Quick Start Tutorial

This tutorial walks you through creating a basic tunnel monitoring project from scratch. By the end you will have a project with an alignment, design templates, measured cross-sections, and volume results.

1. Launch TunnelCAD

Run the TunnelCAD executable. On first launch the application creates a default settings file and opens with an empty workspace.

2. Create a new project

Go to File > New Project (or press Ctrl+N). A new project tab appears in the workspace with the name “Untitled”.

3. Add a tunnel

Go to Tunnel > Add Tunnel. In the dialog that appears, enter:

  • Name – a descriptive name for the tunnel (e.g., “Main Bore”)

  • Start Chainage – the starting station of the tunnel (e.g., 0.000)

  • End Chainage – the ending station (e.g., 500.000)

Click OK. The tunnel appears in the project tree on the left.

Tip

You can import an existing horizontal and vertical alignment from an .alm file via Tunnel > Import Geometry. This defines the 3D centreline of the tunnel.

4. Define line definitions

Line definitions describe the types of measured data lines you will use (e.g., “Excavation”, “Final Lining”, “Shotcrete”). Each line definition has a name and a display style (color, linetype, weight).

  1. Go to File > Settings (or click the Settings button) to open the Tunnel Settings dialog.

  2. Navigate to the Line Definitions section.

  3. Add entries for each type of measured line your project requires.

  4. Assign a color and linetype to each so they are visually distinct on the canvas.

Note

Line definitions are per-tunnel. If your project has multiple tunnels, define them for each one.

5. Define template line definitions

Template line definitions work the same way as measured-line definitions, but they describe the lines used in design templates (e.g., “Design Profile”, “Clearance Envelope”).

Configure these in the same Tunnel Settings dialog under the Template Line Definitions section.

6. Create a design template

A template defines the theoretical cross-section shape of the tunnel at a given location. Templates are made up of template lines, each referencing a template line definition.

  1. Go to Template > Edit Templates (or click the Assign button on the ribbon).

  2. In the Template Editor, click Add to create a new template.

  3. Draw the design profile by adding points. For arcs, set the bulge value on the relevant segment.

  4. Assign each line segment to a template line definition.

Warning

When defining arcs, always add the end point first, then set the bulge value on that segment. The bulge array requires at least two points to be present.

7. Assign templates to station ranges

Templates are applied to specific chainage ranges via station definitions. This tells TunnelCAD which design profile to use at each cross-section location.

In the Template Editor, use the Station Definitions panel to assign your template to a start and end chainage. You can assign different templates to different ranges along the tunnel.

8. Add cross-sections

Cross-sections represent the measured tunnel profile at a specific station.

  1. Click Add on the Section pane of the ribbon.

  2. In the Add Section dialog, choose:

    • Single mode to add one section at a specified station, or

    • Range mode to add sections at regular intervals over a chainage range.

  3. Enter the station chainage and section name.

  4. Click OK.

The new section appears in the Sections canvas showing the assigned template overlay.

9. Import measured data

You have several options for getting measured data into your sections:

  • LandXML import – go to File > Import LandXML to import cross-section data from a LandXML 1.2 or 2.0 file.

  • DXF import – import measured profiles from DXF template files.

  • Point cloud extraction – load a point cloud via Point Cloud > Import, then use the Section Viewer to extract profiles at each station.

  • Manual entry – add individual points directly on the Sections canvas.

Tip

When importing from LandXML, TunnelCAD auto-detects the schema version (1.2 or 2.0) and maps cross-section offset/elevation data to the correct line definitions.

10. Review deviation analysis

Switch to the Sections canvas tab. The current cross-section displays measured lines overlaid on the design template. Deviations between measured and design profiles are immediately visible.

Use the ribbon Prev/Next buttons to step through sections and review each station. The Section Details tab on the right panel shows numerical data including bearing, elevation, gradient, and offsets.

Section Edit tools on the ribbon help clean up measured data:

  • Sort reorders points within each line

  • Filter Elev removes outlier points by elevation

  • Filter DR removes points exceeding a deviation threshold

  • Closed / Close to Lvl / Close Invert help close open profiles for accurate area calculations

11. Define volumes

Volume definitions pair a measured line with a template line to compute overbreak, underbreak, or material quantities between them.

  1. Go to the Volume menu or expand the Volumes node in the project tree.

  2. Open the Volume Editor to create a new volume definition.

  3. Select the measured line (e.g., “Excavation”) and the template line (e.g., “Design Profile”).

  4. Choose the calculation type (overbreak, underbreak, or a custom formula).

12. View the mass table

After defining volumes, compute results and view them in the mass table:

  1. Click Compute to calculate volumes across all sections.

  2. Open the Mass Table to see a tabulated summary of areas and volumes for each section interval.

  3. Export results to CSV or spreadsheet format for reporting.

Note

Volume calculations use the area between measured and template polylines at each section, then integrate along the alignment between stations. Results are displayed in the project’s configured units.

13. Save the project

Go to File > Save (or press Ctrl+S) to save the project as a .tun file. TunnelCAD uses an XML-based format that stores all alignment data, templates, sections, volume definitions, and style libraries in a single file.

If this is a new project, you will be prompted to choose a file name and location.

Tip

TunnelCAD tracks unsaved changes and will prompt you to save when closing a project or exiting the application. Look for the * in the title bar to see if there are pending changes.

Next steps

With the basics covered, explore these areas to get more from TunnelCAD:

  • Templates – advanced template design with arcs, multi-line profiles, and superelevation

  • Volumes – custom volume formulas, volume reports, and mass table export

  • Point Cloud – importing scan data and extracting cross-sections

  • Analytics – quality grading, clearance reports, and statistical analysis

  • Import/Export – LandXML workflows, DXF templates, and legacy TCM conversion