A Structural Engineer's guide to Revit Structures, by Calogero

144 Pages·2012·4.14 MB·English

THE COOPER UNION
ALBERT NERKEN SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER'S GUIDE TO USING REVIT STRUCTURE
by
Calogero Castania
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Engineering
May 4, 2010
Professor Cosmas Tzavelis
Advisor
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
THE COOPER UNION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND ART
ALBERT NERKEN SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
This thesis was prepared under the direction of the Candidate's Thesis Advisor and
has received approval. It was submitted to the Dean of the School of Engineering
and the full Faculty, and was approved as partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree of Master of Engineering.
________________________________________
Dean, School of Engineering – May 4, 2010
_______________________________________
Professor Cosmas Tzavelis – May 4, 2010
Candidate's Thesis Advisor
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
First, I would like to acknowledge my thesis advisor, Professor Cosmas Tzavelis,
for his guidance in the completion of this thesis project. It was by his suggestion that I
chose this topic, and he has continued to provide me with advice and support along the
way. I am grateful to him for all he has done. I would also like to thank the rest of the
faculty at The Cooper Union, for the influence that they have had on me as a student
throughout my many years of study at the school.
Another acknowledgment must go to my fellow structural engineers at
DeSimone Consulting Engineers, including both my peers and supervisors. Aside from
the input they have had on this thesis project in both direct and indirect ways, they have
more importantly provided me with the atmosphere that has helped me to develop as a
structural engineer. Their eagerness in imparting their vast amounts of experience and
knowledge has influenced me greatly in my profession.
Finally I would like to acknowledge my family and friends, who always support
me in all that I do. Thank you.
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ABSTRACT
The present Master's thesis seeks to develop a better understanding of how to
model a project within Revit Structure by applying structural engineering industry
experience. The goal is to provide a guide to students for the process of producing a
structural model with the intent to form construction documents for a project. An
assessment of the software's user interface, including a comparison to the current
industry and education standard software was performed. A suggested procedure for
modeling a project was developed. This procedure involves performing the required
modeling tasks in an order that allows the user to best understand the modeling process
of a project. Suggestions were given for the procedural steps of producing a model
based on structural engineering industry experience with the intention to maximize the
efficiency and usefulness of the structural model in a project setting. Comments
regarding the use of Revit Structure on real New York City construction projects were
collected from experienced structural engineers at an established structural engineering
firm. Advantages and disadvantages were considered from the perspective of the
structural engineer, including the concerns and input of other clients and consultants
that the structural engineer works with throughout the development of a project.
Ultimately, conclusions were formed on the usefulness of the program and its place
within the industry.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................................................1
2. THE REVIT USER INTERFACE..........................................................................................................................3
• Ribbon...........................................................................................................................................................................................4
• Project Browser.........................................................................................................................................................................5
• View Control Bar.....................................................................................................................................................................6
• Zooming and Orbiting.......................................................................................................................................................12
• Options Bar..............................................................................................................................................................................14
• Status Bar..................................................................................................................................................................................15
• Press and Drag Check Box..............................................................................................................................................16
• Selecting Elements..............................................................................................................................................................17
3. THE LIFE CYCLE AND DESIGN PROCESS OF A BUILDING.......................................................21
4. THE RECOMMENDED MODELING PROCEDURE.............................................................................25
5. STARTING A NEW PROJECT............................................................................................................................26
6. LEVELS...........................................................................................................................................................................28
• Adding A New Level..........................................................................................................................................................29
• Modifying A Level Name................................................................................................................................................32
• Modifying A Level Elevation.........................................................................................................................................34
7. LINKING OR IMPORTING A DRAWING FILE AND/OR REFERENCE MODEL...............35
• Linking or Importing a CAD Drawing.....................................................................................................................37
• Linking a Revit Model.......................................................................................................................................................42
• Reloading a Linked Drawing File or Model File.................................................................................................44
8. GRID SYSTEMS..........................................................................................................................................................45
• Adding Grid Lines................................................................................................................................................................47
• Adding a Curved Grid.......................................................................................................................................................52
9. STRUCTURAL COLUMNS..................................................................................................................................54
• Adding Single Columns...................................................................................................................................................55
• Adding Multiple Columns..............................................................................................................................................60
• Modifying Column Parameters....................................................................................................................................62
10. STRUCTURAL WALLS..........................................................................................................................................64
• Adding Structural Walls...................................................................................................................................................64
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• Adding Structural Walls Using Lines.......................................................................................................................67
• Adding Structural Walls Using Rectangles...........................................................................................................71
• Adding Structural Walls Using Inscribed Polygons and Circumscribed Polygons.........................71
• Adding Structural Walls Using Circles....................................................................................................................72
• Adding Curved Structural Walls.................................................................................................................................72
• Adding Structural Walls Using Pick Lines............................................................................................................73
11. BEAMS.............................................................................................................................................................................74
• Adding a Single Span Straight Beam........................................................................................................................75
• Adding a Single Span Curved Beam..........................................................................................................................78
• Adding a Chain of Beams................................................................................................................................................80
• Adding Multiple Beams Using the On-Grids Button........................................................................................81
• Adding a Beam System.....................................................................................................................................................82
• Editing a Beam Elevation and the Beam Instance Properties Window..................................................87
• Adding a Truss.......................................................................................................................................................................89
12. BRACES...........................................................................................................................................................................96
• Adding Braces........................................................................................................................................................................96
13. STRUCTURAL FLOORS........................................................................................................................................99
• Adding a Structural Floor................................................................................................................................................99
• Adding a Structural Floor Using Lines.................................................................................................................103
• Adding A Structural Floor Using Rectangles....................................................................................................103
• Adding a Curved Portion of a Structural Floor.................................................................................................103
• Adding a Structural Floor Using Polygons or Circles...................................................................................104
• Adding a Structural Floor Using Ellipses or Partial Ellipses....................................................................104
• Adding a Structural Floor Using the Pick Buttons.........................................................................................105
• Editing and Finishing the Boundary of a Structural Floor.........................................................................106
14. OPENINGS.................................................................................................................................................................108
• Adding a One Floor Vertical Opening...................................................................................................................110
• Adding a One or Multiple Floor Shaft Opening...............................................................................................112
• Adding a Wall Opening..................................................................................................................................................112
• Adding an Opening By Face........................................................................................................................................113
15. STRUCTURAL FOUNDATIONS....................................................................................................................115
• Adding a Foundation Slab By Copying A Floor Above...............................................................................116
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• Adding Isolated Foundation Elements..................................................................................................................120
• Adding Wall Foundations.............................................................................................................................................123
16. REVIT STRUCTURE EXTENSIONS............................................................................................................125
17. REVIT ON REAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS..................................................................................126
• General Comments From a Structural Engineering Standpoint............................................................126
• Issues With Using Revit On Real Construction Projects.............................................................................128
18. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.....................................................................................133
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................................................................135
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: The Revit User Interface and Toolbars.......................................................................................................4
Figure 2: The View Control Bar Buttons.........................................................................................................................6
Figure 3: The New Project Window for Starting a New Project.......................................................................26
Figure 4: Level Line Tags with Name and Elevation, Level 4 Shown with an Elbow...........................32
Figure 5: Created Levels For a Structure......................................................................................................................34
F Figure 6 : The Link and Import CAD Window Options........................................................................................38
Figure 7: A Linked Drawing from AutoCAD.............................................................................................................42
Figure 8: A Linked Architectural Revit Model..........................................................................................................43
Figure 9: The Manage Links Window.............................................................................................................................44
Figure 10: Grid Line Bubbles, Grid Line 4.9 Shown with Elbow......................................................................51
Figure 11: Created Grid Lines for a Structure...........................................................................................................53
Figure 12: Part of a Column Layout in Plan View...................................................................................................59
Figure 13: The Column Instance Properties Window for a Steel Column................................................61
Figure 14: A 3D View of the Structural Column Layout for One Level......................................................63
Figure 15: A Chain of Structural Walls Being Drawn with an Offset...........................................................70
Figure 16: A 3D View of the Structural Wall Layout for One Level..............................................................73
Figure 17: A 3D View of the Beam Framing Layout for One Level...............................................................82
Figure 18: A 3D View of a Beam System......................................................................................................................87
Figure 19: The Type Properties Window for a Truss..............................................................................................90
Figure 20: Elevation of A Truss........................................................................................................................................95
Figure 21: Brace Layout for One Level..........................................................................................................................98
Figure 22: The 3D View of a Slab Depression Within a Structural Floor.................................................102
Figure 23: A 3D View of the Structural Floor for One Level..........................................................................107
Figure 24: A 3D View of the Vertical Openings in a Structural Floor.......................................................111
Figure 25: A Wall Elevation View Showing the Editable Dimensions of an Opening......................114
Figure 26: A 3D View of a Mat Foundation and Foundation Walls.............................................................120
Figure 27: A 3D View of Isolated Foundation Elements...................................................................................124
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1. INTRODUCTION
The engineering industry has evolved over the years in the way that it creates
drawings for the purpose of constructing projects. Before the dawn of the computer,
drawings were drafted entirely by hand. After computers started becoming a part of
every industry, programs were developed to draft architectural and engineering
drawings on the computer. Computer programs such as AutoCAD by Autodesk are
used to create and modify construction documents in electronic versions that can be
plotted to produce physical hard copies. AutoCAD now dominates the industry for this
purpose, and is a staple in every office related to the design and production of
construction projects. Drafting programs, however, are limited in their ability to aid in
the design and construction process.
Building information modeling (BIM) is most commonly defined as a process for
creating a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a
building. It usually consists of a three-dimensional model that aids in the efficiency of
the design and construction process. BIM is intended to incorporate the information
that is necessary to see a project through the different phases of it's anticipated life.
Beginning with the development of the building project, BIM can assist designers in the
process of creating the architectural, structural, and mechanical, electrical, and
plumbing (MEP) components of the building. These components involve a broad list of
design consultants that will provide information to be incorporated into the building
design. BIM can also include abilities that assist in the construction of a project such as
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material takeoffs and scheduling. Additionally BIM can also integrate information for
some of the building's systems' processes during maintenance and service. The
organization and compilation of all of this information into a single model can help
streamline the process of handing over a project from the design phase to the
construction phase and ultimately through the building maintenance and service phase.
Aware of AutoCAD's limitations, Autodesk began making efforts to provide a
product beyond drafting software that would aid in multiple facets of the industry. In
keeping with such efforts, it purchased software called Revit from the company Revit
Technology Corporation. Revit was designed for the purpose of architecture, and was
developed by a team that consisted of members with a design and construction
background.
Revit Structure is a BIM program from Autodesk that allows structural engineers
to develop a single three-dimensional structural model to aid in the design of and
produce the required documents for a building construction project. The edition of the
program used for the purposes of this thesis was Revit Structure 2010.
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