Where to Start?

We recommend that you orient yourself to the product first by reviewing the Getting Started section of this help.

Next, it is recommended that you work through one or more of the tutorials. They will provide you with practical experience in using OpenTunnel Designer to model various "real world" tunnel projects.

Key Features

• Model conventional and TBM tunnels
• Model linear transition (lofting) tunnels for conventional tunnel type
• Model excavation subspaces for conventional tunnels
• Model reinforcement for conventional tunnels
• Estimated quantities and cost reports
• Generate i-models with engineering attributes
• ProjectWise integration
• Built on MicroStation PowerPlatform Update 23.00.01 (202300.01.44 release)
• Built on Civil Platform (OpenRoads Designer) 2023 release
• Optional install of Lumen RT from Software Downloads
• Certified with PW v10.00.03.453

OpenTunnel Designer (OTD) 2023 Release contains the enhancements and error corrections mentioned in the following paragraphs.

I. Enhancements

1. Modeling - Tunnel transition (lofted solids) - The sections of conventional tunnels can be created as lofted sections, using a start and end tunnel template as input. The enhancement is applicable for reinforcements and auxiliaries also.
2. Modeling - Enhanced reinforcement placement - The placement of reinforcement has been enhanced to support the placement of different reinforcement groups on different tunnel sections.
3. Modeling - Lofted portals on curved alignments - The portals created on curved alignments, that have different start and end templates are created as lofted portals.
4. Modeling - Added support for cutting soil meshes with lofted solids.
5. Soil meshes - The IFC import tool for soil meshes has been upgraded to support versions 4.0, 4X3RC1 and 4X3RC4. The version 4X3RC3 has been deprecated.
6. Reports - The libraries have been updated with predefined item types reports for tunnel lining and singularities.
7. Reports - Input and quantities reports have been updated to support the new method of placing reinforcement and lofted solids.
8. PLAXIS transfer - Multiple improvements have been implemented for PLAXIS transfer, like:
   1. support for lofted tunnel lining and reinforcement elements;
   2. support for the new option to place reinforcement in OpenTunnel;
   3. added a new option called "Combined" that creates models with plates superimposing the regions/volumes;
   4. added configuration variables to specify the PLAXIS version used for the creation of the .py files (PLAXISV22 or PLAXISV23).
9. Item types - Multiple improvements have been implemented for item types, like:
   1. added items for the tunnel transition elements;
   2. added new properties in the item types library for reading various properties from the created solids;
   3. added item types for soil meshes;
   4. the item types are now visible in iTwin when an element is selected.
10. Item types - The feature definition that has item types defined, can be applied to the solids after solid creation.
11. Export to IFC - Technology Preview - The export to IFC versions 2x3, 4 and 4x3 is now possible directly from OpenTunnel.
12. GUI - The tag tools have been updated to support the new method of placing reinforcement. The user defined properties (like column length for forepoles or rock bolts diameter) are not defined at placement time and not when the geometry is tagged. The auxiliary tag tools have been updated also.
13. GUI - Some of the objects properties have been reordered in the list of properties.
14. Added Geospatial Context workflow.

II. Error corrections

1. PLAXIS transfer - Fixed an issue where if referenced alignments were used, the transfer to PLAXIS 2D was not possible.
2. PLAXIS transfer - Fixed a transfer issue with twin tunnels located on alignments with different stationing.
3. PLAXIS transfer - Fixed a transfer issue where the rotation of the TBM ring was not sent correctly in some cases.
4. Fixed an issue where the portal solid was not created correctly on a specific geometry.
5. Fixed an issue for the soil meshes that where not refilled after singularities were deleted.