Plotting a Survey into Revit - Issues

[asikora_frazedesign]

Hopefully someone can answer this for me or possible provide a little education as to how to go about this if I am doing it wrong.  From time to time we are supplied with a paper copy of a survey and it is not possible to obtain an original CAD version.  In those instances we go into Massing and Site > Property Lines > Create by entering distances and bearings I then do the following steps

• Pick a point ideally one that says basis of bearing, or a corner that says FIR (Found Iron Rod), or something similar.  In this case I stated with the Western edge of the first straight line. 
• I then enter the information into the table that matched the survey exactly as written.   Moving in a clockwise manner around the survey
• Upon reaching the final step I am usually off and often by hundreds of feet. 
• I then click ok to see the results.  In this case the first three points look correct (two lines 1 arch)but all of remaining points are completely off
• I select the property line and edit the table
• At this point I usually have to look at the survey vs was was plotted and make some N/S and E/W changes. 
• I do these one at a time so I can see what affect each change has
  • For this example I had 2 lines and 5 curves (a redactive version of the survey is added below).
    • Line #1 & 2 look perfect
    • Arc #1 looks good
    • Arc #2 Survey N and E changed to S and W
    • Arc #3 Survey N and E changed to S and W
    • Arc #4 Survey Looks good
    • Arc #5 Survey S and E changed to N and W
  • Once I make the final change to Arc 5 Revit does tell me From last to first point: Closed

I think click OK and view the final result it usually looks about 99% correct at this point and I sometimes go back in to adjust the L/R versions of each curve

Am I doing something wrong?  Is there a better way I can go about this instead of having to guess which item to change?

Below is a copy of the survey and below that is a copy of the original table and results as well as the adjusted table and results

I will mention I use the F (Field) version of each bearing and distance vs the D (Deed) version.

Original Table & Results

Adjusted Table & Results

[asikora_frazedesign]

Hopefully someone can answer this for me or possible provide a little education as to how to go about this if I am doing it wrong.  From time to time we are supplied with a paper copy of a survey and it is not possible to obtain an original CAD version.  In those instances we go into Massing and Site > Property Lines > Create by entering distances and bearings I then do the following steps

• Pick a point ideally one that says basis of bearing, or a corner that says FIR (Found Iron Rod), or something similar.  In this case I stated with the Western edge of the first straight line. 
• I then enter the information into the table that matched the survey exactly as written.   Moving in a clockwise manner around the survey
• Upon reaching the final step I am usually off and often by hundreds of feet. 
• I then click ok to see the results.  In this case the first three points look correct (two lines 1 arch)but all of remaining points are completely off
• I select the property line and edit the table
• At this point I usually have to look at the survey vs was was plotted and make some N/S and E/W changes. 
• I do these one at a time so I can see what affect each change has
  • For this example I had 2 lines and 5 curves (a redactive version of the survey is added below).
    • Line #1 & 2 look perfect
    • Arc #1 looks good
    • Arc #2 Survey N and E changed to S and W
    • Arc #3 Survey N and E changed to S and W
    • Arc #4 Survey Looks good
    • Arc #5 Survey S and E changed to N and W
  • Once I make the final change to Arc 5 Revit does tell me From last to first point: Closed

I think click OK and view the final result it usually looks about 99% correct at this point and I sometimes go back in to adjust the L/R versions of each curve

Am I doing something wrong?  Is there a better way I can go about this instead of having to guess which item to change?

Below is a copy of the survey and below that is a copy of the original table and results as well as the adjusted table and results

I will mention I use the F (Field) version of each bearing and distance vs the D (Deed) version.

Original Table & Results

Adjusted Table & Results

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Yeah, you have to flip the N/S and/or E/W sometimes.  Usually I can look at a plat map and tell someone noted it incorrectly.  

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Yeah, you have to flip the N/S and/or E/W sometimes.  Usually I can look at a plat map and tell someone noted it incorrectly.  

[asikora_frazedesign]

I assume this is because a surveyor will pick a point and survey in both directions but with Revit you have to start at point and move around in 1 continuous direction. 

Well just wanted some confirmation that something is not wrong with my Revit settings, I am not entering it incorrectly, or some other issue.  I will wait to see if there any additional responses for a few days before I mark an approved answer. 

[asikora_frazedesign]

I assume this is because a surveyor will pick a point and survey in both directions but with Revit you have to start at point and move around in 1 continuous direction. 

Well just wanted some confirmation that something is not wrong with my Revit settings, I am not entering it incorrectly, or some other issue.  I will wait to see if there any additional responses for a few days before I mark an approved answer. 

