Help with difficult detail (clairifier drop box)

[jpeters]

Hello Revit Geniuses,

I need some help with a difficult (at least I think so) modeling detail. I’m modeling a water treatment clarifier and am struggling with the effluent drop box. I have a flat 1’-9” wide (12” thick) slab that is a consistent radius around the tank. At one location it transitions from flat to a 12/12 pitch drop, flat again for a few feet, back up at 12/12 and then flat again at the original elevation. (See the attached images. The slopes are marked in yellow in the plan.) The flat “ring” is easy to model with a slab. I am struggling with the pitched sections. Slabs come close, but to set two different edges at different elevations they have to parallel and because of the curvature of the slab, the two edges are not parallel. If I make them parallel the flat section and pitched slabs don’t meet quite right. I’ve tried roofs with a little success but still couldn’t get it to all join up correctly. Even if I could get a slab or roof to work, I still have the issue of cleaning up their connection… basically making them miter.

One solution might be to model it all as solids but I haven’t figured out a way do that with the given tools yet.

The second part this problem is dealing with the inside launder wall. It’s just a curved wall, but when it gets to the drop box the bottom has to drop and follow slabs. It seems like since it is curved, I’m unable to edit the walls profile.

Can you point me in the right direction or possibly give me some ideas that I haven’t thought of yet? Any help would be appreciated!

-Jason

[chris.spenski]

I would take a shot at a component (model in place) with a revolved profile of the shape that you want. The only issue with this is that the rebar would have to be manually placed and therefore may not move if the component moves or changes shape.

[chris.spenski]

Be sure to choose the wall option when selecting the Family Catagory. I have attached a quick example of how I would build this. I used a void to make the opening. Hope this helps.

[chris.spenski]

My apologies, I believe that I misread your initial comment. Even if that's true I think that your issue may still be solved by using components.

[jpeters]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the responses. I'm not sure I explained my problem well enough but nevertheless your comment about using a component and voids got me thinking in a totally new direction. I think I'm on the right path now but I've run into a more technical problem.

I've created a family that includes a large block (created with a revolve) that encases the entire drop box area. Then I used voids (created with sweep blends) to cut away the excess material. I've got a final shape that is close but I can't get all the voids to cut the original solid. I think it must have something to do with the hosts but I'm not sure how to fix it. I've also tried using the cut command to cut the void from the solid with no success.

The key to this whole family working is that all the solids and voids are revolved around a central axis that is defined by the center of the clarifier tank. I've attached my family...

If anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate it. Thanks!

[jpeters]

Okay, I think I figured it out. The sweep blend voids have to be slightly wider than the solid or it won't cut.

Thanks again for your help Chris!