Topography problem with phases.

[Tobias]

Hello All

I am trying to show different phases of the topography.
I created the existing topography with an existing house.
For the new built phase I need a changed topography.

The first problem is that the building pad for the new phase, just shows as a transparent hole in the existing phase.
I created the pad in the phase "new construction"

What am I doing wrong.
The existing drawing need to show the site untouched. (No missing part.

When trying to create a sub region in the phase new built Revit just refuses. How am I going to make a new drive for example.

Attached a test file showing the problem and some screenshots.

Any help would be welcomed.

Tobi

[emodderman · Accepted solution]

Hi Tobias, 

I think first you need to create a Graded Region of your topo before you can go and edit anything they way you want. 

In your site view, select your toposurface and click on Graded Region - then select the option you want - most likely the first one to keep it exactly the same as the existing. 

That will give you a NEW CONSTRUCTION phase topo surface, and all other edits to your surface will be to this surface, not the one in the existing phase. you might want to make two site views - one for Existing and the other for New Construction to keep this straight. 

[barthbradley · Accepted solution]

1. Edit Building Pad and Clipboard Copy the Building Pad Sketch Boundary.

2. Exit Edit Mode and Delete (NOT Clipboard Cut) the Building Pad

3. Select Toposurface and make sure it's Phase Created = Existing and Phase Demolished=None

4. Set Current View Phase Filter=Show Complete and Phase= New Construction

5. Go to Massing & Site Tab and press Graded Region.  Choose to make an exact copy from the drop-down options. Follow through to create the Copy. 

6. Go to Site Plan View and Set View Phase Filter = Show Complete and Phase = New Construction

7. Activate the Building Pad command and Clipboard Paste to Current View the copied Building Pad Sketch. Finish/Close out. 

Now, your Project has 2 Topos; Existing and New Contruction with Building Pad. Do what you want with the Subregion. It can only host to ONE of those Toposurfaces - not both.  

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

You can get there with a few steps. See screencast and your revised file.

[Tobias]

Many thanks for all 3 of you and your good answer.
I managed to recreate it on my test file - so hopefully it will work the same on the proper project.

If I understand your answers correctly, they all involve copying (sort of) the topography and have an existing and a proposed topography on top of each other.
I am slightly confused why this is done with a graded surface for the proposed topography and not just a simple copy paste of the topography itself.
I must admit my learning curve has not reached the graded surface yet.

(Somehow, the solution doesn't seem intuitive - but I guess we all learned that this is not unusual for Autodesk software)

Thanks again All

Tobi

[Tobias]

Sorry something went wrong
Can't see how to delete a message

[emodderman]

Hi Tobias, 

a graded surface is the easiest way to create an exact copy of a toposurface to begin the editing process. typically, it would be done as early in the process as possible. Once the existing topo is created and you want to start making changes, you can use the graded surface option and revit will create a new topo exactly the same or by removing all interior points. It will also try to put it onto a new phase (new construction) but you will have to make sure the existing toposurface has a current phase of 'existing' and the view phase is set to 'new construction'. when there are things like building pads involved, it can become tricky since building pads create separate surfaces... but this is the general idea of how that tool works. 

if used correctly, you'll now have an existing phase topo surface, and a new phase topo. all new changes to the topo are done in the new construction phase.  this will enable you to have a cut/fill schedule and changes between the topo will appear phased properly when viewed in shaded or consistent colour mode based on the phase filter settings. 

as the other two here have said, copy and pasting can work as well and get you to the same place, but i find it can be more confusing than starting from the beginning and using a consistent method with the 'graded region'. 

[ToanDN]

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@emodderman wrote:

Hi Tobias, 

as the other two here have said, copy and pasting can work as well and get you to the same place, but i find it can be more confusing than starting from the beginning and using a consistent method with the 'graded region'. 

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Sorry but I never said copy and paste a topo in the reply.

[Tobias]

Sorry that was possibly my fault using the copy past comparison/question.
And trying to understand the difference from the grading tool to a simple copy paste.
I read all 3 answers as using the grading tool.

Off topic:
I am just starting with Revit after 25isch years of AutoCad. Just got the license before Christmas. Our Supplier only has training available at the end of February - so it is teaching myself up to then.
Got a nice Revit model from the surveyor and now need to start on that with the new design.
So you might see plenty of more questions from me in the next few weeks.
So thanks again to all of you.
Tobi

[barthbradley · Accepted solution]

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@Tobias wrote:

I am slightly confused why this is done with a graded surface for the proposed topography and not just a simple copy paste of the topography itself.

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Graded Region IS a Copy.  The only difference between using Graded Region and Copy is that a Graded Region maintains an association with its source.  You could easily use Clipboard Copy/Paste Aligned to the Same Place to make a "dumb" copy of the Existing Toposurface.  But if you want to calculate (and document) how much earth needs to be moved, removed and/or brought to the site - e.g. money, time and resources - then the Graded Region workflow is how this math is performed and reported in Revit.  Condition 1 where the Toposurface is in its native, unexcavated state and Condition 2 (the Graded Region) where the Toposurface has been excavated for a Building Pad. Condition 1 - Condition 2 = Cut/Fill.  If you don't need that level of BIM in your Project, then Clipboard Copy/Paste Aligned to the Same Place and control their Visibilities in the View however you prefer.  You don't have to use Phasing.