Ground model from Sketchup input

[Malcolm Woodruff]

I have a site model done in Sketchup which I have input into VW. I need to create a site model from it so I can start altering it and calculate quantities etc. I would normally do this by changing the vertices of the polygons to 3D loci and then recreating it in VW. However, the model has many vertical walls so the site model in VW does not like it but only gives the option of deleting vertically duplicated points. If I do this it ends up as an inaccurate model. Is there a way of turning the 3D Sketchup or DWG model into a VW site model without losing accuracy? A screenshot of my immediate problem is shown below

[Pat Stanford]

I think VW2024 can now handle vertical surfaces.  If you need to do this in VW2023, you are going to have to accept some compromises and move the vertically stacked points so they are not vertical. It can be a very small move compared to the scale 1mm or even 0.1mm is probably enough, but you are going to have to adjust the source geometry to make it work.

 

[Malcolm Woodruff]

Thanks Pat. I am running VW 2024. When creating a terrain model the program complains about duplicate points and vertically duplicated points so I had tried deleting these. Following your post I tried ignoring this message and it worked! Needs a good cleanup and careful choice of parameters but it works and will save a lot of Tim. Thank you.

[Jeff Prince]

On 10/30/2023 at 4:06 AM, Malcolm Woodruff said:

If I do this it ends up as an inaccurate model. Is there a way of turning the 3D Sketchup or DWG model into a VW site model without losing accuracy?

 

It depends on the nature of the model being converted.

In the example you posted, I would treat each area contained within what appears to be retaining walls as separate site models

OR

Keep the 3D polys representing ground plane and then add retaining structures within Vectorworks as part of a single site model.

 

I have found that Vectorworks may ingest data like what you have posted, but it often creates bugs in the site model that can be difficult to diagnose once you begin adding Site Modifiers and such.  Best to use the cleanest data you can.