Sloping a floor to drain

[jcoe]

We are proposing a bus garage for a school district and even though it is in SD, I am thinking ahead to CD - especially since this will be our first full Revit project from ground up - barring approval from the school board of course.

What I was wondering, is how have others handled a floor that slopes to drain? Is it modeled as three floor slabs with a slope and a trench drain hosted into the center, or is just a matter of using detail lines to indicate the sloping floor? Any thoughts.

[adegnan]

Does it need to be shown in 3-d? If so, probably create floor sections with slope lines, each sloping to the drain location.

If not visible in 3-d then just draft it as necessry to show.

[SCShell]

Hi there,

For what this is worth, I have done it both ways. It just depends on the level of detail you want to show in sections or renderings/3d views.
As an example, I am doing some mechanic bays for a dealership and I want to show the floor sloping to drain towards the overhead doors & trench drain in order to accurately indicate the finish floor levels and foundation/finish asphalt elevations. For this, I modeled the floors as sloping slabs. For another simple restaurant kitchen where the floors slope to drains, I did not since I really wasn't that concerned with the "accuracy" of the sections at 1/4". I just added a few detail lines and arrows to indicate the slope to drain.

I guess it all depends on what you want to shown in other views.
Hope this helps
Steve Shell

[Dimitri Harvalias]

I think it depends a great deal on the lay of the land as well. I'm having a heck of a time using sloping floors to create an underground parking structure that is basically a ramp the curls under itself. I think the floor tool works well for a simple sloped slab that runs in one direction. To try and get it set up to create cross slopes is a pain.

I would love to have a method of creating 'planes' that has the ease of the floor tool (sketch an outline and that's what it will look like) and the control of the topo tool (pick a point, place it at a specific elevation, and let the software figure out the slopes) In other words, create a floor slab and be able to assign an elevation to each point where lines intersect. Surfaces with properties of assemblies.

[Scott D Davis]

I would like this to go one step further, even. Place a floor drain, in the properties, set the floor drain elevation to be -3" (for instance), floor automatically slopes to the drain. Same for roof drains.

[gregcashen]

I think it depends a great deal on the lay of the land as well. I'm having a heck of a time using sloping floors to create an underground parking structure that is basically a ramp the curls under itself. I think the floor tool works well for a simple sloped slab that runs in one direction. To try and get it set up to create cross slopes is a pain.

I would love to have a method of creating 'planes' that has the ease of the floor tool (sketch an outline and that's what it will look like) and the control of the topo tool (pick a point, place it at a specific elevation, and let the software figure out the slopes) In other words, create a floor slab and be able to assign an elevation to each point where lines intersect. Surfaces with properties of assemblies.

Somewhere on the web or in the Revit sample files, there is an example of a parking structure done in Revit. If I find it, I'll forward it along...

[gregcashen]

I would like this to go one step further, even. Place a floor drain, in the properties, set the floor drain elevation to be -3" (for instance), floor automatically slopes to the drain. Same for roof drains.

That's brilliant Scott! I wonder if it would make sense to add a spot elevation family type that could be used to create this type of family for a variety of different conditions. Something that could interact with a floor the same way that a point interacts with a topo surface...basically, set a relative offset and it would be hosted in the floor at that offset. Could be used for a variety of things I imagine.

[ita]

After watching the SOM webcaste, a slab graded to a waste would be piece of cake!!

Later response: Hmmm I think they have a different recipe book to me!! :?:

[Dimitri Harvalias]

Thanks Greg,

As I said, a 'conventional' parking structure would probably be pretty easy to do using the sloped slab. When the whole floor slopes, evenly in one direction... no sweat. Set the top elevation, give it the offset and you're in business. It's when we get into warped slabs that it becomes painful.
I like Scott's idea too. I was actually shocked to find ou that the spot elevation family does not work on the sloped portion of a slab. It will only work on the edges. How come the elevation at any point on a topo surface can be found by Revit?

[watson.145302]

I know this was posted a long time ago but where do I find a floor drain that slopes the floor like what Scott Davis was talking about? I can't find one that pulls the floor with it. Are you talking about an actual floor drain family or the floor sloping tools?

[dfriesen]

I know this was posted a long time ago but where do I find a floor drain that slopes the floor like what Scott Davis was talking about? I can't find one that pulls the floor with it. Are you talking about an actual floor drain family or the floor sloping tools?
That was wishful thinking on his part, before the floor slab tools were introduced. He partially got his wish - now, you can use the slab tools to slope the floor as you need, and then place a (detail) component to indicate the floor drain.

[STHRevit]

We normally use the slab tools to create our falls.
the ridge and valley tool works well for this. Create your overall slab, use the ridge and valley tool where you want the falls to be. When they cross each other it creates a height adjustable point, set that to whatever you need. Slab with fall is created.
Of course it depends on how detailed you want your model and if you will section through it etc etc.

[Stadtler]

We normally use the slab tools to create our falls.
the ridge and valley tool works well for this. Create your overall slab, use the ridge and valley tool where you want the falls to be. When they cross each other it creates a height adjustable point, set that to whatever you need. Slab with fall is created.
Of course it depends on how detailed you want your model and if you will section through it etc etc.

Just a note from the plumbing side of things - unless there is a specific location fully dimensioned and notes to emphasize "this is the only location acceptable", the drain will probably be located where the piping works out best - so ask the plumbing engineer where the drain works best for him - things to consider are invert elevations, footings/structural members, vent riser locations and fixture layouts.

In the overall scheme of things, showing your floor flat and calling out for the floor to slope to the drain is the easiest solution.

[STHRevit]

Easiest yes, technically correct, no.
Besides, if you are using the scheduling capabilities of revit, the screeds to slabs can be quantified, sure not really worthy on smaller projects, but on larger ones it all adds up.