Revit 2019 Site Structure Metric-EVAL

n.
nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
Autodesk® Revit® 2019
us C
Architecture: Site and Structural Design

re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
Learning Guide
Metric Units - 1st Edition
op ro
lc p
Cover Page
Al ple
m
Sa
Authorized Publisher
ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®
Autodesk® Revit® 2019
Architecture: Site and Structural Design
Metric Units - 1st Edition
Prepared and produced by:
n. nly
ASCENT Center for Technical Knowledge
630 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 175
de o
Charlottesville, VA 22911
866-527-2368
id w
www.ASCENTed.com
rb ie
Lead Contributor: Martha Hollowell
Copyright
fo rev
ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge is a division of Rand Worldwide, Inc., providing custom
developed knowledge products and services for leading engineering software applications. ASCENT is
focused on specializing in the creation of education programs that incorporate the best of classroom
learning and technology-based training offerings.
tly r
ric fo
We welcome any comments you may have regarding this guide, or any of our products. To contact us
please email: feedback@ASCENTed.com.
st T
© ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge, 2018
e EN
All rights reserved. No part of this guide may be reproduced in any form by any photographic, electronic,
mechanical or other means or used in any information storage and retrieval system without the written
us C
permission of ASCENT, a division of Rand Worldwide, Inc.
re S
The following are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the
USA and other countries: 123D, 3ds Max, Alias, ATC, AutoCAD LT, AutoCAD, Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, Autodesk
d yA
123D, Autodesk Homestyler, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk MapGuide, Autodesk Streamline, AutoLISP, AutoSketch,
AutoSnap, AutoTrack, Backburner, Backdraft, Beast, BIM 360, Burn, Buzzsaw, CADmep, CAiCE, CAMduct, Civil 3D,
Combustion, Communication Specification, Configurator 360, Constructware, Content Explorer, Creative Bridge, Dancing
Baby (image), DesignCenter, DesignKids, DesignStudio, Discreet, DWF, DWG, DWG (design/logo), DWG Extreme,
an b
DWG TrueConvert, DWG TrueView, DWGX, DXF, Ecotect, Ember, ESTmep, FABmep, Face Robot, FBX, Fempro, Fire,
Flame, Flare, Flint, ForceEffect, FormIt 360, Freewheel, Fusion 360, Glue, Green Building Studio, Heidi, Homestyler,
d
HumanIK, i-drop, ImageModeler, Incinerator, Inferno, InfraWorks, Instructables, Instructables (stylized robot design/logo),
Inventor, Inventor HSM, Inventor LT, Lustre, Maya, Maya LT, MIMI, Mockup 360, Moldflow Plastics Advisers, Moldflow
ng e
Plastics Insight, Moldflow, Moondust, MotionBuilder, Movimento, MPA (design/logo), MPA, MPI (design/logo), MPX
yi vid
(design/logo), MPX, Mudbox, Navisworks, ObjectARX, ObjectDBX, Opticore, P9, Pier 9, Pixlr, Pixlr-o-matic,
Productstream, Publisher 360, RasterDWG, RealDWG, ReCap, ReCap 360, Remote, Revit LT, Revit, RiverCAD, Robot,
Scaleform, Showcase, Showcase 360, SketchBook, Smoke, Socialcam, Softimage, Spark & Design, Spark Logo, Sparks,
SteeringWheels, Stitcher, Stone, StormNET, TinkerBox, Tinkercad, Tinkerplay, ToolClip, Topobase, Toxik, TrustedDWG,
op ro
T-Splines, ViewCube, Visual LISP, Visual, VRED, Wire, Wiretap, WiretapCentral, XSI.
NASTRAN is a registered trademark of the National Aeronautics Space Administration.
lc p
All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.
Al ple
General Disclaimer:
Notwithstanding any language to the contrary, nothing contained herein constitutes nor is intended to constitute an offer,
inducement, promise, or contract of any kind. The data contained herein is for informational purposes only and is not
m
represented to be error free. ASCENT, its agents and employees, expressly disclaim any liability for any damages, losses
or other expenses arising in connection with the use of its materials or in connection with any failure of performance, error,
Sa
omission even if ASCENT, or its representatives, are advised of the possibility of such damages, losses or other
expenses. No consequential damages can be sought against ASCENT or Rand Worldwide, Inc. for the use of these
materials by any third parties or for any direct or indirect result of that use.
The information contained herein is intended to be of general interest to you and is provided "as is", and it does not
address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Nothing herein constitutes professional advice, nor does
it constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the issues discussed thereto. ASCENT does not warrant that the
document or information will be error free or will meet any particular criteria of performance or quality. In particular (but
without limitation) information may be rendered inaccurate by changes made to the subject of the materials (i.e. applicable
software). Rand Worldwide, Inc. specifically disclaims any warranty, either expressed or implied, including the warranty
of fitness for a particular purpose.
AS-RAR1901-SSD1MT-SG // IS-RAR1901-SSD1MT-SG
C o n t e n ts
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
Preface ............................................................................................................ iii
In this Guide .................................................................................................... v
tly r
ric fo
Practice Files .................................................................................................. ix
st T
Chapter 1: Site Design ................................................................................. 1-1
e EN1.1 Preparing a Project for Site Design............................................... 1-2
Coordinate Systems in Autodesk Revit............................................. 1-2
us C
Sharing Coordinates ......................................................................... 1-3
re S
Modifying Coordinates Individually.................................................... 1-6

d yA
1.2 Creating Topographical Surfaces.................................................. 1-8

Editing Toposurfaces ...................................................................... 1-11
Site Settings .................................................................................... 1-12
an b
Practice 1a Create Topographical Surfaces ...................................... 1-15

d
ng e
1.3 Adding Property Lines and Building Pads ................................. 1-22

yi vid
Creating Property Lines .................................................................. 1-22

Creating Building Pads.................................................................... 1-24
op ro
Practice 1b Add Property Lines and Building Pads.......................... 1-25

1.4 Modifying Toposurfaces............................................................... 1-29
lc p
Creating Subregions ....................................................................... 1-29

Al ple
Splitting Surfaces ............................................................................ 1-30

Grading a Site ................................................................................. 1-31
m
1.5 Annotating Site Plans ................................................................... 1-33

Labeling Contours ........................................................................... 1-33
Sa
Add Spot Dimensions...................................................................... 1-34

Practice 1c Modify Toposurfaces ....................................................... 1-36
1.6 Adding Site Components ............................................................. 1-40
Practice 1d Add Site Components...................................................... 1-42
© 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® i

Autodesk Revit 2019 Architecture: Site and Structural Design
1.7 Working with Shared Positioning................................................ 1-44

Publishing and Acquiring Coordinates ............................................ 1-44
Selecting Locations ......................................................................... 1-47
Practice 1e Work With Shared Positioning........................................ 1-50
Chapter Review Questions................................................................... 1-56
n. nly
Command Summary ............................................................................. 1-59
de o
Chapter 2: Structural Tools ......................................................................... 2-1
id w
2.1 Structural Basics............................................................................. 2-2
rb ie
Grids Review..................................................................................... 2-2
fo rev
Adding Structural Columns ............................................................... 2-4
Loading Structural Content ............................................................... 2-6
Practice 2a Structural Basics................................................................ 2-9
tly r
ric fo
2.2 Creating Foundations ................................................................... 2-11
Adding Structural Walls................................................................... 2-11
st T
Wall Foundations ............................................................................ 2-13
e EN Individual Footings and Pile Caps................................................... 2-14
Foundation Slabs and Structural Floors.......................................... 2-16
us C
Practice 2b Create Foundations ........................................................ 2-18
re S
2.3 Modeling Structural Framing ....................................................... 2-21

d yA
Beam Systems ................................................................................ 2-23

Adding Bracing................................................................................ 2-27
Practice 2c Model Structural Framing................................................ 2-29
an b
Chapter Review Questions................................................................... 2-32

d
ng e
Command Summary ............................................................................. 2-35

yi vid
Appendix A: Autodesk Revit Architecture Certification Exam

Objectives......................................................................................................A-1
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
ii © 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®

