Help with complex wall section please

[clark.72011]

I am new to Revit and still fumbling around with it. I am trying to build a wall that has a triangular section that is wood framed and curved in the x/y plane. It will have windows and doors as well. I have not been able to figure out how to change the section of a wall or even rotate a regular wall in the z dimension. Please Help! I feel as though it should be easy and i am just missing something here.
Thanks-
ps it is version 6.1

[Scott D Davis]

You are going to need to create an in-place family sweep, in the wall catagory. You will create the profile as the section through the wall, and the sweep path will be your curve in plan. This will then host wall based elements such as doors and windows.

Revit is much like construction...if you used standard walls, well then those are easy. If you use custom walls with creative sections, well then those are more difficult to create. (just as they would be to build!)

[PeterJ]

Walls that are not truly vertical are not as easy in Revit as a traditional wall. You have three options:

1. Model the wall as a very thick wall and cut into it using in-place families (well documented in the help files) comprising voids. The resultant wall will be angled in the z plane.

2. Model the wall as an in-place family using solids.

3. Use the roof tool but make the layers equate to wall materials not roof materials and make what appear to be a steeply pitched roof.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each method, in case 1 you cannot use layers effectively , in case 2 you cannot place windows in plan and have to use a 3D view. In both these cases a standard window will follow the vertical line and not fall in with the angle of the wall. In case 3 you would need to make your doors and windows roof hosted families instead of wall hosted.

Whichever option you choose, this is something which at present Revit doesn't handle as well as it might and you will not be able to rotate an existing wall from the vertical.

[clark.72011]

I will try it out.... Thank you for your suggestion. I guess I am still trying to use Revit like AutoCad where the objects aren't smart so it makes them easy to draw but they dont participate in anything else... I will keep at it - though a book would be great do you know if there are any on the market havent been able to find one other than the tutorial...
Thanks...

[clark.72011]

Well I have tried to you th roof tool to create the wall but it wont let me select the curve to define the slope... i will try option one- Is there any way to use a curve to define a slope to create a concentric roof? without straight runs?

[Scott D Davis]

you can create a very short (1/4") slope defining line at the end of a curve.

[PeterJ]

You can use Scott's method or you can set up a ref plane perpendicular to the slope and then using that as your work plane create a roof by extrusion with the extrusion drawing the curve you want. This will give a continuous curve at an angle, not a conical form.

[clark.72011]

Sadly - I am still stuck - any more suggestions would be greatly appreciated .... I have tried all of your suggestions and none of them work - I am beginning to think that Revit only works for buildings that are boxes. I have created a void as an in place family which works seemingly well but when I place doors into it, Revit automatically puts the door frames on the void - ie there are frames floating in space rather than being on the wall and it wont allow me to put windows in at all. I have built the wall using a sweep attached to a regular wall to give it the angle but I am not able to cut openings in the sweep to create the windows. There are way too many to build sectional sweeps that allow for openings along the wall plus that would not allow for changes without recreating the whole thing. I am unable to build the wall using the roof command accurately it is always off or distorted in some way. Are there any other options? My firm was planning on converting to Revit after this trial run but at this rate it is proving to be too limiting (or just too difficult). I appreciate any help that you can give me!!! Thanks....

[chukarov]

Don't get desperate yet. I would recommend to attach a sketch to clarify your intentions. There's always somebody who could help.

[clark.72011]

yes ... yes ... I am trying not to get desperate ~ I apologize... Here are a couple of screen captures with the wall in question highlighted in green. This shows the wall with the void-family-scenario which is what has been closest to working though it still does not work... any thoughts are much appreciated... Thanks!

[aaronrumple]

The door you are using is designed to put a frame on the front of a flat wall. You need a door family that has only a frame and no trim. The frame should be designed so as to fit in the wall in relationship to the "center" front to back. See attached. The other option would be to model a custom door frame (or whole door) in the opening as an in place family.

[PeterJ]

It looks, if you have it modelled correctly, as though you have a wall that is vertical on one face and leans in/forward on the other face, this assmbly is rendered more complex by being curved in plan.

When you use a door in this type of wall do you intend to use an architrave that follows the battered line of the wall or, given the width of the wall will you simply dispense with the architrave? If it's the latter then simply open the door family and remove the architrave from it and it looks as though your problem will be solved and your joiners will be happy. If you do want an architrave then I suggest you still strip it out of the family and then model it as an in place family or as a separate family capable of following the slope and the curve.

[clark.72011]

Thank you for your help with the wall and door insert. I will try those suggestions with the door. The main problem I have been having is trying to place a window. It wont allow that at all I get an error message that reads "Cant cut Instance out of Wall". The profile of the wall is perpendicular on the inside with a slant on the outside so you are reading the lean correctly.

[aaronrumple]

Same deal with windows. You need one without trim and just a frame.... see attached.

[clark.72011]

It is very relieving to see that model... Thank you! Can I just ask you how you built the wall in the first place? Is it just a sweep? If so will it be able to attach to roofs etc? This is another problem I have been having...

[aaronrumple]

..just a sweep in an in-place family. You can't attch it to a roof, but you can attach a void to the roof and have that cut the unwanted portion of the wall.

[clark.72011]

Thank You!!!!! You have saved me from HOURS of frustration!!!! I will build it all anew tomorrow!!!!