How to make a ramp which follows a spline path

[rob.goetze]

I need to make a ramp which follows a splined path as it spirals upwards and inwards.

The ramp tool allows sketching with lines and arcs only. I made a create-in-place mass (sweep), which will follow along a spline but then I have a flat spiraling walkway. Is there some way to add 3D to a spline? Or some other way to accomplish the desired ramp?

[cosmickingpin]

if you skecth the run you are right you can only do straights and arcs, but if you sketch the boundary then you can have splines and elipses. Sketch your boundary fiorst then add a run. Think about what a elipitcal rise would mean now, not the shape of the ramp, but the slope, what contractor in the world would ever be able to measure, calculate, let alone fabricate an splined slope along any path. That's even beyond Frank Ghery, he might do them but he would not define them by splined and irregularly curved slopes. I think you just want the shape of the ramp to be splines and elipses right? Tell me if I am wrong here.



I need to make a ramp which follows a splined path as it spirals upwards and inwards.

The ramp tool allows sketching with lines and arcs only. I made a create-in-place mass (sweep), which will follow along a spline but then I have a flat spiraling walkway. Is there some way to add 3D to a spline? Or some other way to accomplish the desired ramp?

[rob.goetze]

In the ramp tool for Building 8, the boundary and riser sketch options do not include splines and ellipses. Are you finding these somewhere else?

I asked about adding 3D to a spline, not because I want the slope to follow a spline, but because when I did a create-in-place mass, it followed a spline path but the path was all on one level, thus producing a walkway rather than a ramp. See attached image.

As for the ramp itself, I need a ramp which slopes according to code (1:12 or whatever). I want the shape of the ramp in plan view, to follow a spline.

[cosmickingpin]

Ouch I spoke out of turn, you are right, you cannot sketch a boundary with splines and elipses. I was under the impression thet Revit 8 had better Spline and elipse options. I see your problem there, you can't use sweeps because their path is defined by one single plane. (you could do it with a series of carefully laid arcs which will come close to simulating a spline. Just draw a spline detail line and the draw your boundary with short arcs and that will get you 95% there) Well you are going to have to do this the old fashioned way. You are going to have to construct one larger than needed boject to be the ramp, then use a series of carefully constructed voids (blends and sweeps) to cut your slope from it. You can model your boundary with splines and elipses in an in place family. In revit you can do this, but it ain't the prettiest. This kind of biplanar extrusion is easily accomplished in Viz or Max, but in revit it gets kinda tough, always have a Max buddy you can email stuff to, he can model it for you in a couple of seconds and email you a cad file which you can import. You might be able to do it in cad too and import it that way. Like so many folks say around here Revit is awsome for 90-95% of real world situations, but these biplanar progressions are difficult to do.



In the ramp tool for Building 8, the boundary and riser sketch options do not include splines and ellipses. Are you finding these somewhere else?

I asked about adding 3D to a spline, not because I want the slope to follow a spline, but because when I did a create-in-place mass, it followed a spline path but the path was all on one level, thus producing a walkway rather than a ramp. See attached image.

As for the ramp itself, I need a ramp which slopes according to code (1:12 or whatever). I want the shape of the ramp in plan view, to follow a spline.

[jcoe]

Hello Rob,
What if you used the floor command and sketched the ramp as a floor. I know that the floor tool allows for more flexibility when sketching and it can be sloped using the slope arrows.

[rob.goetze]

Hey Jason:

Thanks for the suggestion. The floor sketch tool is more flexible, and does allow for the use of splines for drawing and for offsetting.
Unfortunately, the slope ends up being all on one plane. As a result, it slopes up and then down again, rather than spiralling continually upwards as I would need it to for the ramp.