Revit Tip – Modelling Bespoke Site Features – Part 1

By Dennis Collin

Revit is an excellent tool for modelling buildings, however, I also conduct many training sessions for other disciplines for the modelling of site elements including Revit for Landscape and Infrastructure. Unfortunately, Revit’s site tools are not so adaptable for bespoke site features. Yes, there are in place families and inter-product workflows, but the process in creating such elements like roads, paths or trenches is complex, requiring additional add-ins to extend the out-of-the-box functionality, or the need to learn several bits of software to perform what should be a simple task.

However, certain supplied element types can prove useful in modelling certain features. The floor slab tool is superior to the default ramp tool as it is adaptable to different situations, and I have posted about it here.

https://www.cadlinecommunity.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/4406870235153-Revit-2022-Tip-Creating-a-ramp-with-different-slopes

To apply capping profiles along walls, when elements are bespoke or curved and sloped the default sweep tool embedded in the wall type properties cannot cope and tends to either model a truncated example, error with a message, or not produce anything at all!

Although in-place families can be applied, they can be somewhat inefficient in modelling many bespoke features that are repeated. However, the Railing tool in Revit is very powerful and can be employed by users modelling site objects to produce all kinds of elements!

For example, to create a piece of bespoke wall capping, use the profile family applied to a bespoke wall style, and add it to the Capping stone railing family!

This can be done by editing the non-continuous rail structure settings in the railing’s type properties.

Railings are very versatile and can be attached to several different categories including stairs, ramps, floors, topography and walls!

To attach the railing, just choose the pick host function and the railing will move with its parent and update if modified.

If the wall is sloped and curved in multiple directions, railings don’t work so well, but for that we have another trick, structural beams! These families can also use profiles. I will discuss this process in a future post.