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Toposurface and contour lines

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Message 1 of 5
martysaid2009
6285 Views, 4 Replies

Toposurface and contour lines

Hi there,

 

I have a problem with using the toposurface to generate contour lines. Please see attached.

 

The surface was made by placing points over an image. The circles mark example problem areas where revit has interpolated between points. The blue lines are both at an elevation of 47000.

 

From what I've read on forums there is little that can be done about this. I've tried adding extra points and the interpolation only corrects minimally. Is there anyway around this?

 

To generate accurate site plans, is the best practice to simply redraw the lines in 2d?

 

Many thanks

 

Marty Said
Revit Architecture 2014
4 REPLIES 4
Message 2 of 5

Hi Martin,

 

You draft manually from image to contour line in Revit. For this process, I am suggest you to use Autodesk Raster Design, it can convert from image to vector  then you can import DWG result from Raster Design in to Revit.

 

For interpolated point or area, in Revit site setting you can change the value of interval ( At Interval off) and  make it smaller number which can show more contour line. Regarding some point which not consistent , better you assume by yourself with refer to nearest point number around that point.

 

Here is the link that you can refre to make good practice in term of Revit and Toposurface:

 

http://therevitkid.blogspot.com/2010/12/revit-site-and-toposurface-tutorials.html

 

Regards,

 



Arief Rahman

Message 3 of 5

From my point of view, when I want a more accurate representation and especially when I need to work with underground building and works I use not TopoSurface but Mass - In Place Mass..

Here are the steps in a simplified example:

 

First in Project:

  1. In an Elevation View create a series of Levels on which to place the terrain curves 
  2. still in Elevation View :Manage > Project Location >Position > Relocate Project - click on Level 1 and drag it to the real survey elevation value (in my example I had 350,0m..) - see Image 1
  3. Zoom to find the new position of the levels...click again on Level 1 : Properties >Edit Type > Type Properties > Constraints >Elevation Base > swap from Project Base Point to Survey Point - now the Levels start from 350,0 m ...Image 3 
  4. change the View to Site : Properties > Extents > View Range > increase the values of Top and Cut Plane so to be above the terrain....Image 4 
  5. Insert the bitmap image (still in Site View) , and scale it to the real dimensions. Pin it.

then - Massing - In Place Mass 

 

  1. Massing and Site >In Place Mass > Name> Work Plane >Set >Work Plane windows opens - specify a New Work Plane > Name > choose Level 1 ....
  2. Begin to draw over the bitmap : Create > Spline Through Points - make a closed contour at Level 1 ... see Image 5 . 
  3. In order to adjust the spline curve : - you can move the Drive Points (Image 6) and you can add new points (for the begining they are Driven by Host -they belong to the curve and they move only along it - but they can be turn into Driving Points by clicking the button Make Driving Points)  - Image 7  - at last the curve follows exactly the underlayng bitmap  - Image 8
  4. Continue with another curve placed on Level 2 (Image 9)...repeat what you did for Level 1...
  5. now, having two closed curves (closed because we want a solid not a surface drape) - Image 10, we can made a terrain  with Create Form - Image 11 
  6. It is a difference in how you select the entities - it can be a pair selection or a multiple selection - the result is quite different (multiple selection make a smooth transition) - Image 12 and Image 13 (example with 3 curves)
  7. The most important thing that is realised by Mass (instead Toposurface) is that you can make all sort of Voids into this mass , much more complicated ..- see Image 14

Image 14.png

Constantin Stroescu
BIM Manager AGD
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Message 4 of 5

Hello @constantin.stroescu- I realise this is many years after the original post and your advice, and that you might not even see this query but I thought it couldn't hurt to try and make contact.  I have tried and tried all afternoon to follow your instructions and images but have had no success - unable to modify the spline lines, close the loop or even create the mass.  I am not sure if is my inexperience with massing, or things have greatly changed in Revit - I am using 2020.  Can you perhaps offer any further insight into how you form topography from In-Place Massing or if it is worth going down that path?  Any advice gratefully received.  Thanks.  Vicki

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