Constraint-Based Terrain Surface Grading With Automatic Drainage

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Solution Overview

Problem

The current process of creating and maintaining terrain surfaces in road and site design is highly manual, requiring significant time and effort for even minor changes, and existing automated solutions are inefficient and lack interactivity.

Innovation Solution

A system that automates the terrain surface creation process by allowing users to set design constraints and objectives, which then optimizes the surface to generate multiple design alternatives, including automatic drainage determination and visualization of updates, reducing the need for manual adjustments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual process is used to create terrain surfaces with feature lines and elevation points, then design flexibility and control are maintained, but time consumption and workflow complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign flexibilityVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically generates terrain surfaces by having the computer execute algorithms that self-adjust elevation points and feature lines based on input constraints, eliminating the need for manual creation of dozens of feature lines and hundreds of elevation points while maintaining design control through constraint-based optimization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system transforms the manual process of individually positioning elevation points into an automated parameter optimization problem, where the computer adjusts elevation parameters based on objective functions and constraints to achieve the desired terrain surface automatically

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If manual updates are performed for minor requirement changes, then design precision is maintained, but workflow efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign precisionVSAvoidworkflow efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements iterative optimization with feedback loops where the computer continuously evaluates the terrain surface against constraints and objective functions, automatically updating elevation points and feature lines until optimal satisfaction is achieved, thereby maintaining precision while improving efficiency for design changes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary automated generation of terrain surfaces with pre-defined constraints and objectives, so that when design changes are needed, the system can quickly re-optimize from the preliminary model rather than requiring complete manual redrawing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If automated solutions are implemented for terrain surface creation, then productivity increases, but ease of operation and interactivity decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkflow efficiencyVSAvoiduser interactivity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system combines automated optimization with dynamic user interaction, allowing users to modify constraints and objectives during the optimization process, with the system responding in real-time to user inputs while maintaining the efficiency benefits of automation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system serves multiple functions by combining automated terrain generation, constraint validation, optimization calculation, and user interaction in a single integrated platform, thereby maintaining productivity while enhancing ease of operation through multi-functional capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If complex grading settings are created manually, then design control is maintained, but device complexity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign controlVSAvoidprocess complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts the complex iterative calculations and constraint satisfaction logic from the user's manual workflow and encapsulates them in automated algorithms, allowing users to define high-level constraints while the system handles the complex grading settings generation automatically

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12561492B2Constraint based automatic terrain surface design

Publication Date: 2026.02.24 AUTODESK INC

AI summary

A method and system provide the ability to design a terrain surface. A triangular surface mesh in three-dimensions representative of an existing surface is obtained. One or more constraints to control the triangular surface mesh are specified. The specifying includes defining multiple basic grading element constraints that are constraints on surface points of the existing surface, and combining such constraints into a complex grading element constraint that matches a real world grading behavior. Drainage for the triangular surface mesh is automatically determined based on the complex grading element constraint.