Importing my own TOPO surface.. and add image

[miketaylor-bimmanager]

I must be missing something.

I can bring in topo from USGS and even from the Building Modeler tools... but they are too low detail.. I want to bring in MY site toposurface from Revit.

If I import it into InfraWorks.. i can see it just fine (directly as RVT file and even FBX).. but it has NO texture/image on it.

Is there any way to map an image onto the toposurface geometry in InfraWorks?

If NO.. is there a better way for me to do this?

I won't be able to add roads and other items to the surface anyway right?

Is the best way to create topo to get the USGS downloads???

Please advise.

[tcorey]

My "best way" to create topo is with AutoCAD Civil 3D and then export to Imx format. Any aerial images you import into InfraWorks will wrap over the top of the imported Imx surface.

Best regards,

Tim

[miketaylor-bimmanager · Accepted solution]

Thanks tons.

I figured it out. Bringing in the topo from Revit.. will NOT make it into terrain. And you can't switch it's category to that either that I have found.

I am creating SHP files from the AutoCAD contour lines and georeferencing the site images to map to the contours.

This is an AMAZING process and we are now using InfraWorks for our design proposals.. even hand sketches can be georeferenced onto the site.

All is well.

[zilong245]

Hi mtaylor,

Your process does seem AMAZING! Can you explain in more detail how you are able to export .shp files from the Autocad contour lines and how do you georeference the images unto that. Your workflow is exactly what I want to achieve because I already have the topography in Revit, and I have the site images to match. I just can't find a way for the Revit topo to import into Infraworks as a terrain.

Thanks,

Zirjay

[andrew.cocke]

MTaylor, I would also like to learn a little more about your process.  As an architect, I don't want to have learn Civil3d just to work with accurate contours, but more importantly, I LOVE Infraworks's parametric road tools and want very badly to get that geometry into Revit where site design, particularly hardscaping over contoured surfaces is impossible.

I just proposed a site design class for AU this year fall, and I would love to help the community build on Infraworks/Revit interoperability.  Anybody else interested in this topic, please contact me: andrew.cocke at zgf.com.  I'd like to learn about what others are working on.

best,

Andrew

[Nicola_Ianeselli]

Do you know that you can increase dramatically the resolution of images that you are going to import?

You just have to right click on the model explorer on Imagery, go to raster, and select the definition of 19, instead of predefined 17

[Matt__W]

It sounds like he's bringing the DWG contours into Revit to create a topo surface. If that's the case then the prices is quite simple. Using Civil 3D you set the coordinates and then use the MAPEXPORT command to extract the contour lines to an SHP file then import that into Infraworks.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad-civil-3d/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticl...

If the contours are created by someone else then linked into Revit you could use the Shared Reference Point tool to coordinate the Revit model with the Civil 3D model then perform the above process.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=di7zUR7jHBM