Let's address the elephant in the room. If you search for this keyword, you are likely looking for a free resource. While we advocate for supporting the publisher (Sybex/Autodesk Press), the reality for students is tight budgets.
The best free alternative to the 2016 Official Press PDF is the Autodesk Civil 3D 2016 Help Documentation (Offline) . Autodesk includes a full Help system that is actually structured very similarly to the Essentials book. It is not as narrative-driven, but the "Tutorials" section inside the Help menu is the second best resource available.
This book is part of the official Autodesk certification preparation series. It is designed to take a user with zero experience to a level where they can comfortably design and manage civil engineering projects. Let's address the elephant in the room
Key Details:
To understand why this is the best learning tool, let's look at the table of contents you will find in a high-quality PDF. The best free alternative to the 2016 Official
This book follows Autodesk’s official training courseware (AOTC). It is structured exactly as an authorized training center would teach it. The "Essentials" tag means it cuts the fluff. You don't learn architectural drafting; you learn:
Title: AutoCAD Civil 3D 2016 Essentials
Publisher: Autodesk Official Press / Sybex (Wiley)
Author: Eric Chappell This book is part of the official Autodesk
This is a official training guide designed to help users pass the Autodesk Civil 3D 2016 Certified Professional exam. It follows a task-based, step-by-step approach using real-world project files.