Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> create floor or other solid mass from Topo

JRPcad

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Hi all,

I need to be able to create a solid of some sort from a site topography, obviously I could have started with a floor object but that is very tedius to create when I have hundreds of points. Is there a way I can turn the topography into a floor/mass object/ in place solid etc.????

I have found a work around by taking the surface into ACAD and draping the lines, this works quite well however I want to be able to do it in Revit, preferably so that i can keep all my boundaries assigned with their correct materials.

Thanks in advance

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WWHub

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Joined: Tue, May 16, 2006
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You can create a site from a topography survey but not a floor.  For the site, just follow your HELP for importing a site.

The Toposurface tool defines a topographical surface (a toposurface) using points. You can create toposurfaces in 3D views or site plans.

Creating a Toposurface by Picking Points

1. Open a 3D or site plan view.
2. On the Options Bar, set a value for Elevation.

   The points and their elevations are used to create the surface.

3. Next to the Elevation text box, select one of the following:
   • Absolute Elevation. Points display at the specified elevation. You can place points anywhere in the active drawing area.
   • Relative to Surface. Allows you to edit an existing toposurface by placing points on it at the elevation you specify. To use this option effectively, you may want to work in a shaded 3D view.
4. Click in the drawing area to place points. If needed, change the elevation on the Options Bar as you place additional points.

How do I get here?

Click Massing & Site tabModel Site panel (Toposurface).

Related Topics

• Splitting a Toposurface
• Toposurface Subregions
• Toposurface and Subregion Properties

Create from Import

Creating a Toposurface from Imported 3D Data

You can automatically generate a toposurface based on 3D contour data imported in DWG, DXF, or DGN formats. Revit Architecture analyzes the 3D contour data and places a series of elevation points along the contour lines.

1. Open a 3D view of the site plan.
2. Select the imported 3D contour data in the drawing area.

   The Add Points from Selected Layers dialog displays.

3. Select the layers to which you want to apply elevation points, and click OK.

How do I get here?

Click Massing & Site tabModel Site panel (Toposurface).

On the Modify | Edit Surface tab, click Tools panelCreate From Import drop-down (Select Import Instance).

Related Topics

Related topics

• Splitting a Toposurface
• Toposurface Subregions
• Toposurface and Subregion Properties

Creating a Toposurface from a Points File

Preparing a Points File

A points file is typically generated by a civil engineering software application. The file provides contour data using a regularized grid of elevation points.

The points file must contain x, y, and z coordinate numbers as the first numeric values in the file. The file must also be in a comma-delimited file format (a CSV or TXT file). Additional information in the file (such as a point name) is ignored. Any additional numeric information for a point must occur after the x, y, and z coordinate values. If the file contains 2 points with the same x and y coordinates, Revit Architecture uses the point with the largest z value.

1. Open a 3D or site plan view.
2. In the Open dialog, navigate to the location of the points file.
3. In the Format dialog, specify the units used to measure the points in the points file (for example, decimal feet or meters), and click OK.

   Revit Architecture generates points and a toposurface from the coordinate information in the file.

How do I get here?

Click Massing & Site tabModel Site panel (Toposurface).

On the Modify | Edit Surface tab, click Tools panelCreate From Import drop-down (Specify Points File).

Related Topics

• Splitting a Toposurface
• Toposurface Subregions
• Toposurface and Subregion Properties

Best Practices

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JRPcad

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Hi WWhub,

I've already created the site and got the topo surface, that was easy. I need a method of creating the site/toposurface into a solid mass of some sort, i need to be able to do a 3D print of the model and ideally need to include the external ground.

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mbsteve

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Joined: Fri, Sep 22, 2006
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you can assign a material to the surface, but it will only be a surface, and will show a hatch in section view to the depth assigned. If you are unable to see the surface around your building then you will have to adjust either the height of your building or the elevation and possible position of the surface. provide a picture of the condition so that we can respond better. Jing is a nice tool for this.

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WWHub

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Joined: Tue, May 16, 2006
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If you use a section box and pull its limits inside your topo, you will get a 3D topography base, not just a surface.  See attached.

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itsmyalterego

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I've always wondered if a floor with a variable-thickness layer of dirt could be used as topo... if the topo point values are copy/pasted into the elevations for control points on the floor. 

if that makes sense.  I bet it would work -- but to mimic all the points in the topo would best be done in two separate open files so you can copy/paste values between projects while both floor and topo are being edited...

It'd probably take a couple hours.  But I bet it would work. 

So I tried it;  Here's a crude work-around for anyone who isn't suited by topography for whatever reason.  You can even give the layer of grass a nice fluffy thickness...

Edit:  and then, or course, you can apply a surface texture to it if you'd like. 

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JRPcad

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Thanks itsmyalterego.

I think this is quite possibly what i'm looking for. It's a shame though that Revit lets you do this yet it doesn't have a simple option to convert the topo to a solid floor slab. This would be great for many reasons as you'd be able to break the floor into different assemblies for road/pavement/curb construction etc. Topo is great for visualisation but a ground should always have depth

Hopefully they will look at encorporating it into future releases

Okay I've just done as Myalterego suggested and it worked great, just a few issues which i'm sure are probably unresolvable (but doesn't really matter too much as it's nearly there and noone will ever notice on the 3D model)

1. Is there a way of slicing up the floor, just as you would create subreagions or split surfaces on a topo? I tried Copy and pasting the floor to create a duplicate, then edited the boundaries thinking it seemed logical, however because it deletes vertices rather than just slicing it and creating new ones it means that the split floors when next to each other don't quite line up, as i said not a major issue as you would never get slabs/pavement lining up with grass anyway. It would just be nice for quick editing purposes.

2. For some reason I'm not able to place the points in exact locations (like you can with topo points) they just won't snap to anything am i missing something obvious with this??? obviously due to this you'd never be able to match the topo exactly.

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JRPcad

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MMM come to think of it, my work around crossed with myalteregos might give exactly what is required (in terms of following the exact topo).

If I create the drape in autocad, bring into Revit as an metric mass, then create floor by face with a variable bottom material. that should surely give me the flat solid base i'm after for my 3D print and match the sites topography perfectly without the manual editing of each point. I'll have a go later and update the post

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WWHub

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I exported to CAD the section box I posted earlier and it produced the solid base.

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JRPcad

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It only creates a polyface mesh Hub, which then has to be draped to create a solid, and it still doesn't show a depth when exporting to stl, acis, vrml etc.. which takes us back to square 1 lol.  But nice though I didn't know it did that, again quite good for visual stuff if taking into max

Still not tried my other idea yet.

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britt58

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Hi,

I am attempting to 3d print my revit file.

However when I have exported as an stl. file and sent to the 3d printing company the topography is showing up as void. In order to 3d print I need to make this topography solid so that the building does not collapse and has something to sit on.

Can anyone tell me the easiest way to make the entire topography completely solid object?

thanks!

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