Preface
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
The main purpose of the Autodesk® Revit® Architecture software is to design
buildings: walls, doors, floors, roofs, and stairs. However, architects also
frequently need to add site and structural information. The Autodesk® Revit® 2019
tly r
Architecture: Site and Structural Design guide covers the elements and tools that
ric fo
are used to create topographic surfaces for site work and add structural elements.
st T
Site Topics Covered
•
e EN
Create topographic surfaces
us C
• Add property lines and building pads
re S
• Modify toposurfaces with subregions, splitting surfaces and grading the

d yA
regions
an b
• Annotate site plans and add site components

d
• Work with Shared Coordinates

ng e
yi vid
Structural Topics Covered
• Create structural grids and add columns

op ro
lc p
• Add foundation walls and footings

Al ple
• Add beams and beam systems
• Create framing elevations and add braces

m
Sa
Note on Software Setup
This guide assumes a standard installation of the software using the default
preferences during installation. Lectures and practices use the standard
software templates and default options for the Content Libraries.
© 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® iii

Students and Educators can Access Free Autodesk Software and

Resources
Autodesk challenges you to get started with free educational licenses for
professional software and creativity apps used by millions of architects,
n. nly
engineers, designers, and hobbyists today. Bring Autodesk software into your
classroom, studio, or workshop to learn, teach, and explore real-world design
de o
challenges the way professionals do.
id w
Get started today - register at the Autodesk Education Community and download
rb ie
one of the many Autodesk software applications available.
fo rev
Visit www.autodesk.com/education/home/
Note: Free products are subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user
tly r
license and services agreement that accompanies the software. The software is
ric fo
for personal use for education purposes and is not intended for classroom or lab
use.
st T
e EN
Lead Contributor: Martha Hollowell
us C
Martha incorporates her passion for architecture and education into all her
re S
projects, including the learning guides she creates on Autodesk Revit for
Architecture, MEP, and Structure. She started working with AutoCAD in the early
d yA
1990’s, adding AutoCAD Architecture and Autodesk Revit as they came along.
an b
After receiving a B.Sc. in Architecture from the University of Virginia, she worked
in the architectural department of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and later
d
in private practice, consulting with firms setting up AutoCAD in their offices.

ng e
yi vid
Martha has over 20 years' experience as a trainer and instructional designer. She
is skilled in leading individuals and small groups to understand and build on their
op ro
potential. Martha is trained in Instructional Design and has achieved the Autodesk
Certified Instructor (ACI) and Autodesk Certified Professional designations for
lc p
Revit Architecture.
Al ple
Martha Hollowell has been the Lead Contributor for Autodesk Revit Architecture:
Site and Structural Design since its initial release in 2008.
m
Sa
iv © 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®

In th is Gu id e
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
The following images highlight some of the features that can be found in this
guide.
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
Practice Files
re S
The Practice Files page tells

you how to download and install
d yA
the practice files that are

provided with this guide.
an b
Link to the practice files

d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Chapters
Sa
Each chapter begins with a brief

introduction and a list of the
chapter’s Learning Objectives.
Learning Objectives for
the chapter
© 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® v

n. nly
Instructional Content
Each chapter is split into a
series of sections of
de o
instructional content on specific
id w
topics. These lectures include
the descriptions, step-by-step
rb ie
Side notes procedures, figures, hints, and
Side notes are hints or information you need to achieve
fo rev
additional information for the chapter's Learning
the current topic. Objectives.
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
Practice Objectives
re S
Practices
d yA
Practices enable you to use the

software to perform a hands-on
review of a topic.
an b
Some practices require you to

d
use prepared practice files,

which can be downloaded from
ng e
the link found on the Practice

yi vid
Files page.
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Chapter Review Questions

Sa
Chapter review questions,

located at the end of each
chapter, enable you to review
the key concepts and learning
objectives of the chapter.
vi © 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®

In this Guide
Command Summary
The Command Summary is
n. nly
located at the end of each
chapter. It contains a list of the
software commands that are
de o
used throughout the chapter,
id w
and provides information on
where the command is found in
rb ie
the software.
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN Autodesk Certification Exam
Appendix
us C
This appendix includes a list of
re S
the topics and objectives for the

Autodesk Certification exams,
d yA
and the chapter and section in

which the relevant content can
be found.
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
© 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® vii

n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
viii © 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®

Chapter
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
Site Design
tly r
ric fo
Site planning and building design is an involved and thoughtful process. A good
st T
graphical representation of the site's topography would greatly help in the
e EN
designing of a building as well as its placement on the site. Also, being able to try
out different locations within a site would help you determine the ideal location for
us C
your building. In the Autodesk® Revit® software, you can do these by creating
re S
toposurfaces and making basic modifications to them. These toposurfaces can be

sketched directly in the project, or linked into the project using a CAD file or points
d yA
file provided by the surveyor or civil engineer. Once you have a toposurface in
place, you can add property lines, cut out space for a building pad, and even
an b
create grading for a surface. Toposurfaces can support components such as

parking spaces and trees.
d
ng e
• Additional work with topographical surfaces can be done using the add-in Site
yi vid
Designer tools. This learning guide covers the standard Autodesk Revit Tools.
op ro
Learning Objectives in this Chapter

lc p
• Set the Project Base Point and Survey Point.

• Create toposurfaces.
Al ple
• Create property lines.

• Create building pads within a toposurface.
m
• Create subregions of a toposurface.

Sa
• Split and join the surfaces of a toposurface.

• Grade toposurfaces.
• Annotate toposurfaces.
• Add site and parking components to toposurfaces.
• Publish and acquire coordinates between host and linked models.
© 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® 1–1

1.1 Preparing a Project for Site

Design
n. nly
Coordinate All Autodesk Revit projects have an internal coordinate system
based on N/S (Y-axis), E/W (X-axis) and Elevation (Z-axis).
Systems in
de o
There are primary and secondary coordinates systems specified
Autodesk Revit by the Project Base Point and Survey Point. These points can be
id w
at the same location, causing the icons to overlap.
rb ie
• The Project Base Point defines the origin of the project. It is
fo rev
helpful to have the Project Base Point at a useful place in the
project (such as the intersection of principle grid lines or the
corner of the building), as shown in Figure 1–1.
tly r
ric fo
• The Survey Point defines the secondary coordinate system.
It is typically a specific point in the physical environment,
st T
such as a survey marker, as shown in Figure 1–1. You can
e EN specify the Survey Point coordinates directly, or you can
acquire this survey point from a linked file (such as a DWG)
us C
from which the topography information is gathered.
re S
The Autodesk Revit

d yA
software has a high

level of accuracy of up
to 20 miles from the
an b
project origin.
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
Figure 1–1
• The Project Base Point impacts absolute elevations, as well
as what is reported using the Spot Elevation and Spot
Coordinate commands.
1–2 © 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®

Site Design
• The icons typically display in site plan views. To display the

icons in other views, in the Visibility Graphics dialog box, in
the Model Categories tab, expand Site and select Project
Base Point and Survey Point.
n. nly
Sharing If you are working in a project with linked models and want to use
the coordinates from one of the linked models (rather than from
Coordinates
de o
the host project), you can acquire the coordinates, as shown in
Figure 1–2. For example, you might have a drawing site plan that
id w
was created in the AutoCAD software linked to a project created
rb ie
in the Autodesk Revit software and want to use the coordinates
fo rev
from the DWG file
• If you are working with a linked site, before acquiring the

coordinates, ensure that you move, rotate, and align the site
tly r
ric fo
into place.
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
Current Project Coordinates Coordinates Acquired

from Linked Site Plan
Figure 1–2
an b
• Shared coordinates are typically acquired from a site plan.

d
This could be a CAD file or a linked Autodesk Revit model.

ng e
yi vid
• If you are working in a site plan, you can also publish the
shared coordinates to linked Autodesk Revit models.
op ro
• You can only acquire coordinates once.

lc p
• For more information about sharing coordinates, see section

Al ple
1.7 Working with Shared Positioning.

m
Hint: Working with Civil 3D Files

Sa
Starting with Autodesk Revit 2019.1, if you and the Civil

Engineer are using BIM360, you can link topography files
directly into Autodesk Revit. You also need to have the
Autodesk Desktop Connector installed to access the shared
files. The topography elements can be adjusted withing Revit.
In the Insert tab> Link panel, click (Link Topography).

