Import DXF

Updated 01/2021

Import DXF File Tutorial

Created By: Roozbeh Geraili Mikola, PhD, PE
Email: [email protected]
Web Page: www.geowizard.org
30 , 30

0 , 15

30 , 7
0,5

-30 , 7
R=5
0,0

-30 , -30

This tutorial will demonstrate how to import DXF file into ADONIS using the Import DXF wizard
tool. In this tutorial LibreCAD, a free Open Source CAD application is used for DXF generation
but please note that ADONIS is compatible with AUTOCAD as well. LibreCAD can be
downloaded from https://librecad.org/

Create DXF File

First let’s create the DXF file. In order to create a simple geometry using LibreCAD let’s follow
the sequences below:
1- Before start drawing let’s specify some layer names. From menu select Layer List->Add
a Layer and then specify GEOMETRY as a layer name. Please note that ADONIS will
read the geometry objects (i.e. line, arc, circle etc.) regardless of layer name but it’s
recommended to use GEOMETRY as a layer name for objects for more clarifications.
Please repeat the same steps and create two more layers and name them JOINT and
CABLE for joint and cable elements. You can optionally specify the color, width or line
type for each layer for better presentation. Table 1 shows the conventions for layering
while creating objects.
2- To draw the outside boundary, select Tools->Line->Rectangle and specify first point -
30,-30 and second point 30,30. Now select the Rectangle and select Tools->Modify-

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>Attributes in the attributes dialog, drop down the layer selection box and choose
GEOMETRY. Right click or press ESC key to terminate the drawing.

Figure 1- Layers Settings dialog to specify new layers.

(a) (b)
Figure 2- (a) draw rectangle (b) Change rectangle’s layers name (attributes).
3- To draw the circular tunnel, select Tools->Circle->Center, Point and specify center point
0,0 and second point 5,0. Now select the Circle and select Tools->Modify->Attributes in
the attributes dialog, drop down the layer selection box and choose GEOMETRY. Right
click or press ESC key to terminate the drawing.
4- To draw the joint above the tunnel, select Tools->Line->2 Points and specify center point
-30,7 and second point 30,7. Now select the Line and select Tools->Modify->Attributes
in the attributes dialog, drop down the layer selection box and choose JOINT. Right click
or press ESC key to terminate the drawing.

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5- In the final step to draw the Cable element, select Tools->Line->2 Points and specify
center point 0,5 and second point 0,15. Now select the Line and select Tools->Modify-
>Attributes in the attributes dialog, drop down the layer selection box and choose
CABLE. Right click or press ESC key to terminate the drawing.
6- Save the file in the desired directory and name it “tut02_dxf.dxf”

(a) (b)
Figure 3- (a) draw circle with center and point on circle (b) Draw line with two points.

Figure 4- Final result in the LibreCAD.

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Table 1- conventions for layering and entity type

Object Layer Name CAD Entity Type

Geometry GEOMETRY (optional) LINE / POLYLINE / ARC / CIRCLE

Joints JOINT LINE

Cables CABLE LINE

Tiebacks TIEBACK LINE

Strips (i.e. Geogrids) STRIP LINE

Import DXF
To import dxf file into ADONIS using wizard dialog, select File->Import DXF from menu or toolbar

Select:

Then follow the steps below:

1. In the Import DXF dialog, click on Select DXF File button and select the required DXF
file and press Open.
2. In case you want to modify the output filename click on Output Filename checkbox and
specify output script filename. By default the output filename is identical to the input DXF
filename.
3. Then select Unit System. Uncheck the Load Script after Creation if you don't want to
load the created script after generation.
4. Click on Apply button, to generate the script file (i.e. *.ajs). Generated script
corresponding to selected DXF file can be found in the same directory as input DXF file.

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Figure 5- Import DXF dialog in ADONIS.

Figure 6- Final result in ADONIS after cleaning up the script.

Script
Now you can open the script file, for instance you can create and specify the material to the solid
elements then excavate the tunnel before installing the cable element. The following command
lines shows the output from the wizard tool including the modifications made before cable
installation:

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// create new model

newmodel()

// select system unit

set("unit","user-defined")

// generate geometry
line("startPoint",-30,-30,"endPoint",30,-30)
line("startPoint",30,-30,"endPoint",30,30)
line("startPoint",30,30,"endPoint",-30,30)
line("startPoint",-30,30,"endPoint",-30,-30)
circle("centerPoint",0,0,"radius",5,"numSeg",20)
joint("startPoint",-30,7,"endPoint",30,7,"id",1)

// discretize/triangulate the model

triangle("elemtype","T3")
discretize("auto")
triangle("auto")

// ***************************
// this part is included after clean up
// create and specify material and then excavate the tunnel before installing the cable element
material("create","IsoElastic","matid",1,"matname","Material
1","density",2500,"shear",2.8e+09,"bulk",3.9e+09)
material("assign","matid",1)
excavate("region",-4.03909,-1.65706)
// ***************************

// draw structural elements

structure("drawcable","cabid",1,"frompoint",0,5,"topoint",0,15,"pretens",0.0,"segnum",10)