Model Sloped Floors and Site Surfaces with Sub-Elements and Slope Arrows

8.1 Modify Sub-Elements (3D sculpting of a floor)

1. Select a floor used as exterior surface (e.g. plaza/site).
2. Click Modify Sub-Elements in the ribbon.
3. Select vertices or edges:
   • Drag them up or down in 3D.
   • Or directly input a Height Offset value (e.g. 500 mm above Level).
4. The floor surface deforms, creating smooth slopes between the points.
5. View in Elevation or 3D to verify gradients and height differences.

8.2 Add Split Lines for More Control

1. With the floor selected, click Add Split Line.
2. Draw lines across the floor boundary to divide it into triangles or polygons.
3. Each new vertex/edge can then be edited with Modify Sub-Elements.
4. Use this for complex site grading and more nuanced slopes.

8.3 Use Slope Arrow (Simple directional slope)

1. Edit the floor boundary (Edit Boundary).
2. Click Slope Arrow.
3. Place the arrow:
   • Click start point.
   • Click end point.
4. Select the arrow and set:
   • Height at Tail and Height at Head, or
   • Define Slope as a percentage.
5. Click Finish Edit Mode.
6. The floor will slope from tail to head according to the defined values.

Notes

• For landscape design and external platforms, floors with sub-elements are a simple way to represent topography.
• Heights are always relative to the Level the floor is constrained to.

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Taught in

• BIM + Computational Workflow · 2023 — original class recording lives there.