Creating a Site: Creating a Toposurface

Creating a Toposurface

12/20/09 9:15 - 10:15am

Import contour data to create a toposurface:

1. Click Insert tab, then Import panel, then Import CAD.
2. In the Import CAD Formats dialog:

• In the left pane, click Training Files, and select Common\Site Plan.dwg.
• For Colors, select Preserve.
• Verify that the Current view only option located on the left side of the dialog is cleared.
  NoteIf you select the Current view only option when importing the DWG, then the drawing is added as a drafting item and is view-specific. You cannot use a drafting item to create a toposurface.
• Click Open.

3. Zoom to fit the drawing in the view. ('ZF' is the keystroke shortcut)
The drawing must be moved to the right to ensure that the building is modeled close to the origin of the project. The elevation markers in the project template point to the origin. It is critical that you create Revit Architecture projects as close to this origin as possible.

4. In the drawing area, select the imported site plan.

5. Click Modify Site Plan.dwg tab, then Modify panel, then Move.

6. Click near the center of the building to enter the move start point.

7. Click to the right outside of the building to enter the move end point, as shown.

Position the center of the building close to the central area indicated by the elevation markers. (Exact placement is not important.)

8. Press Esc.

9. Click View tab, then Create panel, then 3D View drop-down, then Default 3D.

You can see results more clearly when creating the toposurface from a 3D view.

Note: The contours in the DWG imported file are drawn with a z value. Revit Architecture uses these values to create 3D points and generate the toposurface object.

10. Click Massing & Site tab, then Model Site panel, then Toposurface.

11. Click Create Topography Surface tab, then Tools panel, then Create from Import drop-down, then Select Import Instance.

12. In the drawing area, select the site plan.

13. In the Add Points from Selected Layers dialog:

• Click Check None.
• Select C-TOPO-MAJR.
• Select C-TOPO-MINR.
• Click OK.

The DWG site plan contains information in addition to the contour lines. Use the Add Points from Selected Layers dialog to filter out the lines you do not want to use in creating the toposurface.

14. Click Create Topography Surface tab, then Surface panel, then Finish Surface.

Note: Using an imported instance, such as a DWG file or a points file, decreases the time it takes to input points and create a toposurface. Also, you can create or add points used to define the toposurface manually. For additional information about the manual process of creating a toposurface, refer to Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 Help.

Turn off the visibility of the DWG

15. In the Project Browser, expand 3D Views, right-click {3D}, and click Properties.
16. In the Instance Properties dialog, for Visibility/Graphics Overrides, click Edit.
17. On the Imported Categories tab of the Visibility/Graphic Overrides for 3D View: {3D} dialog, under Visibility, clear Site Plan.dwg, and click OK.
18. In the Instance Properties dialog, under Extents, select Section Box, and click OK.
    The DWG no longer displays, and a section box is drawn to the extents of the toposurface geometry.

Create a sectioned edge

19. In the drawing area, select the section box.
20. Drag the controls to adjust the edges of the section box to cut the toposurface with the box. (Exact placement of the edge is not important.)
    When the section box edge cuts the toposurface, a cut pattern is displayed on the edge of the toposurface, making it easier to see the topography.

View the toposurface

21. Right-click the section box, and click Hide in View, then Elements.
22. On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style, then Shading with Edges.
23. On the navigation bar, click the Full Navigation Wheel, and use the Orbit tool to spin the toposurface to view it at various angles.

Finish