To maintain a consistent geographic location between models,

you can use the GIS coordinates stored in a linked DWG file that
includes a Geographic Marker, as shown in the AutoCAD
software in Figure 1–3. When you acquire the coordinates from
the linked DWG files, these are shared with the Autodesk Revit
n. nly
project.
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
Figure 1–3
d yA
When you acquire coordinates from a Geographic Marker (as

shown in Figure 1–4), this updates the Autodesk Revit model
an b
with the real-world position of the model, which improves energy

analysis.
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
Figure 1–4

Site Design
How To: Acquire Coordinates from a Linked Project

1. In the Manage tab>Project Location panel, expand
(Coordinates), and click (Acquire Coordinates).

2. Select a linked model from which to acquire the shared
n. nly
coordinate system. The current project now uses the new
coordinates.
de o
• Alternately, you can select the linked file first and, in
id w
Properties, in the Other group, beside Shared Site, click <Not
rb ie
Shared>. Then, in the Share Coordinates dialog box, select
the Acquire option and then click Reconcile, as shown in
fo rev
Figure 1–5.
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
Figure 1–5
• If you move or rotate a linked instance after it has been
op ro
shared and saved, a Warning box displays, as shown in

lc p
Figure 1–6. You can click Save Now to save the position, or
click OK to continue working in the project. You can save the
Al ple
linked model later using the Manage Links dialog box.

m
Sa
Figure 1–6

Hint: Project North and True North

When you acquire coordinates, they include the orientation of
the site. When you are working on a building or site layout, it is
easier to work with standard horizontal and vertical axes, as
shown on the left in Figure 1–7. This is called Project North.
n. nly
You can also display a view at True North, as shown on the
right in Figure 1–7.
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
Project North True North
e EN Figure 1–7
• To change the orientation, activate the view where you
us C
want to change the orientation. With no elements selected,
re S
in Properties, in the Graphics group, set the Orientation to

d yA
True North.
an b
Modifying If you are not working with shared coordinates from a linked file,
d
you can modify each of the coordinate systems independently.

Coordinates
ng e
• To modify the Project Base Point and Survey Points, click on

yi vid
Individually the icon and modify N/S, E/W, Elev, and Angle to True North
as required, as shown in Figure 1–8. Alternatively, you can
op ro
set up the values in Properties, as shown in Figure 1–9.

lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
Figure 1–8 Figure 1–9

Site Design
• If the Project Base Point or Survey Point is clipped ( ) and

you move them, the coordinates do not change but the model
elements move. If they are unclipped ( ), the project

coordinates change and the model elements do not move.
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa

1.2 Creating Topographical

Surfaces
Once you have the Survey Point and Project Base Point in place,
n. nly
you can create topographical surfaces (toposurfaces), as shown
in Figure 1–10.
de o
• You can create a toposurface in three different ways:
id w
• Specify points directly in the project.
rb ie
• Import a CAD file with 3D information.
fo rev
• Import a points file (.txt or .cvs) developed by a surveyor.
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
Figure 1–10
an b
• You can edit toposurfaces by modifying individual points.

d
ng e
• Site settings that impact the toposurfaces include the contour

yi vid
line display and section graphics.
How To: Create a Toposurface By Specifying Points

op ro
lc p
1. Open a site or 3D view.

2. In the Massing & Site tab>Model Site panel, click
Al ple
(Toposurface).
3. In the Modify | Edit Surface tab>Tools panel, click (Place
m
Point).
Sa
4. In the Options Bar, set the Elevation for the point, as shown
in Figure 1–11. By default, you are only able to select
Absolute Elevation. After you create a surface of three
points, you can also select Relative to Surface.
Figure 1–11

Site Design
5. Click in the drawing area to place the point.

6. Continue placing points. You can vary the elevation as
needed. After you have placed three points, a boundary is
displayed, connecting them. When you add a point at a
different elevation, you see the contour lines forming, as
n. nly
shown in Figure 1–12.
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
Figure 1–12
st T
7. In the Surface panel, click (Finish Surface) when you
e EN have finished selecting points.
• Points can be added in plan and 3D views.

us C
• To create a neat outer boundary for a toposurface, draw

re S
reference planes and then select points at the intersections of

d yA
the planes.
an b
How To: Create a Toposurface Using an Imported

d
File
ng e
When importing, do not 1. In a site or 3D view, import a CAD file (DWG, DXF, or DGN)
yi vid
use the Current view that holds the site information.

only option as you need 2. In the Massing & Site tab>Model Site panel, click
op ro
the 3D information
stored in the CAD file. (Toposurface).
lc p
3. In the Modify | Edit Surface tab>Tools panel, expand

Al ple
(Create from Import) and click (Select Import

Instance).
m
4. Select the imported file by clicking on the edge of the file.

Sa

5. In the Add Points from Selected Layers dialog box, select the
layers that hold the points (the layer names vary according to
the original drawing file standard), as shown in Figure 1–13.
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
Figure 1–13
6. Click OK. The new toposurface is created with points at the
tly r
same elevations as the imported information.
ric fo
7. Click (Finish Surface) to end the command.
st T
8. If you do not need the CAD file for other information, delete it.
e EN • If the CAD file is going to be updated with information (such
as the footprint of the building or roads and parking areas), it
us C
would be better to link the CAD file. This way, when the
re S
up-to-date information is provided, it is included in the project.

d yA
How To: Create a Toposurface from a Points File

an b
1. Open a site or 3D view. In the Massing & Site tab>Model Site

d
panel, click (Toposurface).

ng e

yi vid
(Create from Import) and click (Specify Points File).

op ro
3. In the Select File dialog box, select the CSV or comma

delimited text file (TXT) that contains the list of points and
lc p
click Open.
4. In the Format dialog box, as shown in Figure 1–14, select the
Al ple
unit format and click OK. The options include Decimal feet,
Decimal inches, Meters, Centimeters, and Millimeters.
m
Sa
Figure 1–14

Site Design
5. The points create a toposurface in the project. Add additional
points as needed and click (Finish Surface).

• Having many points on a surface slows down system
performance. While still in the Modify | Edit Surface tab>
n. nly
Tools panel, click (Simplify Surface) to reduce the
number of points. Set the required accuracy, as shown in
de o
Figure 1–15, and click OK.
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
Accuracy = 75mm Accuracy = 300mm
st T
Figure 1–15
e EN
Editing You can make changes to a toposurface by adding points or
us C
editing existing point locations and elevations, as shown in
Toposurfaces
re S
Figure 1–16. You can also modify the Properties of a

d yA
toposurface, including material and phasing information.

an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
Figure 1–16
m
How To: Edit a Toposurface

Sa
1. Select the toposurface that you want to edit.
2. In the Modify | Topography tab>Surface panel, click (Edit

Surface).
When adding points, it
helps to be in a 3D 3. In the Modify | Edit Surface tab>Tools panel, click (Place
shaded view so that you Point) and add more points to the surface.
can see the effects of 4. To edit existing points, select one or more points.
your new points.