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

They are supposed to start at one point and go all the way around...but if it was done in LDD/CD you have to change the tag to flip direction, but I've known many drafters that never paid attention and just tagged and submitted without taking the time to make them read correctly.  

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

They are supposed to start at one point and go all the way around...but if it was done in LDD/CD you have to change the tag to flip direction, but I've known many drafters that never paid attention and just tagged and submitted without taking the time to make them read correctly.  

[SteveKStafford · Accepted solution]

Like the other comments, your description matches mine for the most part. Flipping bearing orientation is the most common requirement I've dealt with.

I imagine the surveyor starting out in the morning at one corner of the site and at lunch they walk back to the their truck. When they start out after lunch the go to the start point and head in the other direction working toward where they stopped for lunch. It's probably not how it actually happens but in my mind it explains why the bearing values get reversed. Haha

[SteveKStafford · Accepted solution]

Like the other comments, your description matches mine for the most part. Flipping bearing orientation is the most common requirement I've dealt with.

I imagine the surveyor starting out in the morning at one corner of the site and at lunch they walk back to the their truck. When they start out after lunch the go to the start point and head in the other direction working toward where they stopped for lunch. It's probably not how it actually happens but in my mind it explains why the bearing values get reversed. Haha

[barthbradley]

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@asikora_frazedesign wrote:

Am I doing something wrong? 

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You're not doing anything wrong. Reverse calls are very common on Plats. But, you can easily detect which legs are reversed in the direction of travel. For instance, I can clearly see that Curve 2 and Curve 3 are not traveling NE in the clockwise direction, and therefore need to be reversed by exchanging both directions on the call. 

[barthbradley]

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@asikora_frazedesign wrote:

Am I doing something wrong? 

---

You're not doing anything wrong. Reverse calls are very common on Plats. But, you can easily detect which legs are reversed in the direction of travel. For instance, I can clearly see that Curve 2 and Curve 3 are not traveling NE in the clockwise direction, and therefore need to be reversed by exchanging both directions on the call. 

[asikora_frazedesign]

In my mind it is a bit different. Lets use a square lot to make this easy and lets # each corner starting with 1 and going clockwise. I assume they start with #1 and survey to point 2 and 4 that gives them 1/2 the lot. Then then walk over to point 3 and survey back to 2 and 4 given them the other half the lot. I understand the efficiency of this and have no issue with that just with their drafter or whomever would correct the bearing in a clockwise or counterclockwise fashion.

[asikora_frazedesign]

In my mind it is a bit different. Lets use a square lot to make this easy and lets # each corner starting with 1 and going clockwise. I assume they start with #1 and survey to point 2 and 4 that gives them 1/2 the lot. Then then walk over to point 3 and survey back to 2 and 4 given them the other half the lot. I understand the efficiency of this and have no issue with that just with their drafter or whomever would correct the bearing in a clockwise or counterclockwise fashion.

[AzWoodWarrior]

I used to make base maps using Autocad Civil 3d and it did arcs as they should be done. Revit doesn't take into account the tangent and instead uses the cord. I have tried to make my arcs work by doing the trigonometric functions but I still have to mess with it to get it correct. It's mostly hair pulling, cursing, and more trial and error. 

[AzWoodWarrior]

I used to make base maps using Autocad Civil 3d and it did arcs as they should be done. Revit doesn't take into account the tangent and instead uses the cord. I have tried to make my arcs work by doing the trigonometric functions but I still have to mess with it to get it correct. It's mostly hair pulling, cursing, and more trial and error. 

[asikora_frazedesign]

I will say I think part of the problem is the surveys I usually get in PDF form, it appears the surveyor picks a starting point and shoots in 2 directions (Square Survey = 4 points.). So they will measure points 1 to 2 and 1 to 4, then 2 to 3, and 3 to 4. So 3/4 of the survey is in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction then the last point is opposite. Revit wants to move in one direction plotting it and wants to read it as 4 to 1 so instead of seeing SE, Revit is expecting NW or something along those lines.  

Of course I am not a surveyor so I really have no idea how it should be.

[asikora_frazedesign]

I will say I think part of the problem is the surveys I usually get in PDF form, it appears the surveyor picks a starting point and shoots in 2 directions (Square Survey = 4 points.). So they will measure points 1 to 2 and 1 to 4, then 2 to 3, and 3 to 4. So 3/4 of the survey is in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction then the last point is opposite. Revit wants to move in one direction plotting it and wants to read it as 4 to 1 so instead of seeing SE, Revit is expecting NW or something along those lines.  

Of course I am not a surveyor so I really have no idea how it should be.