Problem with linked site/building files and shared coordinates

[patricks]

We're trying to set up a site model separate from the building model on a current project. This project originally had the survey CAD file linked into the building model, with coordinates acquired and the project relocated to the actual floor elevation of 254.5' above sea level.

So now we're trying to create this separate site file and have each file linked into each other, but I'm not sure if the previous work is causing problems.

The big problem we're having is that the CAD file, when linked in at the first floor level, it comes in with the CAD file's 0 elevation at some random elevation like 302.38 feet below the Revit project's 0 elevation. This puts the 254 contour line at some random elevation like 48.38 feet below Revit's 0 elevation. I have opened the CAD file, and the 254 line as well as all the other contour lines are all at their correct respective Z-axis elevations. So what could cause it to come in below Revit's 0 elevation, in a NEW BLANK project?

What this does is when this site file is linked back into the building file, the building is either floating above, or way down below the toposurface. We have tried various things like moving the linked file, relocating project, etc. etc., but when we get it right in one file, it always becomes screwed up in the other file, and vice versa.

Could this be caused by something in the CAD file like maybe the UCS telling it that elevation 0 is really -302.38 or something like that?

[patricks]

I tried it from scratch using the same CAD file.

1. Start a new blank file
2. Link in CAD survey center-to-center
3. Check in elevation/section, CAD file was way below the 0 floor level, so I moved it up 302.38'
4. Acquire Coordinates
5. Save & close

Then I started another new file for a building file, and placed 4 simple walls on the ground floor level of 0 feet.

1. Link site RVT model center-to-center
2. Check in section/elevation, topo is way higher so I move it down 254.5 feet (the building's Actual finished floor elevation).
3. Place spot elevations in the building file's site plan, on the linked toposurface. I set the Spot Elevation to report Actual elevations, and it is reporting the 252 line as -2.5, since it's 2.5 below finished floor.
4. Acquire coordinates from the linked Revit file. Now suddenly my spot elevation reports an elevation of 554-something!! It's actually reporting that 302.38 discrepancy + 254.5 finished floor elevation.

This is quite frustrating. I just did this a couple of weeks ago on a much smaller project with a CAD file that appears "correct", and it's working just beautifully. This larger project is just maddening!

[patricks]

Anyone have an idea on this?

[patricks]

nobody knows? Should I *gasp* ask the AutoCAD forums?? http://www.honda-tech.com/images/smilies/scared.gif

[patricks]

Having this problem yet again on another project. Have a CAD survey with all contours at correct elevations and all other information at 0 elevation, according the element properties in AutoCAD. However, when I link the file into Revit center-to-center, the information that was at 0 elevation comes in at 96.621' below Revit's 0 elevation.

I know that it's not coming in centered on the upper/lower-most extremes of the Z axis, because 96.621 x 2 is 193.242, but my highest elevation on the survey is 197.xx.

This is extremely frustrating. Once I get my site file set up and shared, then link the site file into my building file and locate it accordingly, all the spot elevations in my building file read 96.621 feet too low, when spot elevations are set to Shared.

[jarosa]

if you're a on subscription AU has a screencast on how to bring in acad civil 3d drawing in and work with it in Revit and vice versa. "From Dirt to Doors" It's a step by step class with an architect and civil engineer describing what each one does. I've never done it so i can't really help beyond this.
good luck.
John

[patricks]

If someone could please take a look at this CAD file and try linking it into a blank project center-to-center (set units to Feet) and maybe see why it's coming in below the correct elevation, that would be great.

[01chang]

Change your building's level to the excately level. Then create a level I always call that "base level" at 0'-0". Then linke or insert your CAD file into the base leve. You should fine. You should see your building and topa at the match to each other.

[patricks]

Change your building's level to the excately level. Then create a level I always call that "base level" at 0'-0". Then linke or insert your CAD file into the base leve. You should fine. You should see your building and topa at the match to each other.

That still doesn't explain why the CAD file comes in with the annotation at some random 96.xx' below the 0 level. I did the same thing on another project, and it worked great. The annotation in the CAD file came in at 0, and the contour lines were all up at their correct elevation.

By doing a separate site file, I should be able to leave my building at 0 and then move the linked site file where it needs to be. But right now doing the same process I did on the other project yields incorrect spot elevations.