Hurricane season is far from over, but with four major hurricanes – Category 3 or greater – already causing untold damage in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico, 2017 has already proved to be a brutal one.

I can’t think of another Autodesk product that sees so many rolling updates as Autodesk InfraWorks 360. In addition to the annual release (get a round-up of what’s new in the 2018 software here), new features and capabilities are being added throughout the year. Subscription customers can download these updates via the Subscription Center.

Regular updates and improvements are great, but how do you stay on top of what’s new and put it to use in your design projects?

Autodesk University (AU) is a great event for anyone looking to explore new innovations in digital design or brush up on their software skills. But not all public sector organizations have the budget to send their CAD teams to AU. No problem! AU has assembled a catalog of on-demand sessions that you can watch for free. You can also download the presentations, workbooks, and transcripts to keep by your side as you explore what you’ve learned.

Autodesk InfraWorks 360 and AutoCAD Civil 3D 2018 are here!

For infrastructure and transportation civil engineers and designers, the new releases incorporate feedback from users and stress better economics, practicality, resiliency and attractiveness in the conception, design and construction of road, highway, bridge, land, and other infrastructure projects.

It always blows my mind when I talk to designers and engineers who are still using CAD, even Microsoft Visio, for engineering and design work. But when it comes to designing future transportation systems, where complex workflows, tight budgets, and multiple stakeholders complicate project success, CAD simply doesn’t cut it anymore.

Why? Drew Olsen, writing for the BIM on the Rocks blogs, shares some reasons:

You need a faster way to get in front of the stakeholder to advance reviews

As global temperatures rise, extreme downpours can result in flash floods that put a catastrophic strain on U.S. infrastructure. In fact, a new study from Nature Climate Change and reported by The Guardian, suggests that by the century’s end, storms that now occur once a season (like the Louisiana flood of 2016) could happen five times a season – a 400% increase.

As a government user of Autodesk software, you may be aware that Autodesk is changing its licensing policy. Effective, January 31^st 2017, the previous government extension will end and users will no longer be able to purchase perpetual licenses. You can read more about the specifics of the changes here.

Last fall saw some major updates to Autodesk’s flagship civil engineering software -  InfraWorks 360 and AutoCAD Civil 3D.

To give users an overview of what’s new, the Autodesk product team have come together for “The Dan and Dave Show” once more. What features will be added or updated? Why were these changes chosen over others? The on-demand video below includes answers to these questions and more from the guys who call the shots when it comes to the development of InfraWorks 360 and Civil 3D.

Flooding is one of the deadliest natural disasters. Few places can escape the wrath of excessive rain, ruptured dams or levees, rapid ice melt, or storm surges. Even states that we’d consider “dry” are vulnerable to the effects of flooding.

Flood risk assessment and mitigation is a critical part of any civil engineer’s job. After Superstorm Sandy devastated the New Jersey/New York shore in 2012, it was discovered shortly thereafter that federal flood maps drawn up by FEMA were wrong. Unfortunately for many home and business owners, developers relied on FEMA’s assessment of risks when they built new homes near the water and property owners made decisions about whether to buy flood insurance based on those maps.