Site plan / Toposurface

[Bryan Thatcher]

What is the best way to create a site plan. I have a DWG with contours and the building pad that I would like to be able to import and use. Could I create a TIN surface out of this and bring it in? Thanks.

[cliff collins]

Step by step:

1. In Autocad, make sure the contours are polylines, and that they have their proper
"Z elevation"--move them in an elevation view, or check properties for "elevation".

2. Save the cad file.

3. Import into Revit, in a Site Plan view, checking the link box so the cad file is linked.
Try "Origin to Origin" or "Center" to see where the cad file comes in.
If you are using Worksets, create a new Workset called Cad Imports, and make sure it is active when importing the cad file. Also, make sure the cad file is located properly in plan and section/elevation to correct height.

4. In the site plan, go to Site>Toposurface>create from Imported
click the imported cad file--Revit automatically creates the topography.

Done!

[kmwiese]

I don't what I'm doing wrong, but once I select Toposurface and then Import Instance, I am unable to select the contours. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks!
-Kristin

[saeborne]

Hi Kristen...

It may be an issue with how you imported the CAD file into the Revit file... When you imported, I believe the toposurface tool does not function, if you have checked "Current View Only."

Try unloading the cad file, and re-import. Verify that this option is off.

Best of luck.

Bryan

[Brockway]

Step by step:

1. In Autocad, make sure the contours are polylines, and that they have their proper
"Z elevation"--move them in an elevation view, or check properties for "elevation".

2. Save the cad file.

3. Import into Revit, in a Site Plan view, checking the link box so the cad file is linked.
Try "Origin to Origin" or "Center" to see where the cad file comes in.
If you are using Worksets, create a new Workset called Cad Imports, and make sure it is active when importing the cad file. Also, make sure the cad file is located properly in plan and section/elevation to correct height.

4. In the site plan, go to Site>Toposurface>create from Imported
click the imported cad file--Revit automatically creates the topography.

Done!

So long as the site isn't too complicated that is. I don't know how many times I've run into a Revit topography not "liking" a large complicated AutoCAD built site plan.
Are there any rules of thumb for.....let's just say.....making sure a site with retaining walls comes in/automatically creates properly?

[Merlin]

There's one thing that people overlook when creating toposurfaces from DWG files. You have to select the layer of the contours. If you don't, then it uses the Z values (i.e. the heights) of EVERYTHING in the dwg file as determining the levels.
SO....before you bring the DWG in, make damn sure your contours are on a layer of their own. I do this as I'm making sure the contours have actual Z values.
HTH
John Mc

[dpasa]

Although Revit site tools is far from 3d terrain creation, this is a very useful tool and works fine in most cases:roll: