Creating a Topographic Surface and Contours in Rhino:
1. Create a Surface
Type “line,” create a line from 0,0,0 to 300,0,0 (300 ft long in the x direction)
Click on the line to select it and move, 300 ft in Y. This can be done by clicking the green arrow on the gumball while holding Alt.
Move the duplicated line 10 ft in Z direction (use the blue arrow on the gumball.)
Select both lines with the lasso or individually using shift and type “Loft”.
Press enter to accept the default settings.
2. Create contour lines
Select your surface and type “contour”
When prompted, create a line by clicking at the highest point of your surface and, holding shift, create a vertical line down to the grid.
Select lines using the command SelCrv and change their layer to L-TOPO-E.
Lock layer
Draw external forces lines and or path lines in DIAGRAMS layer.
Line type Center.
Lock layer when done.
Select surface
Type “REBUILD SURFACE”
Change the U,V degrees to 3,3 and the points to 6,5
Type “POINTS ON”
Subtlety move one point
If desired type “REBUILD SURFACE”
Change the U,V degrees to 3,3 and the points to 8,8
Type “POINTS ON”
Select multiple points (shift to add, control to remove selection)
Subtlety move points
Select new contour lines and change later to L-TOPO-N
Unlock layers MAKE2D in various views such as TOP view, iso or right view.
Consider using the CLIPPING PLANE function for sections.