Working with VERY large site plan

[sabina.beg]

I'm looking for advice on working with a very large site (900,000 sq m) with multiple buildings. We are setting up a central files for the site and each of the buildings on the project. We will link each of the files as needed.

Working with the site itself is becoming cumbersome. As I am creating subregions to create the roads, parking lots, & sidewalks, it is taking Revit a long time to regenreate the model. And I know as I have to add in more of these subregions, working with the site model is just going to get worse. Additionaly, the site plan is still changing in regards to both coutouring and location of sidewalks and parking.

As I see it there are a few options:

1. Split the site into sections and have each of these sections on their own workset.
2. Split the site into sections and each of these sections in a different central file.

With each of these options I lose the ability for the coutours to be adjusted across the entire site. I would them have to go into each section and adjust the coutours so the entire site fits together.

Are these my only options? How would you suggust working with a site this large? What is the largest site that Revit can deal with and still allow the user to be productive (vs. twiddling my thumbs as I wait for the model to regenrate)?

[twiceroadsfool]

File size and regen time aside, i wouldnt work on anything in Revit thats going to push more than a mile from the origin. Youre going to start getting display problems as a result. Dave Conant gave a very lengthy explanation on why this is, if you search for his name. In any event, id break it up in to seperate central files, becuase ive found very very large files, even when worksetted and opened selectively, are still slower and more cumbersome to use, than linked files...

Yes, there are down sides, BUT... Ive done two projects that were afflected with the "ghosting and dancing" of objects when tryign to select them, as a result of a large distance from the origin, and its near impossible to work accurately with...

[jeffh]

I would second Aarons post. Working with anything more than a mile from the origin is not going to work very well for you. Stay as close as you can to the origin while working in Revit.

[AP23]

So what software do you use to make large site plans?

[twiceroadsfool]

Revit doesnt stop you from large site plans anymore than it does large buildings. If you had a building a mile long, youd have to break it up or youd suffer the same difficulties.

But i'll wager the answer to your question is Civil 3d? :)

[jeffh]

But i'll wager the answer to your question is Civil 3d? :)

That is what I would go with. But then Again I have a bias towards Autodesk products. :)

[Comach]

I would also suggest Civil 3D - unfortunately if you don't use it then there is a bit of a learning curve and there may not be enough time to integrate this into your project - maybe a future consideration.

With regards to splitting the site - this makes sense as it improves manageability of your data and obviously eliminates the frustration of waiting for something to happen on screen. The downside; as you already noted; is managing change across each sector - this is really more a case of adapting the work-flow to suit. You may wish to consider something like Navisworks to bring it all together to do a regular model review.

If the project is phased you might consider this as a guide to sectioning the site so that each area is prioritised according to the design schedule. The services to each building can be managed locally per each sector - so that would not be a problem if you were to split the site.