5. In the Interior (or Boundary) Points tab, you can use various
modification tools. You can change the elevation of the points
in the Options Bar, as shown in Figure 1–17.
n. nly
Figure 1–17
6. Select another point or click in an empty space to finish
de o
editing the points.
id w
7. In the Modify | Edit Surface tab> Surface panel, click
rb ie
(Finish Surface) to end the command.
fo rev
Site Settings In the Massing & Site tab>Model Site panel, click in the panel
tly r
title. The Site Settings dialog box opens, in which you can set the
ric fo
way contours are displayed in the plan and section views of a
toposurface, as shown in Figure 1–18.
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
Figure 1–18

Site Design
Site Setting Options
Contour Line Display
At Intervals of: Set the distance for the primary contour lines. These
n. nly
display with a heavy line and are not necessarily the
places at which you added the points.
de o
Passing Through The starting elevation for contour lines.
Elevation
id w
Additional Contours
rb ie
Start/Stop Start is the location for a single additional contour or
fo rev
the first of a series of contours. Stop is the end of a
series of additional contour lines.
tly r
Increment The distance between sub-contours when the Range
ric fo
type is set to Multiple Values. The style is set
according to the Subcategory specification.
st T
Range Type Set to Multiple Values or Single Value. When set to
e EN multiple, you can specify the start and stop and the
increment. When set to Single Value, you can
specify the location of the single contour in the Start
us C
Value. Increments are grayed out.
re S
Subcategory Select from a list of object styles that define how to

d yA
display the additional contours. For example,

Secondary Contours display with a thin line and
Primary Contours with a wide line. You can create
an b
additional options in Object Styles under

Topography.
d
ng e
Insert / Delete Insert or delete additional contour descriptions.

yi vid
Section Graphics
op ro
Section cut The default material is set to Earth. Click

material
lc p
(Browse) to open the Material Browser in which

you can select a different material. Additional site
Al ple
related materials can be found in the AEC Materials:

Misc area at the bottom of the Material Browser. The
following shows a section cut using the Earth
m
material.
Sa

Elevation of The height of the poche (or hatching) that displays

poche base below the bottom contour line in a section view. It is
usually negative.
Property Data
n. nly
Angle Display Select the type of angles to display: Degrees from
N/S or Degrees.
de o
Units Select the type of units to display: Degrees Minutes
Seconds or Decimal Degrees.
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa

Site Design
Practice 1a Create Topographical Surfaces

Practice Objectives
• Import a CAD file with contours.
n. nly
• Set the Project Base Point and the Survey Point.
• Create a Toposurface from the imported file.
de o
• (Optional) Create a Toposurface using a Points file.
id w
In this practice, you will import a CAD file that contains contour
rb ie
information, set the Project Base Point and Survey Point, create
fo rev
a toposurface from the imported file, change the site settings,
and add a section, as shown in Figure 1–19.
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
Figure 1–19
op ro
lc p
Task 1 - Import a CAD file.

Al ple
1. Start a new project based on the DefaultMetric.rte template.

• If you do not have the US Metric setup installed, this
m
template is included in the practice files folder.

Sa
2. Open the Floor Plans:Site view.
3. In the Insert tab>Import panel, click (Import CAD).
This file was creating 4. In the Import CAD Formats dialog box, navigate to the
using the AutoCAD® practice files folder and select Site-DWG-M.dwg. Accept the
software. default options and click Open.

5. Type ZE to zoom out to the extents of the file. The origin of

the imported CAD file is placed at the origin of the project, as
shown in Figure 1–20.
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN Figure 1–20
6. Save the project in the practice files folder as

us C
New-Site-M.rvt.
re S
d yA
Task 2 - Set the Project Base Point and the Survey Point.
1. Click on the Project Base Point and set the information, as

an b
shown in Figure 1–21, and as follows:

d
• N/S: 19200.0
ng e
• E/W: 22860.0
yi vid
• Elev: 656708.0
• Angle to True North: 20 degrees
op ro
This is information you

lc p
would receive from

surveyors or civil
Al ple
engineers.
m
Sa
Figure 1–21
2. The project elements move with the Project Base Point. Type
ZE again to display the new location of the site.
3. Select the Survey Point and click to unclip it.

Site Design
4. Set the information, as shown in Figure 1–22, and as follows:

• N/S: 107900.0
• E/W: 68580.0
• Elev: 570000.0
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
Figure 1–22
tly r
5. Reclip the Survey Point in its new location.
ric fo
6. Hide the elevation markers and save the project
st T
e EN Task 3 - Create a Toposurface from the Imported file.
us C
1. Continue working in the Floor Plans: Site view.
re S

d yA
(Toposurface).
an b

d
(Create from Import) and click (Select Import

ng e
Instance).
yi vid
4. Select the imported CAD file.

op ro
5. In the Add Points from Selected Layers dialog box, click

lc p
Check None. Select the layer Contour-Existing (as shown

in Figure 1–23) and click OK.
Al ple
m
Sa
Figure 1–23

6. The new toposurface is created with points applied along the

contour lines from the CAD file, as shown in Figure 1–24.
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN Figure 1–24
7. In the Modify | Edit Surface tab> Tools panel click

us C
(Simplify Surface).
re S
d yA
8. In the Simplify Surface dialog box, set the Accuracy to

300mm (as shown in Figure 1–25) and click OK.
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
Figure 1–25
lc p
9. Fewer points are placed in the toposurface without

Al ple
compromising the actual contour location.

m
10. Click (Finish Surface).

Sa
11. Hide the linked CAD file.

Site Design
12. The default distance between the contour lines displays, as

shown in Figure 1–26. This distance is specified in the Site
Settings.
13. In the Massing & Site tab>Model Site panel title, click (Site
Settings).
n. nly
14. In the Site Settings dialog box, in the Additional Contours
de o
area, set the Increment to 500mm, and click OK. The
distance between the contours changes, as shown in
id w
Figure 1–27.
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
Figure 1–26 Figure 1–27

d yA
15. Save the project.

an b
Task 4 - Create a Site Section.

d
ng e
1. In the View tab>Create panel, click (Section) and draw a

yi vid
horizontal section through the site.
2. In the Project Browser, in the Section (Building Section)

op ro
node, rename the section as Site Section.

lc p
3. Open the section view. The material displayed in the section

Al ple
is Earth, as shown in Figure 1–28, which was specified in the

Site Settings.
m
Sa
Figure 1–28

Task 5 - (Optional) Create a Toposurface using a Points file.
1. Using Notepad or another text editor, in the practice files

folder, open Topography-Points-M.txt. The list of points,
shown in part in Figure 1–29, includes three numbers on
n. nly
each line. The format is Northing (Y), Easting (X),
Elevation (ft).
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
Figure 1–29
us C
re S
2. Close the text file.

d yA
3. In the practice files folder, open Topography-Points-M.rvt.
4. Open the default 3D view.

an b

d
ng e
(Toposurface).
yi vid

op ro
(Create from Import) and click (Specify Points File).

lc p
7. In the Open dialog box, set the Files of type to Comma

Al ple
delimited Text and select Topography-Points-M.txt. Click

Open.
m
8. In the Format dialog box, select Meters and click OK.

Sa
9. Type ZE to zoom to the extents of the file.
11. Zoom in on the toposurface and investigate it.

Site Design
12. Modify the Site Settings, Material, and Visual Style as needed
to get a better understanding of the toposurface, as shown in
Figure 1–30.
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
Figure 1–30
tly r
ric fo
13. Save and close the project.
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa

1.3 Adding Property Lines and

Building Pads
When you have placed the base toposurface, you need to add
n. nly
the property lines and building pad (the cutout for the building
location), as shown in Figure 1–31.
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
Figure 1–31
re S
d yA
Creating Property lines can be created by sketching lines or inputting

information into a table of distances and bearings. Property lines
Property Lines can, but do not need to be, drawn on a toposurface.
an b
d
How To: Add a Property Line

ng e
1. In the Massing & Site tab>Modify Site panel, click

yi vid
(Property Line).
op ro
2. In the Create Property Line dialog box, select how you want
to create the property line, as shown in Figure 1–32.
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
Figure 1–32

Site Design
3. If you selected Create by sketching, use the Draw tools to
create the property line, and click (Finish Edit Mode). If

you selected Create by entering distances and bearings,
fill out the appropriate information, as shown in Figure 1–33,
and click OK to finish.
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
Figure 1–33
op ro
• When typing the bearings, you do not need to insert the

symbols after the numbers, just separate them with a space.
lc p
For example, 54 23 47 displays as 54° 23’ 47”.

Al ple
• Property lines do not need to close to be inserted into the

drawing. Not all of the information you receive for a deed or
m
survey adds up to a closed property line. Click Add Line to

Sa
Close, as required.
• A sketched property line can be converted into a table. Select

the property line, and in the Modify | Property Lines tab>
Property Lines panel, click (Edit Table). When it has been

converted it cannot go back to a sketch.

