Turn Data Into Design
(Print PDH from the August 2025 issue of Informed Infrastructure)
Author: Ron Couillard, Technology Consultant, Infrastructure and Government, U.S. CAD, An ARKANCE Company
A point cloud is a dense set of XYZ coordinates, often including color or luminance, captured using technologies such as light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and photogrammetry. Point clouds have become essential assets in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) projects, offering precise, high-resolution 3D representations of physical environments. Point cloud data significantly enhances accuracy, efficiency and collaboration in AEC projects, making it a valuable resource for modern construction and design workflows.
AEC professionals can effectively use point cloud and surface data through the Autodesk AEC Collection, which includes tools such as ReCap Pro, InfraWorks and Civil 3D. These applications facilitate a seamless workflow from data capture to design implementation.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the conclusion of this article, the reader should be able to understand the following:
• How software programs from the Autodesk AEC Collection can be used to harvest and, if necessary, convert point cloud or surface data.
• How different workflows within the AEC Collection can effectively use point cloud and/or surface data.
• How point cloud and surface data can be brought into Autodesk Civil 3D as triangulated irregular network (TIN) surfaces to support design and documentation.
• How to extract 3D features from point cloud data and integrate them into Autodesk Civil 3D workflows.