Techniques for extracting and displaying superelevation data from 3D roadway models

A method for extracting and displaying superelevation data from a three dimensional (3D) roadway model, comprising:

• accessing, by software executing on one or more computing devices, one or more roadway meshes and a horizonal alignment from the 3D roadway model;
• extracting, by the software, a plurality of template drops from the one or more roadway meshes at locations along the horizonal alignment to produce an ordered list of template drops, wherein the extracting determines edges of polygons of the one or more roadway meshes at each location that are perpendicular to the horizonal alignment and includes the determined edges in a respective template drop of the ordered list;
• processing, by the software, the template drops of the ordered list to identify top-facing roadway edges in each template drop that represent top pavement surface of the roadway at the location of the template drop;
• iteratively searching, by the software, for a superelevation candidate and detecting superelevation data from the superelevation candidate at least in part by comparing cross-slopes of the top-facing roadway edges of consecutive template drops in the ordered list, wherein a superelevation candidate includes at least two or more template drops having cross-slopes that are locked;
• and
• providing the detected superelevation data.

A non-transitory computing device readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed by one or more computing devices operable to:

• access one or more roadway meshes and a horizonal alignment from the 3D roadway model;
• extract a plurality of template drops from the one or more roadway meshes at locations along the horizonal alignment, the extraction to determine edges of polygons of the one or more roadway meshes at each location that are perpendicular to the horizonal alignment and include the determined edges in a respective template drop;
• process the template drops to identify top-facing roadway edges in each template drop that represent top pavement surface of the roadway at the location of the template drop;
• iteratively search for a superelevation candidate and detect superelevation data from the superelevation candidate at least in part by comparing cross-slopes of the top-facing roadway edges of template drops in the ordered list and looking for one or more predetermined patterns, wherein the one or more predetermined patters include having cross-slopes that are locked;
• and
• providing a visualization of the detected superelevation data.