Creating A building pad on a toposurface cuts or fills the surface around

the area of the pad. You can create the pad from existing walls or
Building Pads sketch it with lines. The example in Figure 1–34 shows the site
with a building pad in section.
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
Figure 1–34
• A pad is an element in the project that might be in the same
tly r
plane as a floor.
ric fo
• A pad affects the surrounding surface and a floor element
st T
does not.
e EN • Pads can be turned off in the Visibility/Graphic Overrides
us C
dialog box.
re S
How To: Create a Building Pad

d yA
1. Open the site plan view with an existing toposurface. Building

pads must be drawn on a toposurface.
an b

d
ng e
(Building Pad).
yi vid
3. In the Modify | Create Pad Boundary tab>Draw panel, click
(Boundary Line). You can use any of the Draw tools or

op ro
click (Pick Walls) to establish the outline of the building

lc p
pad.
Al ple
4. In Properties, specify a Level and a Height Offset from Level

for the depth of the pad and set any phasing as needed.
m
5. Click (Finish Edit Mode).

Sa
• The sketch of a pad must form a closed loop, but can contain
additional loops inside to display openings (such as a
courtyard). If you have several buildings, create a pad for
each one.
• You can slope pads in one direction for drainage using
(Slope Arrow).

Site Design
Practice 1b Add Property Lines and Building

Pads
Practice Objectives
n. nly
• Create a property line by sketching.
de o
• Add a building pad.
id w
In this practice you will add a property line and a building pad to
rb ie
a toposurface, as shown in Figure 1–35.
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
Figure 1–35
an b
Task 1 - Create a property lines.

d
ng e
1. In the practice files folder, open New-Site-Pad-M.rvt.

yi vid
2. Open the Site plan view if it is not already open.

op ro

lc p
(Property Line).
Al ple
m
Sa

4. In the Create Property Line dialog box (as shown in

Figure 1–36), select Create by sketching.
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
Figure 1–36
st T
5. Sketch the property line, as shown in Figure 1–37.
e EN • Use the Survey Point as the start point of the property
line.
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
Figure 1–37

Site Design
Task 2 - Create a building pad.
(Building Pad).
n. nly
2. In the Modify | Create Pad Boundary tab>Draw panel, click
de o
(Boundary Line). Use the Draw tools to establish the
id w
outline of the building pad, as shown in Figure 1–38.
rb ie
• Use the Survey Point to identify the start point of the pad.
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Figure 1–38
Al ple
3. In Properties, verify that the Level is Level 1 and the Height

Offset from Level is set to 0.
m
Sa

5. Open the Site Section view and see how the pad cuts the
site, as shown in Figure 1–39.
n. nly
Figure 1–39
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa

Site Design
1.4 Modifying Toposurfaces

Building a new structure requires that the earth around it be
moved to make space for the building and to promote drainage.
This means, you need to modify the toposurface beyond just
n. nly
introducing the building pad and applying different materials, as
shown in Figure 1–40. You can use commands to finalize the site
de o
design, such as Subregion, Split Surface, and Graded
Region.
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
Figure 1–40
an b
Creating When you submit a preliminary proposal, you might want to

d
display different materials on parts of the toposurface without

ng e
Subregions changing the contours. You can quickly create subregions of the
yi vid
surface and apply different materials to them, as shown in

Figure 1–40.
op ro
The subregions display How To: Create a Subregion

lc p
with a boundary, but are

Al ple
still part of the main

toposurface. Set the
(Subregion).
Visual Style to Shaded,
m
2. In the Modify | Create Subregion Boundary tab>Draw panel,

Consistent Colors, or
use the Draw tools to outline the subregion.
Sa
Realistic to display the

3. In Properties, modify the Material for the subregion as
colors of the materials.
needed.

5. The subregion is still selected, In Properties specify a
material, if you did not do it before.

• To modify a subregion, in the Modify Topography
tab>Subregion panel, click (Edit Boundary).
• To remove a subregion, select it but do not edit the boundary.

Press <Delete>.
n. nly
de o
Splitting (Split Surface) is a more powerful command that breaks
id w
toposurfaces into separate pieces. Each surface can be edited
Surfaces individually and be assigned different materials, as shown in
rb ie
Figure 1–41.
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
Figure 1–41
For example, you can break the topography into sections for
d
parking lots, grassy areas, roadways, and sidewalks. You can

ng e
also delete sections that you do not need in the project.

yi vid
How To: Split a Surface

op ro
lc p
1. In the Massing & Site tab>Modify Site panel, click (Split

Al ple
Surface).
2. Select the toposurface to split.
3. In the Modify | Split Surface tab>Draw panel, use the Draw
m
tools to create a splitting boundary.

Sa
4. In Properties, modify the Material for the surface as needed.
• The boundary does not need to be a closed object, but must

split the surface into two pieces.

Site Design
How To: Join Surfaces
1. In the Massing & Site tab>Modify Site panel, click (Merge

Surfaces).
2. Select the two adjacent surfaces that you want to merge.
n. nly
• If materials are applied to the surfaces, the new merged
de o
surface takes on the material of the first selected surface.
id w
Grading a Site The most time-consuming part of site work is deciding how to
rb ie
grade a site and adjusting the contours accordingly. You can
fo rev
make sections of the site flatter or steeper and you always need
to verify that the drainage pattern flows away from the building
and towards the storm drains. To make this process easier, use
tly r
ric fo
the (Graded Region) command to modify the location of
points and then automatically demolish and add contours.
st T
e EN • Graded regions change the phase of the toposurface. In
Properties, set the Phase of the original toposurface to
Existing (as shown in Figure 1–42) before starting the
us C
Graded Region command.
re S
d yA
an b
Figure 1–42
d
ng e
• When you modify topography with the Graded Region

yi vid
command, the software automatically calculates the Cut and

Fill for the surface. This information is displayed in Properties
(as shown in Figure 1–43) and can be added to a schedule.
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
Figure 1–43

How To: Grade a Site

1. Verify that the Phase of the toposurface is set to Existing.
(Graded Region).
n. nly
3. The Edit Graded Region dialog box opens, as shown in
Figure 1–44. Select how you want the new toposurface to be
de o
copied. You have the option of creating a replica of the
original or an outline of the points.
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
Figure 1–44
4. Select the toposurface that you want to grade.
op ro
5. Modify the points in the surface:

lc p
• In the Modify | Edit Surface tab Tools panel click

Al ple
(Place Point) to add new points.

• Select a point and in the Options Bar change the
m
Elevation.
Sa
• Delete points that are no longer needed.
• If the surface is open or there is a conflict, an alert box opens.
• If you are in a shaded view, the demolished area displays in

red. Set the Visual Style to Hidden to display the contours
and points more clearly.

Site Design
1.5 Annotating Site Plans

Site plan annotation can include information about setbacks,
dimensions, and spaces for the various site components, utility
and grading information, etc. Most of this information can be
n. nly
added with standard tools, such as Text and Dimensions. There
are several annotation items that work with site plans: Label
de o
Contours (shown in Figure 1–45), Spot Elevation, and Spot
Coordinate.
id w
rb ie
Label Contours only
works with
fo rev
toposurfaces.
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
Figure 1–45
an b
d
Labeling Labeling the contours can help the process of grading regions by
ng e
displaying the level of the contour lines in the region in which you
Contours
yi vid
are working.
op ro
How To: Label Contours

lc p
1. In the Massing & Site tab>Modify Site panel, click (Label

Al ple
Contours).
2. Draw a line across the contours that you want to label.
m
3. Continue drawing as many lines as needed.

Sa

Add Spot These dimensioning tools display important information about

specific points on your toposurface, as shown in Figure 1–46.
Dimensions Spot Elevation gathers the elevation information from a
selected point while Spot Coordinate gathers the coordinate
information for a point.
n. nly
All dimensions are Spot Elevation Spot
based on the Project Coordinate
de o
Base Point.
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
Figure 1–46
st T
• Spot dimensions can be added on any type of model
e EN element, not just toposurfaces.
How To: Add Spot Elevations/Coordinates

us C
re S
1. In the Annotate tab>Dimension panel, click (Spot

d yA
Elevation) or (Spot Coordinate).

2. In the Type Selector, select the type that you want to use
an b
from the list, as shown in Figure 1–47.

d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
Figure 1–47

Site Design
3. In the Options Bar, select the Leader and Shoulder options.

