Cutting out flat pad for patio on rolling terrain

[CBRF23]

Hi all, 

 

I'm just learning chief (what a wonderful program!  I absolutely love it!!) and am struggling with cutting out a flat pad for a patio on a rolling lot. 

 

I'm working in X9, on an i5 surface pro. 

I've made multiple attempts to create this feature, and the closest I've gotten is still far from pretty - screenshots attached. 

 

I created my terrain in the following order: 

• Built the first floor
• Built the foundation
• Created the terrain profile
• Created the elevation contours (imported topography map image, scaled, traced with contour spline)
• Built terrain
• Added stream feature
• Celebrated getting exactly the results I wanted (YAY!)

 

I've since then been struggling to create a flat area on the backside of the house for a patio. 

I've tried all sorts of means, and the best I've gotten so far is shown in the screenshots. This was built using 2 retaining walls, an elevation region, and a couple of strategic terrain break lines. 

However, as you can see, I've got some real wonkiness happening in one corner. 

 

Have you ever dealt with this before? What did you do to resolve the wonkiness? Alternatively, can you suggest a better way to build the cut-out flat region I'm trying to create?

[DRAWZILLA]

I would use a terrain region located just under the slab.

[CBRF23]

Drawzilla, 

Thanks for the suggestion!

It seems that as I drag handles to control the elevation region it only serves to move the wonkiness about. 

I was able to delete the elevation breaks, and that has helped fix the prior troubled area, but now the other side has it's own wonky edge. I've tried a few things but can't seem to get it any better.  

 

Here are some screenshots - in the first, I deleted the break lines and reshaped the elevation boundary to fit under the slab. 

In the second, I deleted the existing boundary, copied the slab, pasted in place, converted to polyline, and then converted to elevation contour.  That gave the best results yet, but still has that wonky edge.  I tried putting break lines in gain, which helped to eliminate some of the divots along the house wall, but I still can't seem to eliminate the weird spikes. 

 

 

[DRAWZILLA]

You might want to post the plan so someone can look at it.

[CBRF23]

Can do. Here's the plan. I used the "backup" option to save to everything to a zip file.  I was able to reduce the spikiness and eliminate a LOT of the wonkiness by playing with the position of terrain break lines. 

Terrain Issue Plan.zip

[CBRF23]

Solver, that looks like a great solution! I will try it this evening and let you know how it goes. 

Thank you!

 

I have another question on the terrain retaining wall, but I'll start a new thread for that (per the "ask a good question" sticky thread!)

 

Best, 

Steve 

[DRAWZILLA]

here is your plan fixed by just manipulating the terrain region and a few other things ( retaining wall).

 

 

plan fixed.plan