Site Plan Help

[bud]

I am about to do my first site plan. Any one with any advise on starting my project that requires a site plan will be greatly appreciated.

One question I would have is, do I use the true north and project north to place the model on a site?

thanks in advance.

[Wes Macaulay]

One thing that I would heartily recommend is having a level called Sea Level whose elevation is set to zero. If you have survey data import it on that level so it will land at the right elevation.

Think about how you want the building to land on the page -- true north you can set at any time, but if you draw the building in the wrong orientation you'll have to rotate the crop region for each view, which is a bit of a drag. So draw your building on the most convenient angle for the plans (Project North), and the site plan can rotate to suit (True North).

Grids and levels are 3D entities -- they're like huge thin sheets whose 3D lengths you can adjust (you'll note the 3D notation on the ends of levels and grids).

Set your levels and grids so that they are associated with the X,Y,Z location of the project -- adjust their 3D extents to suit where your building will be located. Then as you cut sections through the building your datums will always appear. This is something that fouls up many Revit users...

[zine]

I have a survey plan in DWG format (2D) and what to import that to automatically generate the 3D Revit site plan. What is the easiest way to achieve this?
Thanks
Ian

[Shaun v Rooyen]

You can only, automatically generate, 3D from 3D. If the survey plan is in 2d its not going to miraculously change to 3D.
There are a few ways of doing it. In Acad change the Z co-ords of either the points, or the countours before importing to Revit. Or alternatively trace the contours or points in Revit using points and altering the Z co-ords.
Most surveyors however work in 3D and flatten before export, and passing on. If you ask your surveyor nicely he might hand the 3D file over, it's worth the call.

[zine]

Thanks, I'll give them a call tomorrow.

If I do get a hold of the 3D DWG file, what is the easiest way to convert it to a 3D Revit file from which i can build on?

I searched for help in Revit, but it is not very clear.

[bud]

thanks Wes for a quick reply. I hope to start it Wednesday and will use this info.

[Shaun v Rooyen]

Ian,
Once in a new project open the "Site" floor plan view.
Import the DWG.
Select "Topography" found under "Site"
Then select "Use imported", and select the dwg.
then "finish sketch".
That should do it. Enjoy.
Otherwise look-up "Toposurface" in the help file, and there is a step by step guide.

[knurrebusk]

And if you have a sloped site, use ramps for roads/curbs.
Will save you a lot of stress down the road, sweeps will not do it.

Thanks to "Gravelin" I´m still sane he he!

Regards Atle.