Set Stepping Stone Level in Toposolid

[troy_troy]

I have a stepping stone family with a concrete 'footing' and masonry stepper, hosted on a toposolid. The stepper is arbitrarily placed on the toposolid, so the finished level of the stepper changes as I move it around with arrow keys.  I currently use 'Stepper Level' param. to get correct elevation, but need to change it if I move the stepper.

I would like to be able to set the finished elevation of the stepper relative to the floor level (i.e. AHD, not position on toposolid), such that if I move it around with arrow keys, the footing thickness grows or shrinks, keeping a consistent embedment depth. I basically need the paver hosted on the floor level, and the footing hosted on the toposolid.

Is this possible?

[barthbradley]

So, the way I understand it, the stepping stones are level and slightly above the ground and supported by "piles" of sorts which extend to level.  

I might use columns for the stepping stone piles.  Columns can Attach at Top to Beams which could follow the Toposolid via 3D Snapping and Pick Lines. Beams could be hidden in view just like any other reference element, such a Ref. Planes.

[Alfredo_Medina]

These seem to be simple concrete pavers for people to walk on them. Why cannot they be simple floor elements or foundation slab elements hosted on the level instead of the toposolid? 

[barthbradley]

You're such a buzz-kill, @Alfredo_Medina. I'm having way too much fun creating parametric, BIM-worthy "piles" under the pavers. 😉 

Kidding.  I'm with you on this one and it could very well be that I am completely misunderstanding what the OP is describing. 

@troy_troy:  

Adjusting the height of the stepping stone above grade - assuming we're seeing eye-to-eye: 

[Alfredo_Medina]

Hehe, sorry, @barthbradley , if I ruined the fun. But remember, I enjoy your posts and your good sense of humor. 🙂

Side note: I still don't understand why some concrete steps on ground need footings. But let's leave that to the OP to explain.

[troy_troy]

Thanks for the input and sorry for the poor explanation.

The steppers are on a slope up to 1:2 gradient, so at 400mm dia. with one end flush with the topo, the other end protrudes 200mm and I want it embedded 50mm for stability.

The point is to be able to move the stepper around the slope such that the 50mm embedment is maintained as well as the finished level (i.e. the level change from the previous stepper). This is so that when the slope and direction/spacing of the steppers change, I don't have to manually adjust the finished level.

I hope this is clearer. Thanks.

[barthbradley]

Use a Site Family that's Always Vertical.  It will host to the top of the Topo.  

[troy_troy]

That's what I have. The part I can't work out is locking the finished level to AHD+x. See in the image below, I have to set 'Stepper Level', but if I move the stepper, I have to adjust that param. again. I want the pile to grow or shrink in height automatically.

[barthbradley]

I would just do it like this...

[troy_troy]

Perhaps you responded before I updated my comment. I already have exactly what you've drawn.

[barthbradley]

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@troy_troy wrote:

That's what I have. The part I can't work out is locking the finished level to AHD+x. See in the image below, I have to set 'Stepper Level', but if I move the stepper, I have to adjust that param. again. I want the pile to grow or shrink in height automatically.

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I don't know why you would have to "adjust" it again.  Set the height above and below grade.  The family will maintain those dimensions no matter where it's placed on Topo. Make height above/below grade an Instance Parameter and you can set different values for each instance if you prefer. 

[barthbradley]

BTW: I don't know what "AHD+x" is.  

[troy_troy]

I want the steppers to have a consistent level change between them, say 170mm, like step treads. If I move a stepper, the finished level stays relative to the topo, not the AHD/previous stepper. With 20+ steppers winding down various slopes, it is a lot of mucking around to update all 'Above' parameters to ensure consistent 'riser heights' every time I change something.

[troy_troy]

AHD=Australian Height Datum. I guess it's our version of NAVD 88?

[barthbradley]

Yah, it's going to take some planning.  I wouldn't place the stones haphazardly.   In this case, there's probably building codes that need be meet.  I would imagine that Stair Contruction rules would apply.  Rise and run are critical factors.  Rise and run yield a Slope.  Given this, I might go back to Columns. You can attach Columns to Roofs (@ both Top and Bottom). Those "reference" Roofs would establish the Slope.  Basically, the top reference Roof would be akin to the string line pulled in the field.  

  

[troy_troy]

Thanks for providing some ideas. That solution won't really be any quicker than placing steppers and individually setting finished levels, which I have now done. Building codes don't apply but I'm sticking to them anyway which is what brought on the question. I see some MEP family types that can be set by elevation from level and thought maybe there was a way to get the best of a topo-hosted base and level-hosted paver. 

Cheers.

[barthbradley]

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@troy_troy wrote:

Thanks for providing some ideas. That solution won't really be any quicker than placing steppers and individually setting finished levels, which I have now done. Building codes don't apply but I'm sticking to them anyway which is what brought on the question. I see some MEP family types that can be set by elevation from level and thought maybe there was a way to get the best of a topo-hosted base and level-hosted paver. 

Cheers.

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I commend you for sticking to code on this one.  I definitely would.  It's just plain prudent.  As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  With that said, I think you might have misunderstood what I proposed because it what I proposed is certainly much faster (and more fool-proof) than "individually setting finished levels".    

[troy_troy]

Try setting out the steppers in a 'S' shaped path. The roof slope only works if they are equally spaced in one direction.

[barthbradley]

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@troy_troy wrote:

Try setting out the steppers in a 'S' shaped path. The roof slope only works if they are equally spaced in one direction.

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Use your imagination.  Roof by a [Mass] Face. 

[barthbradley]

Actually, I forgot we were talking Toposolids. Don't need Roof references to attach to in this case. Columns will attach to Toposolids.