The Spot Coordinate also includes a list of Display
Elevations, as shown in Figure 1–48.
n. nly
de o
Figure 1–48
id w
4. Select a point to dimension and place the leader line and
rb ie
target or text. The software automatically gathers the
fo rev
information from the selected point.
5. Select another point as needed. The value of the spot
dimension displays as you move the cursor over the site.
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa

Practice 1c Modify Toposurfaces

Practice Objectives
• Split surfaces and change the material of an existing toposurface.
n. nly
• Grade surfaces to create an even patio with a sunken pool.
• Grade the slope of the parking lot and driveway.
de o
In this practice you will use Split Surface to add several new
id w
surfaces, Label Contours to prepare contours for modification,
rb ie
and Graded Region to modify the points within a graded region,
fo rev
as shown in Figure 1–49.
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
Figure 1–49
lc p
Task 1 - Split Surfaces and Change the Material.

Al ple
1. In the practice files folder, open New-Site-Modify-M.rvt.

m
2. Ensure that you are in the Floor Plans: Site view.

Sa
3. In the View Control Bar, set the Visual Style to (Shaded).
4. In the Massing & Site tab>Modify Site panel, click (Split

Surface).
5. Select the toposurface.

Site Design
6. Draw the boundary for the patio, as shown in Figure 1–50.
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
Figure 1–50
7. In the Modify | Split Surface tab> Mode panel, click
tly r
ric fo
(Finish Edit Mode).
8. Start the Split Surface command and create the surfaces for
st T
e EN the reflecting pool and parking area, as shown in
Figure 1–51.
us C
re S
d yA
Parking Area
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
Patio and
Reflecting Pool
m
Figure 1–51
Sa
9. Using Properties, assign the following materials to each

surface:
• Patio: Masonry – Stone
• Parking Area: Site-Tarmacadam
• Reflecting Pool: Site – Water
• Main Site: Site – Grass

Task 2 - Grade Surfaces.
1. Select all of the topography surfaces. In Properties, set

Phase Created to Existing. This is important for grading the
surfaces. If you have the view shaded, they all turn gray.
n. nly
2. Zoom in on the patio.
de o
id w
(Graded Region).
rb ie
4. In the Edit Graded Region dialog box, select Create a new
fo rev
toposurface exactly like the existing one.
5. Select the patio surface.
tly r
ric fo
To select more than one 6. Delete all the points except those on the corners of the patio
point at a time, draw a and the corners of the pool. This flattens the patio surface.
st T
window around them.
e EN 7. Select all of the corner points. In the Options Bar, set the
Elevation to 4270.
us C
8. In the Modify | Edit Surface tab> Surface panel, click
re S
(Finish Surface). If you have the view shaded, the cut

d yA
areas display in red, as shown in Figure 1–52.

an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Figure 1–52
Sa
9. Start the Graded Region command and select the pool.
10. In the Edit Graded Region dialog box, select Create a new
toposurface exactly like the existing one.
11. Delete the extra points and set the Elevation of the corner
points of the pool to 3660.
12. Finish the surface and save the project.

Site Design
Task 3 - Modify the Slope of the Parking Lot and Driveway.
1. In Properties, in the Phasing area, change the Phase Filter to

Show Complete. This helps you to see what you are doing.
n. nly
2. In the View Control Bar, change the Scale to 1:1000.
de o
3. In the Massing & Site tab>Modify Site panel, click (Label
id w
Contours). Label the contours on either side of the driveway,
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
Figure 1–53
d

ng e
yi vid
(Graded Region) and select Create a new toposurface

based on the perimeter points only.
op ro
5. Select the parking area and use the procedure that you used
lc p
with the patio: delete all of the points except the corner
points, and set those points to 4270.
Al ple
6. The driveway is sloped from 4270 at the top to (negative)

-1200 at the bottom. Delete any excess points and modify the
m
rest.
Sa
7. Click (Finish Surface) when you are finished.

8. As time permits, repeat the process with the grassy area so
that it butts up against the flat and sloped surfaces as
needed. Modify points to change the slope away from the
driveway.

1.6 Adding Site Components

When you have established a site with surfaces and building
pads, you need to populate it with other site elements, such as
parking spaces and trees. Site components are inserted as with
n. nly
any other component. However, instead of taking on the current
level when they are inserted, they link to the elevation of the
de o
contour where they are placed, as shown in Figure 1–54.
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN Figure 1–54
• To access site components, click (Site Component) or

us C
re S
(Parking Component) in the Massing & Site tab>Model

d yA
Site panel.
• To load different types of components, in the Insert tab>Load

an b
from Library panel, use (Load Family).

d
ng e
• The Autodesk Revit family library includes the Site folder with
yi vid
sub-folders for Accessories, Logistics, Parking, and Utilities.

• Accessories include items such as bike stands and trash
op ro
cans.
• Logistics includes trucks, cranes, and other construction
lc p
equipment.
Al ple
• Parking includes parking spaces, islands, direction

arrows, and an ADA-compliant curb cut, parking space,
m
and symbol.
• Utilities includes catch basins, fire hydrants, manhole
Sa
covers, and more.
• Additional trees and shrubs can be loaded from the Library in

the Planting folder. Each family (Shrub, Conifer, and
Deciduous) contains a variety of types and heights of trees.

Site Design
• Many components, not just site specific components, are

face-based and can use a toposurface as a host if they are
added in a view in which the toposurface is visible.
• If the site component is not visible after you finish attaching it
n. nly
to the site, click (Pick New Host) in the associated
Modify tab>Host panel, and verify that the component is
de o
associated with the correct surface. If Pick Host does not
id w
work, change the elevation of the component in Properties.
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa

Practice 1d Add Site Components

Practice Objective
• Add trees, parking spaces, and the ADA symbol to a toposurface.
n. nly
In this practice you will add parking spaces, ADA symbols, and
de o
trees, as shown in Figure 1–55.
id w
ADA parking spaces
rb ie
and symbols
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
Figure 1–55
an b
d
Task 1 - Add Site components.

ng e
yi vid
1. In the practice files folder, open

New-Site-Components-M.rvt.
op ro
lc p
2. In the Insert tab>Load from Library panel, click (Load

Family).
Al ple
3. In the Load Family dialog box, navigate to the practice files

folder and select M_Parking Space - ADA.rfa and
m
M_Parking Symbol - ADA.rfa. Click Open.

Sa
(Parking Component) and place the ADA parking spaces

and other parking spaces, as shown above in Figure 1–55.

Site Design
5. In the Massing & Site tab>Model Site panel, click (Site

Component) and place the ADA symbol within the parking
spaces.
6. Continue using the Site Component command and add
n. nly
trees around the property using various types and heights.
de o
7. Add other components as required. These can include site
accessories such as bollards and planters, or parking
id w
symbols such as direction arrows,
rb ie
fo rev
Task 2 - View the Completed Model
1. Open a 3D view and set the Visual Style to Shaded.
tly r
ric fo
2. In Properties, set the Phase Filter to Show Complete.
st T
3. Rotate the 3D view.
e EN 4. You can also add retaining walls or other building features.

us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa

1.7 Working with Shared

Positioning
Each project created in the Autodesk Revit software has a set of
n. nly
internal coordinates that are only used by that project. As long as
you are working in a stand-alone project, you do not need to
reference these coordinates. However, if you are linking projects
de o
together, you might want to have one coordinate system that is
id w
referenced throughout the connected projects. This is when you
rb ie
need to share coordinates.
fo rev
• Shared Sites can be specified in the Properties of the linked
model, as shown in Figure 1–56.
tly r
The Project Base Point,
ric fo
typically visible in a site
plan, establishes the
st T
coordinate system.
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
Figure 1–56
yi vid
• Linked models that share coordinates can be created in the

Autodesk Revit software or a combination of files created in
op ro
the Autodesk Revit software and DWG and DXF files created
lc p
in the AutoCAD software.

