Earlier this month, Graitec and Arch-Intelligence hosted a joint webinar- an open-hour session all about topographies in Revit, featuring a Q&A with Graitec’s own Revit expert Emilly Modderman and with Nehama Shechter-Baraban from Arch-Intelligence the creators of Environment for Revit®. In this live session, Misty Scott hosted a vibrant discussion about everything and anything Topography in Revit whether it’s with Revit native tools or including the dedicated Environment for Revit® toolset.
If you didn’t have a chance to join live, you can watch the Revit topography webinar here! Hundreds of professionals tuned in, generating a tremendous volume of questions. To address this enthusiasm, we’re hosting another webinar on August 20th.
You can register HERE.
Since there wasn’t enough time to address all the questions, we decided to gather all of them into:
THE 10 MOST COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT REVIT TOPOGRAPHIES – ANSWERED!
Tools and Features for Topography Modeling
1. What tools and features are available for creating, editing, and refining topographies in Revit?
Revit offers a small set of native tools for topography creation and editing, however, when creating complex designs, using these tools can be time-consuming. Environment for Revit® adds a large set of topography tools that significantly enhances these capabilities, providing efficient workflows for both major and minor terrain modifications.
To learn more about the new Toposolid and Environment for Revit® tools, check out these helpful tutorials:
Revit Toposolid – Complete Revit 2024 Tutorial by Balkan Architect
7 Ways to Create Topographies in Revit®
9 Ways to Edit Topographies in Revit®
So, what exactly is a Toposolid?
14 New Topography Tools by Environment for Revit®
2. What specific tools or add-ins do you recommend for path and road design in Revit?
While Revit isn’t primarily a road design software, Environment for Revit® enables you to create smaller-scale paths and roadways. The new Alignment and Extract Topography tools in Environment for Revit® 13.0 streamline this process, allowing you to design from scratch or utilize existing Civil alignments.
Here are some tutorials to guide you:
Create a Graded Path Over a Steep Terrain in Revit With or Without the Alignment Tools
You can get more information about Environment for Revit® through Graitec
3. What tools does Revit provide for analyzing topographical data and site conditions?
Environment for Revit®’s Elevation and Slope analysis tools offer valuable insights for informed decision-making. By integrating more data, you can enhance your site survey. Learn how to use these tools effectively in this tutorial:
Slope Analysis & Elevation Analysis by Environment for Revit®
Importing and Managing Data
4. What file formats are compatible for importing topographical data into Revit?
While Revit can import CAD files and Point Clouds, Environment for Revit® expands your options. It improves the functionality of these imports, converting them into Revit native topographies. And there’s more – Environment allows imports from Rhino and Civil3D as well and turns them into editable Revit topographies!
Here are some resources to help you with the process:
The Easiest Way from Rhino to Revit
How to IMPORT and EXPORT Civil3D data to & from your Revit project
How to Place a Revit Family from Linked CAD Blocks
Convert Point Clouds into Smooth Topographies in Revit
5. How does Revit manage imported topography data from external sources or survey information?
Once you’ve imported your external data using the methods mentioned above, Revit offers native tools for basic modifications. These include Shape Editing Tools that allow you to add or adjust points and lines.
However, Environment for Revit® provides a much more robust suite of Topography Tools. It builds upon Revit’s capabilities and offers a wide range of advanced functionalities to modify topography surfaces with greater speed and accuracy.
Training Tip: To ensure you’re using these tools effectively, consider participating in training programs. These programs, offered by certified partners like Graitec, will guide you through workflows and provide valuable insights tailored to your specific needs. Click here for more information.
Advanced Techniques and Best Practices
6. What are some advanced techniques for creating realistic site renderings and visualizations in Revit?
Revit itself has limited rendering capabilities. To achieve high-quality visuals, external software that integrates with Revit is commonly used. Popular choices include Twinmotion, Enscape, and Lumion. Workflows for optimal plant and material rendering differ between these programs, but all can deliver excellent results.
Twinmotion (part of AEC Collection) offers a large asset library and Sketchup import but relies on local hardware. Autodesk Cloud Rendering uses the cloud for speed but requires purchased credits.
For further reference, here’s a video showcasing these top 3 renderings software – Lumion, Enscape, and Twinmotion: youtu.be/7jL3RnxeU2M
7. How can I effectively manage large topography datasets in Revit without compromising performance?
To maintain Revit performance while working with extensive topography data, consider breaking down your model into smaller, manageable sections. Focus on creating individual surfaces for different design elements rather than one massive topography. This approach not only improves performance but also simplifies the creation of detailed construction drawings and material schedules.
Revit Topographies are best suited for construction documents rather than large-scale conceptual designs and should generally be limited to areas under 202 miles.
By adopting this strategy, you can take advantage of Revit’s ability to generate accurate cut and fill calculations and produce high-quality documentation.
You can learn more about how to manage large Revit topographies here, and in this live topography show.
8. How can Revit help me quantify earthwork volumes for my project?
Revit effectively supports cut and fill calculations through the use of phases. By establishing an “existing” phase for your initial topography (existing ground) and a “proposed” phase for your desired terrain, Revit can automatically compute the volume differences between the two states.
These calculations are essential for estimating material quantities, cost, and project planning. To analyze the results, create a topography schedule that includes cut and fill parameters.
Useful tutorial: What is Cut & Fill in Revit® and how it works with Toposolids
9. How can I seamlessly integrate topography with the buildings, the landscape, and other elements in my Revit model?
Revit and tools like Environment for Revit® enable a smooth integration between the topography and other project elements.
Here are some examples:
Precise alignment: Use the From Edge tool in Environment for Revit® to effortlessly match topography levels to the building foundations or other structures.
Excavation and grading: Model excavations and site grading by leveraging Revit’s native tools and advanced options offered by Environment for Revit®.
Planting and hardscape: Host plant elements directly on the topography surface, and use tools such as the Shape By Topography to create paths, patios, and other hardscape features that interact with the terrain.
By effectively combining these techniques, you can achieve a cohesive and accurate representation of your site design.
Here’s an example of Grading a Drainage Ditch to an Existing Surface
10. Can you provide examples of projects where topography played a crucial role in the design?
Topography is integral to successful project design. From residential homes to infrastructure, understanding the land is paramount. It influences site selection, building orientation, drainage, and construction planning. Accurate topography models optimize design, reduce costs, and ensure project sustainability. Examples of this can be found in almost every project, but specific case studies showcasing Revit’s role in topography-driven design can be found here:
“Invisible” Surveyors: A Sustainable Approach to Early-Stage Development
Landscape Architecture is Turning a new Page
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