IMAGINiT Building Solutions Blog

An Architectural Marvel

Continuing on my travels from from my last blog "Inspired to use Revit Structure 2010 Bridge Extension", after crossing the historic Hoover Dam, we drove onward to the west side of the Grand Canyon to see the "Grand Canyon Skywalk". To get to the Skywalk we had to travel down Diamond Bar Road whick is currently being improved.We traveled 14 miles of non-paved, graded, dusty, but passable road. This is well worth it to see this architectural marvel.

The Grand Canyon Skywalk is a one-of-a-kind glass bottom, cantilever bridge, and resting 4,000 feet above the Colorado River. This impressive engineering masterpiece opened on March 28, 2007 to a world-wide audience with rave reviews. To date, nearly one million visitors have experienced the Skywalk and its magnificent views of the Grand Canyon.

The Skywalk Engineering

The Skywalk was completed in March, 2007 after 2.5 years and 30 million dollars worth of hard work and engineering. This structure weighs an astonishing 1.571 million pounds, and was built to withstand an excess of 71 million pounds in weight on top of it. (That’s the equivalent of 71 fully-loaded 747 airliners piled one on top of the other!) This amazing ability to withstand weight as well as the forces of nature is due to theSkywalk’s 2 inch thick steel frame which is designed specifically to flex in the heat, cold, and wind. This frame is anchored to the Grand Canyonby casens and micro piles measuring 46 feet down into the solid bedrock. The specially-made German glass which forms the platform for our guests to walk the experience also plays a big part in the durability and beauty of Skywalk. Each of the 46 panes forming the walkway are constructed of 5-layers of glass bonded together and laminated, weighing in at 1,200 lbs a piece, and making the glass incredibly strong while still providing a crystal-clear view of the canyon below.

To learn more and to see more photos, see website: http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com/index.html

David Jin dreamt up the idea for the Skywalk and commissioned Mark Johnson, http://www.mrjarchitects.com/index.html, to design it in 2003.

The future plans of the Skywalk that was mentioned on my tour, is putting in a 4 star restaurant and hotel. They are also enlarging the Airport that is currently near the skywalk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspired to use Revit Structure 2010 Bridge Extension

Two weeks ago I was on vacation out west and drove across the the Hoover Dam. What I saw was the new construction of the "Hoover Dam Bypass" and was very impressed.

A dramatic new concrete arch is joining the setting of the historic Hoover Dam, spanning the Black Canyon between the States of Arizona and Nevada. When complete, the 323 meter arch will be the 4th longest concrete arch in the world, and the longest in the United States. What makes the design distinctive is the combined use of steel and concrete to optimize construction and structural performance. The design is the first arch structure built on such a scale to combine a composite steel deck with a segmental concrete arch and spandrels. In addition, the design is unique in its use of steel sections for Vierendeel struts between twin concrete arch ribs – a feature that both speeds construction and adds ductility to the lateral framing system for extreme seismic loads.

This made me think how I could start designing a bridge in Revit Structure 2010.

Let's take a look at the Revit Bridge Extension.

The Revit Bridge Extension good is for simple design, but a great place to start.

Using Modeling of bridges, you can generate bridges based on user-defined data in a Revit ® model.  Note:This Extension does not check whether the geometry of a bridge or types of families that you define, are correct.  

You can define basic parameters of the geometry of a bridge: bridge; profile; deck; abutments; piers; railings.

You can define a bridge using either of the following methods:  Generate a bridge based on user-specified data; Import an XML file that has a vertical and a horizontal profile of a bridge and define parameters of the deck, abutments and piers.

A bridge is generated based on families that are available in this Extension. A list of available families displays on tabs in the Modeling of bridges dialog. You can modify these families in Revit ® ( without changing their functionality).

You need to download and install the extensions.

1.   To download the Extensions for Revit Structure 2010 go to the Subscription web site at: http://subscription.autodesk.com.

2.   Pick on Project Downloads at find:  Revit Extensions for Autodesk Revit Structure 2010.

Choose Multiple Languages.exe from the bottom of the page and Save it your computer.

 

3.   Once it’s saved to your computer click on it to install th extension.

4.   After you install the extensions you will see an Extension tab on the ribbon.

5.   From the External Tools Panel>External Tools drop-down choose Revit Extension for Revit Structure 2010.

 6.   Pick Bridge Under the Modeling Folder

   

Note: you will see a Help drop-down for more help than I have listed here.

 

7.    Bridge Profile: Use the options on this tab to define horizontal and vertical profiles of a bridge. If you have a LandXML file you can Import this by choosing the Import…button or you fill in the Vertical and Horizontal profiles.

8.   Type in the Number of spans (example 4)

9.   Deck: Use the options on this tab to define geometry of:  deck and  beams.  Choose the Family to use and Type. Make any changes if needed. Note: the Family needs to be in the Project to see in them in the drop down list.

 10.  Abutments: Use the options on this tab to define the geometry and stations of abutments of a bridge.  From Configuration you see a drop-list of Abutments, Start Abutment and End Abutment, choose each of them make changes if needed. Choose the Family and Type for Abutment and Foundation. Make any changes if needed. Note: the Family needs to be in the Project to see in them in the drop down list.

   11.   Piers: Use the options on this tab to define the geometry and stations of piers of a bridge. Under Configuration, Pier number, choose Pier and choose Family and Type for the Pier and Foundation. Make any changes if needed. Note: the Family needs to be in the Project to see in them in the drop down list.

 12.   Railing: Use the options on this tab to define railings of a bridge. The Modeling of bridges dialog on this tab has 3 parts. Check on the railing you want you use: Left railing, Central railing, and Right railing. Choose the Family and Type you want use. Make any change if needed.  Note: the Family needs to be in the Project to see in them in the drop down list.

13.   Pick OK at the bottom of the dialog box to make the bridge.