Al ple
For more information on • Shared coordinates should only be derived from one file. You
acquiring coordinates can acquire coordinates from a linked project or drawing or
m
see Preparing a Project publish them from the host project to the other files.
for Site Design.
Sa
Publishing and Shared coordinates are most often used with site plans to which
multiple buildings are linked. The buildings can all be different or
Acquiring can be copies of the same project, such as in an apartment
Coordinates complex. The site project typically controls the coordinates.
• If you are working in the site project, you can select the links
and publish the coordinates to them.

Site Design
• If you are working in a building project, you can acquire the

coordinates from the site project.
• Typically, the architectural project acquires the coordinates

from a site project and the other disciplines then link the
architectural model into their projects using Origin to Origin.
n. nly
How To: Publish Coordinates to Linked Models
de o
id w
1. Open the host project whose coordinates you want to use,
which contains the linked models.
rb ie
fo rev
(Coordinates) and click (Publish Coordinates).
3. Select the linked model to which you want to publish the
tly r
shared coordinate system. The Location Weather and Site
ric fo
dialog box opens with the Site tab active, as shown in
Figure 1–57.
st T
Click
e EN
(Location) in
the Manage tab>Project
us C
Location panel to open
re S
the dialog box at any

time.
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Figure 1–57
Al ple
4. The Internal named location of the linked model is the default.

Click Rename... to give the default location a different name.
m
Click Duplicate... to create a new name for the instance

location. Each instance of the linked model should have a
Sa
differently named location.

5. Select the location that you want to use and click OK.
6. You are still in the command and can select another linked
project to which to publish the coordinates or press <Esc>.
• You only need to publish coordinates to a linked model once.

However, you can use this method on multiple instances to
create the named locations.

How To: Save the Modifications to the Linked Model

When the coordinates have been published, they still need to be
saved to the linked model.
n. nly
1. In the Manage tab>Manage Project panel, click (Manage
Links).
de o
2. In the Manage Links dialog box, select the Revit tab.
3. A check mark displays in the Positions Not Saved column, as
id w
shown in Figure 1–58, indicating that the published
rb ie
coordinates have not yet been saved to the linked model.
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
Figure 1–58
st T
e EN 4. Select the name in the Linked File column and click Save
Positions.
5. In the Location Position Changed dialog box shown in
us C
Figure 1–59, select the method that you want to use.
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
Figure 1–59
6. If you selected Save, the Positions Not Saved option is
cleared in the Manage Links dialog box
7. Click OK to close the dialog box.
• If you make a change to the location or save the project

before managing the links, you are prompted to make a
selection in the same dialog box.

Site Design
Selecting It is possible to select locations for multiple instances of linked

models using the Publish Coordinates command. Another way
Locations of specifying locations is to use the Properties of the linked
model. If you have not already published coordinates to the
linked project, you are prompted to reconcile the link before
n. nly
proceeding. Through Properties, you can move a linked instance
to a new location, record the current position to a named
location, or stop sharing the location of the linked instance.
de o
id w
How To: Select or Specify a Named Location for a
rb ie
linked model
fo rev
1. Select the linked model.
2. In Properties, next to Shared Site, click <Not Shared>.
3. If the linked model is already reconciled, the Select Location
tly r
ric fo
dialog box opens, as shown in Figure 1–60.
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
Figure 1–60
lc p
• You can move the instance to an existing named location.

Al ple
Select Move instance to: and select the location from

the list.
• If you do not want to select a named location, select Do
m
not share location of selected instance.

Sa

• If you need to create a new named location, select

Record current position… and click Change.... The
Location Weather and Site dialog box opens, in which you
can create a new named location, as shown in
Figure 1–61. Make the new location current.
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
Figure 1–61
e EN 4. Click OK to close the dialog box.
5. The value of the Shared Site option is now the new location
name, as shown in Figure 1–62.
us C
re S
d yA
an b
Figure 1–62
d
ng e
Hint: Identifying Coordinates

yi vid
To identify a coordinate point: in the Manage tab>Project

op ro
Location panel, expand (Coordinates) and click

lc p
(Report Shared Coordinates). displays on the cursor.

Move it over a point on the project and click on it. The Shared
Al ple
Coordinates display in the Options Bar, as shown in

Figure 1–63.
m
Sa
Figure 1–63
• To move the project to new coordinates, change the Project
Base Point or click (Specify coordinates at point).

Site Design
Reconciling Links
When you select a linked model and in Properties, select Shared

Site, and the link has not been reconciled with the host project,
the Share Coordinates dialog box opens, as shown in
n. nly
Figure 1–64.
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
Figure 1–64
d
ng e
• This only occurs the first time you select a file that does not
yi vid
share coordinates. If you select other instances of the same

link, this dialog box does not open.
op ro
How To: Reconcile Links

lc p
1. In the Share Coordinates dialog box, select Publish or

Al ple
Acquire.
2. Click Change... to record the location of the instance.
m
3. In the Location Weather and Site dialog box, specify the

named location and click OK.
Sa
4. In the Share Coordinates dialog box, click Reconcile.

Practice 1e Work With Shared Positioning

Practice Objectives
• Link a model to a site host project multiple times.
n. nly
• Publish Coordinates and Share Locations.
• Test different locations
de o
In this practice you will link a project to a site multiple times,
id w
publish coordinates, and share locations. You will also test
rb ie
different locations using shared coordinates, as shown in
fo rev
Figure 1–65.
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
Figure 1–65
yi vid
Task 1 - Link a Model to a Site multiple times.

op ro
lc p
1. In the practice files folder, open Townhouse-Site-M.rvt.

Al ple
2. In the Insert tab>Link panel, click (Link Revit).

m
3. In the Import/Link RVT dialog box, select Townhouse-M.rvt

Sa
with the Positioning: set to Auto-Origin to Origin.

Site Design
4. Move the link so that the upper left corner meets the
intersection of the two reference planes, as shown in
Figure 1–66.
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
Figure 1–66
fo rev
5. Copy the link to the other two reference plane intersections,
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
Figure 1–67
d
6. Select the first link. In Properties, set the value of the Name
ng e
to Building A, as shown in Figure 1–68. Do not modify the

yi vid
Shared Site at this time.

op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
Figure 1–68
7. Repeat the process with the other two instances of the linked
model. Name them Building B and Building C.

Task 2 - Publish Coordinates and Share Locations.
(Coordinates) and click (Publish Coordinates).
n. nly
2. Select Building A.
de o
3. In the Location Weather and Site dialog box, in the Site tab,
id w
click Rename.... Rename the location as Lot 1, as shown in
Figure 1–69.
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
Figure 1–69
d yA
4. Click OK and click (Modify) to end the command. (You

an b
could continue using the Publish Coordinates command to

assign named locations to the other instances of the link, but
d
the next steps show you how to do it using Properties.)

ng e
yi vid
5. Select Building B. In Properties, next to Shared Site, click

<Not Shared>
op ro
6. Select Record current position… and click Change....

lc p
7. Click Duplicate... to create a new named location named

Al ple
Lot 2.
8. Click OK twice to close the dialog boxes. The Shared Site is

m
now set to Lot 2.

Sa
9. Repeat the process with the third link.
10. In the Manage tab>Manage Project panel, click (Manage

Links).
11. In the Manage Links dialog box, select the Revit tab.

Site Design
12. The Positions Not Saved option is selected in the list (as
shown in Figure 1–70) indicating that the published
coordinates have not been saved to the linked model.
n. nly
de o
Figure 1–70
id w
13. Select the Linked File name Townhouse-M.rvt and click
rb ie
Save Positions.
fo rev
14. In the Location Position Changed dialog box shown in
Figure 1–71, select Save.
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
Figure 1–71
op ro
15. The Positions Not Saved option is cleared. Click OK to

lc p
close the Manage Links dialog box.

Al ple
16. Zoom out to display the entire site.

m
17. Do not close the project.

Sa
Task 3 - Test different locations.
1. In the practice files folder, open Poolhouse-M.rvt.
2. In the Manage tab>Project Location panel, click
(Location).

three named locations are listed in addition to the Internal
location, as shown in Figure 1–72. These were created when
the model was previously linked to the host site project.
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
Figure 1–72
4. Close the dialog box, close the project, and verify that you
st T
are in the Townhouse-Site-M.rvt project.
e EN
5. In the Insert tab>Link panel, click (Link Revit).
us C
re S
6. Select the Poolhouse-M.rvt project. Set Positioning: to

Auto-By Shared Coordinates, as shown in Figure 1–73,
d yA
and click Open.

an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Figure 1–73
Al ple
select one of the named locations and click OK. The pool
m
house is automatically inserted at that location.

