Correctly geolocate Revit model in Civil 3D and Infraworks

[Matt__W]

I'm trying to sync locations of a Revit model in Civil 3D and Infraworks but I'm failing to get the Revit model geolocated in Infraworks correctly. Here's my current workflow...

1. Create a model using Infraworks Model Builder
2. Export the model to IMX format
3. Import the IMX file into Civil 3D
4. In Civil 3D, toggle on APPLY TRANSFORMATION SETTINGS in the DRAWING SETTINGS dialog box
5. Use the GEOMAP command and turn on ROADS to verify the IMX data is in the correct location
6. In Revit, export a DWG of the exterior building walls
7. Insert exported DWG into Civil 3D and set correct building rotation and use the EXPORT SHARED REFERENCE POINTS FOR AUTODESK REVIT command to create an XML file of the shared coordinates
8. Apply the XML shared reference points to the Revit model and make the new site current in the Revit model and save

Now this is where the wheels fall off... When I try to import the Revit model into my Infraworks model, I can't locate it. It's not falling into place like I would expect it to. The only way to get it to show is to manually place the model which I don't believe I shoudl have to do since everything else seems to be linking back and forth correctly. Am I missing a step or is this simply not the correct process?? I've also tried exporting the Revit model to FBX and IFC with no luck, for what it's worth. I'd really like to get this process nailed down and working.

Thanks in advance!

Matt

[Willy_Campbell]

Hi Matt,

Have you taken any steps in Revit to setup the project's location? I have been successful using Manage> Project Location> Location. You will need to reveal Site: Survey Point [project basepoint] to understand where to locate the building. From a Plan [top] view, use the Lightbulb at the bottom [reveal hidden elements] to display the Survey Point. Then use Location, and move the pointer on the map as close visually to the spot on the world where it belongs. Then save to DWG. 

Note: I have been successful importing a located RVT file to InfraWorks, but exporting to IFC [from Revit] causes this data to be lost. It may also get stripped out when exporting to DWG.

[Matt__W]

I used the shared coordinates tool so the Revit model is in sync with the civil 3D model. I shouldn't have to modify the project or survey base points.

[Matt__W]

I'm still not having any luck with this. I've messed around with the coordinate settings in Infraworks and verified that the coordinates in Revit are correct and also move the location pin in Revit to a spot that's close to my building's location in the real world. When I import the Revit model it shows the source coordinate system as XY-M (which is fine, I guess, since there's no real coordinate system in Revit) so I set the target coordinate system to CT83F (for Connecticut, which is what my Civil 3D model is using and that's what I used to dump the coordinates back to Revit using the Export Shared Reference Points tool for Revit) but the model never appears in the area where it *should*. I'm not sure exactly WHERE it's going. So what am I missing?? This is getting frustrating.

Thanks again!

  Matt

[Partenheimer]

If the Revit model is exported to a DWG, I can import the 3D dwg into InfraWorks at the correct location.

I cannot, however, import the RVT into InfraWorks at the correct location.

Apparently the Shared Coordinates work for Revit to C3D, but not for Revit to IW.

That's unfortunate because in InfraWorks, the RVT import gives me a preferred visual effect versus the DWG import.

Regards,

Michael Partenheimer

[Matt__W · Accepted solution]

After some trial and error with different settings, I think I've found something that will work on all models (it works for this particular one anyways). See the screenshot for clarification.

When I imported the Revit model, I changed the target coordinate system to CT83F which is the correct coordinate system for this portion of Connecticut that I've created a model of. I then changed the insertion point to LOWER LEFT FRONT and changed the X and Y coordinates to match the E/W and N/S coordinates of the Project Base Point in my Revit model (the coordinates of which were obtained using the SHARED REFERENCE POINTS FOR REVIT command in Civil 3D. The one thing that doesn't quite work is the elevation. My building elevation in Revit is -184 and change but when I entered that as the Z coordinate in Infraworks, it came in way below the surface. I had to place the Revit model at something more like 160+ to get it show above the surface but other than that, it lines up pretty good. I had to manually tweak the position a bit. I'm not sure if the surface image in Infraworks is exactly the same as the surface shown in Civil 3D when I use the GEOMAP command. I would assume they are since they both use Bing Maps. But anyways, just thought I'd share my findings.

 Matt