voids in concrete with 3d path???

[mmcfadden]

Does anyone know a way to do a void with a 3d path?
i have a concrete slab with a pipe that runs all the way thru it. at one end the pipe makes a 90 degree turn and penetrates the top of the slab.
there are also vertical pipes that extend vertically from the main pipe every 20 feet or so.

its simple enough to make the void thru the slab horizontally but the trouble is the vertical pipes that intersect the main pipe.

i have tried different types of voids/openings and they dont seem to work well together (Revit will not allow 2 voids to intersect each other).

i have come to the conclusion that the best way to accomplish what i need is to draw my slab as a sweep with a hole in it and use voids or openings for the vertical pipe penetrations, but i still wont get the proper geometry at the 90 degree elbows.......

does anyone have an easier way to accomplish this??????

thanks in advance for any help.

[Phil Read]

Try creating an In-Place Void Family of the same category as your slab. Create horizontally oriented sweeps or extrusions for the horizontal runs. Create separate vertically oriented sweeps or extrusions for the vertical segments. Using Reference Planes and Reference Lines will help you orient your working plane.

Revit will allow voids to overlap. But they may not be joined.

Another option is to create a series of model lines representing the center of the void sweep analytical path. Then pick these model lines when creating the sweep. Use the Reference Lines/Planes to orient the connected Model Lines. This will allow you to create one continuous 3D Path.

Example attached -

Phil

[mmcfadden]

i could get the void to work by using a void sweep for the main horizontal run and the end vertical projection.

the misc vertical penetrations are void extrusions.

for some reason my void sweep would only allow me do a void with a radius of 1'8 3/4" max instead of the required 1'-9" radius.


any ideas?

thanks for the response.....

[benmay]

The first question I would ask is whether you really need to model the voids? You have obviousloly already decided that you do, but how much thought did you give this?

Do you already have the pipework modelled in 3D, if not I would say your better off modelling the pipework and co-coordinating any rebar, framing or whatever you have with the 3D pipework.

Unless you want to calculate the concrete volumes exactly (which Revit will struggle to do anyway) , I would say modelling the voids to pipework although possible, is unnecessary

Modelling every detail is great in theory, but get onto a large project and it just isnt possible.

(By the way, sorry if this sounds like a rant, but I have recently been asked to model the rock profile in 3D on a 16,000m2 site)

[mmcfadden]

The model that i posted is an oversimplified example of what i am trying to accomplish. one of the great benefits of revit is having objects that are design critical be modeled accurately so that sections are always accurate. at project completion along that one stretch of wall i will probably have a dozen sections to illustrate the rebar etc...
when (of course not if) pipe diameters or inverts change theoretically i can edit my sweep profile and maybe change the work plane elevation and then follow thru and edit reinforcing in the sections.

apply that theory to dozens of pipe runs in the structure and hopefully modeling the pipe penetrations should pay off greatly..

hopefully this will also be a good tool to show the environmental engineer its time to upgrade to Revit.
at that point (hopefully) they can model their own pipes and i can just link them in.

i guess only time will tell