Sa
8. Select the pool house.
9. In Properties, click the button next to Shared Site.

Site Design
10. In the Choose Site dialog box, select Move Instance to: and
select one of the other named locations in the list, as shown
in Figure 1–74.
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN Figure 1–74
us C
11. Close the dialog boxes. The pool house moves to the named
re S
location. The three locations are shown in Figure 1–75.

d yA
Poolhouse
an b
Location 3
d
ng e
Poolhouse
yi vid
Location 1
op ro
Poolhouse
lc p
Location 2
Al ple
m
Figure 1–75
Sa
12. Save and close the project.

Chapter Review Questions

1. In which of the following ways can you NOT create
topographical surfaces, such as that shown in Figure 1–76?
n. nly
de o
id w
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
Figure 1–76
ric fo
a. From an imported drawing that was creating using the
AutoCAD® software.
st T
e EN b. By sketching.
c. From a DWG file that was created using the AutoCAD
us C
Civil 3D software.
re S
d. From a points file.

d yA
2. Which of the following commands enables you to modify a

toposurface so that you can change various parts of the
an b
surface to different materials (as shown in Figure 1–77), and

to modify the contours separately from the main toposurface?
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa
Figure 1–77
a. Edit Surface
b. Graded Region
c. Merge Surface
d. Split Surface

Site Design
3. Which of the following defines the origin of the project

coordinate system and impacts absolute elevations?
a. Project Origin
b. Survey Point
n. nly
c. Project Base Point
d. Survey Base Point
de o
4. Which of the following best describes the difference between
id w
a building pad and a floor?
rb ie
a. A pad affects the surrounding surface and a floor element
fo rev
does not.
b. A pad must be placed at a level and a floor can be placed
above or below a level.
tly r
ric fo
c. A pad must line up with walls and a floor can also be
sketched.
st T
d. A pad cannot be sloped and a floor can be sloped.
e EN 5. Why are the topography lines dashed and displayed in red in
Figure 1–78? The toposurface has been...
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Figure 1–78
Al ple
a. Edited
m
b. Graded
Sa
c. Demolished
d. Split

6. Which of the following annotations is most helpful when you

are modifying the grading of a toposurface?
a. Label Contours
b. Spot Elevation
n. nly
c. Spot Coordinate
d. Linear Dimension
de o
7. Which of the following is most likely true about the tree shown
id w
on the left in Figure 1–79?
rb ie
fo rev
tly r
ric fo
st T
e EN
us C
re S
Figure 1–79
d yA
a. It is not a site component.

b. It is hosted by level.
an b
c. It has been moved off the surface.

d
d. It has been offset above the surface.

ng e
yi vid
8. When you have a site plan linked to a host building project

and want to share the coordinates, which of the following
should you do?
op ro
a. Acquire the coordinates from the site plan.

lc p
b. Publish the coordinates to the site plan.

Al ple
m
Sa

Site Design
Command Summary
Button Command Location
Toposurfaces
n. nly
Building Pad • Ribbon: Massing & Site tab>Model Site
panel
de o
Edit Boundary • Ribbon: (select subregion of
toposurface) Modify | Topography tab>
id w
Subregion panel
rb ie
Edit Surface • Ribbon: (select toposurface)
fo rev
Modify | Topography tab>Surface panel
Graded Region • Ribbon: Massing & Site tab>Modify Site
panel
tly r
Merge Surfaces • Ribbon: Massing & Site tab>Modify Site
ric fo
panel
Place Point • Ribbon: Modify | Edit Surface tab>
st T
Tools panel
e EN Property Line • Ribbon: Massing & Site tab>Modify Site
panel
us C
Select Import • Ribbon: Modify | Edit Surface tab>
Instance Tools panel>Create from Import
re S
drop-down list
d yA
Simplify • Ribbon: Modify | Edit Surface tab>

Surface Tools panel
Specify Points • Ribbon: Modify | Edit Surface tab>
an b
File Tools panel>Create from Import

d
drop-down list
ng e
Split Surface • Ribbon: Massing & Site tab>Modify Site

yi vid
panel
Subregion • Ribbon: Massing & Site tab>Modify Site
panel
op ro
Toposurface • Ribbon: Massing & Site tab>Model Site

lc p
panel
Other Site Related Tools
Al ple
Label Contours • Ribbon: Massing & Site tab>Modify Site

panel
m
Manage Links • Ribbon: Manage tab>Manage Project

panel
Sa
Parking • Ribbon: Massing & Site tab>Model Site

Component panel
Pick New Host • Ribbon: Modify | Component tab>
Host panel
Site • Ribbon: Massing & Site tab>Model Site
Component panel
Site Settings • Ribbon: Massing & Site tab>Model Site
panel title

Spot • Ribbon: Annotate tab> Dimension

Coordinate panel
Spot Elevation • Ribbon: Annotate tab> Dimension
panel
Shared Coordinates
n. nly
Acquire • Ribbon: Manage tab>Project Location
Coordinates panel>Coordinates drop-down list
de o
Location • Ribbon: Manage tab> Project Location
panel
id w
Publish • Ribbon: Manage tab>Project Location
rb ie
fo rev
Report Shared • Ribbon: Manage tab>Project Location
Specify • Ribbon: Manage tab>Project Location
tly r
Coordinates at panel>Coordinates drop-down list
ric fo
Point
st T
e EN
us C
re S
d yA
an b
d
ng e
yi vid
op ro
lc p
Al ple
m
Sa

Revit 2019 Site Structure Metric-EVAL

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

Revit 2019 Site Structure Metric-EVAL

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

n.

Architecture: Site and Structural Design

In this Guide .................................................................................................... v

Modifying Coordinates Individually.................................................... 1-6

1.2 Creating Topographical Surfaces.................................................. 1-8

Practice 1a Create Topographical Surfaces ...................................... 1-15

1.3 Adding Property Lines and Building Pads ................................. 1-22

Creating Property Lines .................................................................. 1-22

Practice 1b Add Property Lines and Building Pads.......................... 1-25

Creating Subregions ....................................................................... 1-29

Splitting Surfaces ............................................................................ 1-30

1.5 Annotating Site Plans ................................................................... 1-33

Add Spot Dimensions...................................................................... 1-34

© 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® i

1.7 Working with Shared Positioning................................................ 1-44

2.3 Modeling Structural Framing ....................................................... 2-21

Beam Systems ................................................................................ 2-23

Chapter Review Questions................................................................... 2-32

Command Summary ............................................................................. 2-35

Appendix A: Autodesk Revit Architecture Certification Exam

ii © 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®

• Modify toposurfaces with subregions, splitting surfaces and grading the

• Annotate site plans and add site components

• Work with Shared Coordinates

Structural Topics Covered

• Create structural grids and add columns

• Add foundation walls and footings

• Add beams and beam systems

• Create framing elevations and add braces

Note on Software Setup

© 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® iii

Students and Educators can Access Free Autodesk Software and

in private practice, consulting with firms setting up AutoCAD in their offices.

iv © 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®

The Practice Files page tells

the practice files that are

Link to the practice files

Each chapter begins with a brief

© 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® v

Practices enable you to use the

Some practices require you to

use prepared practice files,

the link found on the Practice

Chapter Review Questions

Chapter review questions,

vi © 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®

the topics and objectives for the

and the chapter and section in

© 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® vii

viii © 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®

toposurfaces and making basic modifications to them. These toposurfaces can be

create grading for a surface. Toposurfaces can support components such as

Learning Objectives in this Chapter

• Set the Project Base Point and Survey Point.

• Create property lines.

• Create subregions of a toposurface.

• Split and join the surfaces of a toposurface.

© 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® 1–1

1.1 Preparing a Project for Site

The Autodesk Revit

software has a high

1–2 © 2018, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®

• The icons typically display in site plan views. To display the

• If you are working with a linked site, before acquiring the