In the last Civil 3D / Revit post, we looked at bringing a Revit model into Civil 3D 2011using the Import Building Site command in Civil 3D. This command will import Revit model data saved in the ADSK file format into Civil 3D.
Revit can import CSV, comma delimited TXT, AutoCAD DWG, Microstation DGN and DXF file formats directly. We’ll use the DWG file format to import a Civil 3D 2011 surface into Revit.
The content for the second part of this series comes from a white paper written by Dino Lustri, one of our Civil 3D specialists. Dino is a licensed engineer and surveyor in our Cleveland office.
The steps we’ll outline will make the Civil 3D surface object ready for an AutoCAD export, which is a necessary step in sharing data with Revit Architecture. Any additional line work (e.g. property lines or setbacks) for aiding Architects in placing their structures on project sites, can be exported in the same manner as the Civil 3D surface object.
The most efficient way of making surface data available for this export is to use data shortcuts within Civil 3D 2011. Start with any drawing containing a Civil 3D surface object, then create a data shortcut of that surface object. Next, begin a new drawing based on an appropriate template and create a reference to attach the surface object referenced in the data shortcut. This has the effect of providing a clean drawing for Revit users to extract the surface from, while maintaining a dynamic link to the Civil 3D surface.
Often, it’s advantageous to choose a surface style that uses a very small contour interval. This provides additional data to Revit so the surface model generally will be more accurate for flat sites.
Always verify that your zone and coordinate system are set properly in your Civil 3D drawing. This provides the universal coordinate system that will determine the frame of reference for all of the models.
The final step is to save the drawing normally, then export the drawing to the latest AutoCAD release. The Revit user now can import content from the exported AutoCAD drawing using the ImportCAD functionality in Revit.
That’s it for now. We’ll have more along these lines using Revit and Civil 3D in upcoming posts.
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