Fences in InfraWorks can be a hassle. As such a prominent feature in most site design projects, you’d think there would be a way to streamline this process for easy visualization. In past workflows, we’d need to create new materials, assign them to libraries, then adjust spacing and other settings only to get them to look “close enough.” Now, with new features released by Autodesk, you can make fences even easier!
New Feature! Linear Decorations
With the 2022 release of Infraworks, we’ve gained a new function, Linear Decorations!
The new Linear Decorations button is found on the Environment Panel of the Create tab.
This new function is a great way to add additional detail to your projects by spreading out any City Furniture object along a linear path unattached from a roadway alignment, which previously required before.
Bushes around a building? Perfect! Traffic Cones around your construction site model? Absolutely! But remember what Infraworks is for – making design decisions and preliminary models. If you need to make changes to your roadways, you might need to move your linear decorations, too. You can attach these decorations to a roadway later if you’d like.
Not only is there new linear feature functionality, but there’s also a lot of new content too. You’ll have to explore the City Furniture dialog box to discover it all. I was particularly impressed with the new Meadows for ground cover. Type “meadow” in the search box to find these.
Fences Made Easy
We’re here for fences, so let’s look at these options. There are seven fence options total. Some might look a little familiar if you’d done bridge work in Infraworks before, but some are brand new! Type “fence” into the search box to find them.
Let’s look at the “Chain Fence Straight” style first. When you insert it, this is what will appear in your model.
It’s close, but not close enough. The spacing between our fence panels is all wrong and it just looks a bit goofy. Luckily for us, this is an easy fix. Select the entire string and open the properties.
The spacing defaults to 32.81’ for some reason. We need to shorten that up to make it look more realistic.
That’s better!
You’ll find similar spacing issues with all 7 fences. It takes a little trial and error to figure out what spacing value works best. Here are the values I recommend – give them a try!
Chain Fence Curved Top: 9.8’
Chain Fence Straight: 13.1’ (shown above)
Chain Fence Top: 9.8’
Black Solid Fence: 10.0’
Metal Bar Fence: 4.4’
Metal Residential Fence: 16.4’
Solid Concrete Fence with Pattern: 8.5’
Have fun experimenting with these new fence styles within your Infraworks model!
Jason Artley, LEED AP
Sr. Civil Technical Specialist
Licenses & Certifications
LEED AP
Bluebeam Certified Instructor
Bluebeam Certified Support Representative
Autodesk Certified Professional – AutoCAD and Civil 3D
About Jason
Jason has more than 20 years of experience in the AEC industry with a genuine passion for making things come to life. He started working in construction during high school and used that experience as a foundation for his career. He has an associate degree in Architectural Drafting/CAD Technology and has been using Autodesk products since 1996 starting with AutoCAD R12.
Jason started working as a civil drafter before moving up to designer. Most recently, Jason served as a CAD Manager for a large national firm. From residential subdivisions and industrial complexes to large shopping centers, Jason has been involved in many types of civil projects. He has spent time in the field working as a surveyor as well.
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