Solid Mesh Topography with Boolean Operations

[arek_keshishian]

There are many cases where we need the topo mesh to finally be completely solid and still give us plan-area calculation values, this would be a general solve to most topography problems we're having. We could add and subtract volumes from one another and create tunnels, sub-terrain volumes, easier and more realistic sidewalks and roads, rocky mountainous areas that have more than one point in a specific X-Y coordinate with a different Z value, create caves and more. Specially with the help of Dynamo, the possibilities would be endless and achieve high-end industry professionalism.

[ArmanMargaryan]

I think so too. You can combine these two ideas

[kimberly_fuhrman-jones]

@ArmanMargaryan Thank you!

[pieter4]

This new functionality should also take into account that sometimes you want topography on TOP of a structure. Rooftop gardens, below-grade parking and interior landscaping in large spaces (think shopping mall or airport) are possible examples.

[sophiaVETFT]

Topography is very difficult to work with when trying to model real world construction processes.

We need to model the excavation, calculate back fill (some of same material, sometimes new material), and re-grade the final topography. 

Tunnels and Cut and cover are difficult to model currently

[bjoern_teutriene]

Hi @sophiaVETFT ,

In the meantime you could use the SOFiSTiK Bridge + Infrastructure Modeler for this purpose. It includes commands for union, difference and cutting of geometry defined as Generic Model.

You can find the App here:

https://apps.autodesk.com/RVT/de/Detail/Index?id=2473907182654959779&appLang=en&os=Win64

For further information, feel free to contact me directly. 🙂

[GallowayUS_com_RonAllen1]

If getting into the real topo business... consider layers to topography, soil conditions, materials along sample cores and connecting cores layers in 3D topography. It is more than just a surface! and I am sure Structural would love to see material and core support information especially for high rise or particularly dense projects.

[shahed.attar3TK4E]

Being able to cut topography so as to create features like underground parking, Basements, Tunnels, etc. There should not be need to use filled regions in Section views to show a tunnel like structure in Topography.

[wr.marshall]

@shahed.attar3TK4E we will likely see this in Revit 2024 or 2025 as they are currently working on this as can be seen in the Revit Roadmap: Real 3D Topography on Revit Public Roadmap | Trello

Another nice thing I think they are working on too is Topography with layers: Multi-layered topography - Autodesk Community

@kimberly_fuhrman-jones please combine with Solid Mesh Topography with Boolean Operations - Autodesk Community

[shahed.attar3TK4E]

@wr.marshall Thank you for the update. These are really nice features and we will be glad once they go live.

[marcel.v]

At the moment when you set your View Range cut-plane below the surface of your toposurface and it no longer cuts through the surface, the topography surface disappears in plan view. 

Also be great if you actually can expose the area below the site in 3D without having to use a section box. It is not until you cut through the topo surface with the section box that you can see the volume below the site. 

[wr.marshall]

This will probably be available in R2024/R2025 as they currently working on it. There are 2 parts they working on

Part 1: The ability to have items like tunnels and topography below topography (ie cliff with a negative angle)

Part 2: Layered Topography ie different soil, clay & rocks...

see Trello link: Real 3D Topography on Revit Public Roadmap | Trello

[kimberly_fuhrman-jones]

We are pleased to say that this has been implemented in Revit 2024! Thank you for your contribution to improving Revit!

 -The Factory

[jesse_dFPTMN]

My biggest issue when dealing with Revit Topography is the random triangulation that is added when there is a steep gradient change.

This causes actual errors and forces me to modify an engineer's content which means I am taking ownership and responsibility for the topography. It happens in nearly every project and I am often tempted to use floors to show topography around retaining walls. 

[GallowayUS_com_RonAllen1]

@jesse_dFPTMN  - Link Civil 3D through BIM 360.... then push back to C3D with added or tweaked topo in Revit?

[aizaiwutuobang]

 Glad to see the terrain handling in revit, though with some problems now. But it's a very good start! In the test, I found some problems, and I hope to be improved in the subsequent version.

1, revit terrain import file coordinate data. In practice, the measured data value is very large, which is greater than the limit of revit. Manual transformation of the coordinate data value or the relative position in CAD is required. It would be nice if we could set the measurement point first, and then the data can be automatically processed relative to the measurement point.

1. It is not convenient to modify the solid terrain triangle surface. In civil3D, you can correct the triangular surface of the curved surface very quickly by adding the feature lines, and the position of the point can be well captured in the editing process. Generally I would edit the terrain surface in CIVIL3D. The revit is optimized for solid terrain triangle correction and editing, or it can intelligently and accurately identify the triangular mesh of linked CAD (civil3d) surfaces.
2. Irregular stratification of rock and soil; in reality, the direction of rock and soil is irregular. We simulate the coordinate elevation points obtained by drilling to judge the direction of rock strata and the thickness of different locations. If the solid terrain can be cut from each other, I can achieve the layered display of rock and soil by creating multiple surfaces (solid terrain).(Or you can edit the deformation in different layers directly through import points or link surfaces.)
3. Now with the physical terrain, it seems possible for the road design to be completed on revit. After all, the limitations of the civil3D are still very big. Revit is a big platform, and the whole basic design can be integrated through modification.