Learn Civil 3D in 90 minutes

Course overview

In this short yet comprehensive course, you'll explore the core Civil 3D workflows for creating surfaces, grading sites, designing alignments and profiles, and modeling utility networks. Through hands-on exercises, you'll learn how Civil 3D's intelligent objects work together to support real-world site and infrastructure projects.
You'll gain practical experience working with survey data, feature lines, grading tools, alignments, profile views, gravity pipe networks, and pressure pipe networks while following industry-standard workflows. Along the way, you'll discover how to organize project data using data shortcuts and apply styles and labels to support clear design documentation.

The step-by-step video instruction totals approximately 90 minutes. To reinforce your learning, each module includes practice exercises and solution videos. You may also complete an end-of-course project design challenge and a final assessment that provide opportunities to apply your skills in realistic civil engineering scenarios. These activities take additional time to complete and are not included in the 90-minute estimate.

To receive a course completion certificate, you’ll need to click through all course content, including the videos, exercises, and challenges. While the hands-on activities are optional for learning, they must be accessed in order to track course progress. You’ll also need to complete the final test with a passing score of 75 percent to earn the certificate.

After completing this course, you'll be able to:

• Navigate the Civil 3D interface, including Toolspace, ribbons, and drawing settings.
• Create project drawings from templates and manage project data using data shortcuts.
• Create, manage, style, and label surfaces from survey and LandXML data.
• Use feature lines, sites, grading groups, and grading criteria to develop proposed surface models.
• Create and edit alignments using layout tools and geometry editing commands.
• Generate surface and design profiles to support roadway and site design workflows.
• Create and customize profile views for visualizing and documenting vertical design.
• Create and edit gravity pipe networks and pressure pipe networks for utility design.
• Apply object styles and labels to support design visualization and documentation.
• Develop a coordinated site design that integrates surfaces, alignments, profiles, and utility networks.

Designed for AutoCAD users transitioning to civil engineering workflows, as well as students, interns, designers, and entry-level civil engineering professionals, this course provides a fast-paced, practical introduction to the essential tools and concepts needed to begin working effectively in Autodesk Civil 3D.