Civil 3D surfaces, they can be edited and manipulated using Civil 3D commands
and are displayed in the tool prospector like any other surface.
The Manager is designed to make it fast and easy to switch between strata surfaces, the
display of each surface can be checked on or off, there is no need to change the display style
to hide the surface.
Hatches: The Geotechnical Hatch Manager defines geotechnical hatches to be created from
multiple Hatch overlays. The geotechnical hatches defined are used to render the log strips or
profile areas of matching banding terms
Traditionally complex hatch combinations may be used to represent different geologies; often
the standard AutoCAD hatch patterns are not flexible enough. A geotechnical hatch may be
made up from overlaid hatch patterns each with its own colour, scale and rotation.
Styles: The Style Manager is used to define the way the borehole is display on Plan, in the
Model and on Profiles.
Layers: The Layer Manager is used to define the naming convention for the Geotechnical
Layers being used.
A prefix and suffix can be added along with drop down options to dispay the object, stratum
and element. There is also an option to split the stratum layer based on hatch pattern. The
layers can then be configured further using the Layer Properties Manager in ACAD.
Terms: The Terms Manager is used to define terms for objects and elements in the layer
names. Once defined they will appear in the Layer Properties Manager in ACAD.

Profile
Create: Creates Civil 3D Profiles View overlaid with relevant boreholes logs stripes with
strata bands between profiles automatically hatched
Edit: Used to edit the Civil 3D Profile view. Once a view has been created the editor tool will
allow for changing what is shown on that profile.
Manage: Used to resynchronise boreholes logs stripes with Profiles Views if they go out of
tally after manipulation

Accessing and Importing Geotechnical Data

The Autodesk Geotechnical Module uses projects to store and manage geotechnical data,
these can either be stored in the stand-alone database which is created when the Geotechnical
Module is installed or in a central HoleBASE SI database, a geotechnical data management
system developed by Keynetix.
Functionality is included to manage projects including create, edit and delete, these projects
are stored in the local Geotechnical Module database.
To access or import geotechnical data a project must first be opened. If the project already
contains data it will automatically create the 3D borehole logs and plan symbols, if it’s a
new project the data must first be imported.
Three steps to importing data:

 Connect to the appropriate database

 Create or open a project

 Import geotechnical data

Causes:
Installation issue.

Solution:
Completely remove all Geotechnical Module versions from the computer:
 Uninstall the Geotechnical Module Versions from Windows Program & Features
 Delete folder C:\ProgramData\Keynetix
 Check folder C:\Program Files\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins for any Geotechnical Module
folders and delete these
 Check the registry for any Geotechnical Module entries such as
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACAD-
D000:407\Applications\Keynetix.HoleBASE_CAD.GeotechInit.dll
o This needs to be done for all versions, for example 2014 (R19.1), 2015 (R20.0), 2016 (R20.1),
2017 (R21.0), 2018 (R22.0).
 In Civil 3D check if the Module is loaded in the Ribbon and unload it if necessary.
 Type CUILOAD in the command line and remove HBSI extension.
 Also remove the HBSI.cuix and HBSI.mnr from your profile in all versions. Path example:
C:\Users\<<USER>>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\C3D 20xx\enu\Support
 Try installing Geotechnical Module again