How to calculate the length of a sloped floor?

[Jonq12345]

Hi everyone,

In our architectural company we are designing a cycle track in Revit on an existing topography.

First I have modelled the cycle track with a flat single floor and after I have modified the sub elements to create the gradients. The track has also multiple bends.

What we want to know is how can we calculate the total length of this cycle track based on the centre line of it considering the actual slopes/gradient? So in plan we can't do this because the track isn't flat, can you suggest me a way please?

Thanks

[constantin.stroescu]

you can do it by drawing Model Lines on each Face of the Sloped Floor For this you have to change the Work Plane by Picking Face so to be able to draw on them. The Sum of Model Lines can be done automatically by using a simple Dynamo script If working in a newer version of Revit ( > R2018) then I'll use, instead of Floor, a Railing - it's much more efficient

[constantin.stroescu · Accepted solution]

making a road by using Railing tool in Revit (>2018) The Railing follows the terrain and its total Length is automatically calculated when picking on it. https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/screencast/Main/Details/d02...

[Jonq12345]

Thanks for your reply. However the cycle track doesn't follow the existing terrain because it's steep, but I've created a building pad that cuts the topography and the floor is above it. I have chosen to use a floor because it's an easier way to manage z levels and the track has also a cross fall. As I needed to follow specific gradients, does the railing can do that?

[Jonq12345]

Thank you. I can't pick a plane on the bend surface and use it as a work plane. Is there a way to do that?

[constantin.stroescu]

Railing can be attached to Toposurface or Building Pads by Pick New Host - and click on the desired terrain item . as shown in my previous attached screencast.

[Jonq12345]

Thanks. Sorry again but are you suggesting me to leave the cycle track as it is now and add the railing just when I want to calculate the total length? The railing doesn't seem can follow a specific gradient by itself?

[constantin.stroescu]

In case that you have a Camel Hump bycicle Road and the base is not a Toposurface item , but a Mass Element ,then you can use a Sweep that follows that Surface. The path of the sweep . if a Spline Trough Point , can follow a curved surface and the final Sweep will follow it too. https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/screencast/Main/Details/ffe...

[constantin.stroescu]

if your Revit version is greater then R2018 , the Railing is able to follow the Toposurface ( as shown in my first screencast) The Rail Profile is the Road Profile and after creating this railing and Pick the New Host (the Toposurface) , the railing will follow this exactly the terrain.

[Jonq12345]

Thank you very much for your help!

As I don't need to follow the existing terrain, I left my floor with all the levels on and the slopes and I created the railing in the centreline of the road just to calculate the total length.

Another question, if I can do it in the same topic, is to create a smooth transition between two different gradients (please see attached a section)

We need to create it rounded as the picture, is there a best way to do that considering there are also many bends with different slope?

[constantin.stroescu]

there are several workarounds for this:

1. one would be to use Railing - only the Top Rail that can make fillet between straight segments
2. other can be using a Roof by Extrusion - the total length can be found by making the sum of the segments in Edit Profile. This profile can be shown separately by using Copy (to Clipboard) and the paste as simple Lines ( if you want the Sum to be automatically calculated , you can use a simple Dynamo script)
3. another way can be by using Mass Elements with or without Roof by Face .
4. Use a Mass Element -Sweep

1.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/8227436f-08ef-4dc2-b302-58f7563cd23c

2.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/f6f0a1a0-4482-4daa-95ce-06a3b085105e

1

[ToanDN]

I vote for using an in place mass approach:
- create an in place mass
- place reference points hosting on the floor along the intended path
- create a through-points spline
- divide the spline to create a divided path and it will report the overall length

[Jonq12345]

Thank you very much, the railing option seemed to be working but The track has two different cross-falls across the path, a specific cross fall for the bend and another one for the straight road. The roof by extrusion only works with straight path unfortunately!

[Jonq12345]

Thanks, I've already accepted the solution of the railing to calculate the length, it's very easy to do, but do you have any ideas for my second request?