The current editable capabilities of Revit's solid terrain are quite limited, with a scarcity of features. To enhance its potential, I propose the following enhancements that could significantly broaden its functionality: Facilitate Terrain Creation through Coordinate Data Import: Enable users to import coordinate data or utilize DWG links with measurement points as alignment options when creating solid terrain. This would minimize the need for users to have extensive knowledge of coordinate editing. Preserve DWG Triangle Mesh Integrity: When generating solid terrain from DWG, ensure that the triangular mesh information is fully captured to maintain shape consistency. Diversified Slope Creation Methods: Allow the creation of slopes with various targets, including relative and absolute elevations, slope distances, and target terrain profiles. Complex Cut-and-Fill Editing: Based on the slope creation capabilities, enable more intricate cut-and-fill editing methods to better accommodate complex slope designs, excavation pits, and tunnels. Boundary Modification without Shape Distortion: Permit the editing of terrain boundaries without affecting the overall shape, and expand existing solid terrain by importing new coordinate point files. Point File Export from Solid Terrain: Enable the export of point files from solid terrain created from imported Revit point files. Enhanced Display Options in Plan View: Provide additional display modes in plan view, including points and elevation labels, with customizable display styles to suit designers' preferences. Currently, designers often resort to exporting to CAD for text manipulation. Introduce Civil 3D-like Feature Lines: Incorporate the concept of feature lines, essential in Civil 3D for surface model creation, to influence solid terrain shapes. Enable the editing of feature line elevations for better terrain plasticity. Expanded Import Capabilities: Support a wider range of file formats and attributes (e.g., point names, descriptions) for importing coordinate points. Offer users a variety of file formats and styles for selection and creation. Editable Triangle Mesh for Solid Terrain: Allow the editing of solid terrain's triangle mesh, such as adding or deleting lines, swapping edges, and drawing terrain lines. Combination of Multiple Solid Terrains: Enable the combination of multiple solid terrains into a new one, with the final shape governed by logical relationships (e.g., later terrains overriding earlier ones). Earthwork Volume Calculations and Reporting: Track changes in solid terrain over time to calculate excavation and fill volumes. Enable the creation of earthwork volume boundaries for segmented reporting in schedules. Advanced Analysis Tools: Implement height analysis, water flow analysis, and other advanced tools for solid terrain. Tunnel Excavation Simulation and Reporting: Enable the simulation of tunnel excavation and subsequent earthwork volume calculations for reporting in schedules. Indeed, many of the proposed features mirror Civil 3D's surface capabilities, highlighting the aspiration to perform complex terrain creation, grading, and earthwork calculations directly within Revit. Currently, Revit excels in architectural workflows but falls short in site planning, landscape design, and infrastructure modeling, which often rely heavily on CAD. Realizing these enhancements could pave the way for a holistic BIM approach, encompassing infrastructure to architecture, potentially revolutionizing the industry in the coming years.
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