IMAGINiT Building Solutions Blog

Revit Structure 2011 Design Extensibility

In Revit Structure 2011 introduces several new and enhancements extensions for subscription members only.  These extended capabilities helps improve overall product quality.

Frame Generator Extension

The new module frame generator is used for the rapid definition and generation of a simple three-dimensional frame models.  This tool will generate structural elements such as columns, beams, and supports based on specified geometric parameters assigned to the structure this saving you design time by automating this process with fewer mouse clicks.

Wood Wall Framing Extension

The Wood Framing Extension enables users to quickly and precisely model a wood frame structure within interior and exterior walls. Models can be automatically generated based on user-defined parameters. The result is more accurate, flexible wood frame designs that are easier to manipulate, document, and schedule.

Walls and openings can be framed with available framing parameters such as T- and L-Connections, Stud spacing and blocking, and Window sill and header configurations.

On the second release of this extension for Autodesk® Revit® Structure 2011, a multi selection option has been implemented.  Also, wall layers selection has been improved so users can specify the structural layer to where studs will be generated.

 

Bridge Design Extension Improvements

The Bridge Extensions enable users to more accurately and efficiently model 3D bridges and helps generate typical 2D drawings of plans and sections.

Users can define basic parameters of more complex bridge geometry, including road profiles, decks, abutments, piers, and railings. Road profiles, alignments, and existing ground surfaces can now also be imported from AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2010 software.  Other tools include automatic view generation for your construction documents and creating and customizing your bridge families.

The first extension, Roads and Terrain Definition Extension provides the ability to create road objects and topography in Autodesk® Revit® Structure based on imported Land XML data. The extension imports roadway model data and presents the data in tabular and graphical form.  This data includes the horizontal alignment, vertical profiles (including ground profile), cross sections, and topology.

Before generating appropriate objects in Revit Structure, users can define proper road segments for individual alignments as well as define any missing information. Multiple roads may be generated in Autodesk Revit Structure with this extension.

 
 
The second extension, Integration with AutoCAD Civil 3D Extension provides a bi-directional link between AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2010 software and Autodesk Revit Structure 2010 to facilitate cooperative workflows between civil engineers and bridge designers. The extension imports roadway model data from AutoCAD Civil 3D and presents the following in tabular and graphical form which also includes the horizontal alignment, vertical profiles (including ground profile), cross sections, and topology.
Generic bridges, created in AutoCAD Civil 3D can be imported to Autodesk Revit Structure, as well.

Conversely, a complete bridge created in Autodesk Revit Structure can be sent to AutoCAD Civil 3D and represented as a 3D solid object that fits a road configuration previously imported from AutoCAD Civil 3D to Autodesk Revit Structure.

The third extension, Bridge Definition includes the Concrete Slab Extension, Concrete Box Girder Extension, and the Concrete Slab with Girders Extension.  These three extensions create an entire bridge based on an existing road. The whole bridge may be easily defined and created with available parameters to include the roadway, deck, abutments, piers, bearings, and railings.

 
 
These extensions provide a number of predefined elements for each object, but it is also possible to provide user‐defined Revit families to represent each element.

The fourth extension, Document Generation for Bridges Extension automatically generates fundamental documents for the entire bridge. Plan views, section views, and elevation views are automatically created with respect to Revit Structure rules. Dimensions, descriptions and tags are subjects of the automation as well.

 
 
The final extension, Customization of Bridge Families Extension provides several ready‐made types of bridge elements; customized families may be added to be part of the regular parameterization and automation in the bridge design process. This extension facilitates the registration of such families to be subjected to all rules allowing for the automated bridge design process.

Interferences of Reinforcing Bars

The Interferences of Reinforcing Bars extension allows structural engineers and drafters to check for interference of reinforcements earlier in the design process. A detailed list of conflicts can easily be generated along with visual displays of the rebar interferences to identify the clashes and make modifications accordingly.  These collisions can be highlighted and selected in Revit Structure projects to more quickly identify clashes.  Also, reports can be generated and printed in Html format or can be exported to Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word. 

 

Model Review

Autodesk® Revit® Model Review helps you validate the accuracy of building information models created in Autodesk Revit 2011 software against your pre-determined standards.

Model Review can help save valuable time and money by automating the process of reviewing and auditing building information modeling projects (BIM) within Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 software. Validate the accuracy and consistency of a model against standards set by your firm, your clients, or industry best practices. Correct inconsistencies with a single click or with instructions provided when manual fixes are required.

There are predefined checks that come with the application. You or your BIM system coordinator can create or edit the check files with various options, including correction, using the Manage interface. You can check a BIM model based on standards with individual detailed information on what to check for a specific scenario, which can be saved as part of the Check File.

 

Revit DB Link

The Autodesk Revit DB Link tool enables users to maintain a relationship between a Revit DB Link project and a Microsoft® Access or ODBC database. Users can use Autodesk Revit DB Link to export Revit DB Link project data to the database, make changes to the data, and import it back into the Autodesk® Revit® Structure model updating both graphic and non-graphic information at the same time.

 

Conclusion

Revit Structure software provides design and documentation productivity specifically for structural engineers and designer, giving you more tools to automate drafting tasks and helping you create architectural documentation more quickly. The new and enhanced design and drafting functionality in the release will help you gain immediate productivity and smoother collaboration within a software environment you already know.

 

Revit Structure 2011 Ease of Use

Revit Structure software provides improved design workflow and documentation productivity to give you more tools to automate drafting tasks and help you create structural documentation faster.

User Inference Improvements:

Properties Palette
Quick Access Tool (QAT) customization
Status Bar
View Control Bar
Modify Tab/Contextual Switching
Repeat Last Command

Autodesk® Revit® Structure 2011 User Interface improvements allows users more flexibility to the look and feel that they want in order to get the job done by reducing tab switching and clicks, minimize ribbon flickering, and consist command placement to provide you with access to the tools you need, when you need them.

Improvements such as being able to dock the properties palette, customize your quick access tools, and the ability to switch back and forth between the modify tab and contextual tab.

The Type Selector has been removed from the Ribbon and combined with the Instance Properties Palette.   The Instance properties can be opened or closed as needed using the Properties Palette button available in the Properties ribbon panel.  The Properties Palette and Project Browser can be stacked or moved and docked differently.  You can additionally move them to another monitor and can be added to the Quick Access Toolbar.

The Quick Access Tool (QAT) customization now has increased the number of default commands out of the box, reflecting most used commands.  Customization enhancements via dialog box include up/down buttons, separator mark, and remove option.

Users now have more consistent modify tools with the Modify Tab/Contextual Switching option.   Also, modify commands are now available prior to element selection.  Available modification tools are enabled during the task, while other tools are disabled (rather than disappearing as in 2010).  This minimizes ribbon flickering and tool movement.  Additionally all Sketch Mode Finish/Cancel buttons always appear consistently.

The View Control Bar has new display options to view your 3D models with consistent colors scheme or to display the 3D elements with a more realistic representation.  Also, within the Status Bar area, the Worksharing and Design Options are now available.

The right-click menu has a repeat last command option for easier access to previous activated tools as well as be able to resize various Revit dialog boxes for better viewing purposes.

Showing the new UI improvements:

Modeling Enhancements

Many of these modeling enhancements were AUGI wish list items that were included in the Autodesk Subscription Advantage Pack for Revit Structure 2010 (October 2009) and are now part of the 2011 release.

First, selecting objects by “All Instances” now has the option to select those objects within the current view or by project. 

Selecting Objects within the current view :

 

Second, the Structural Framing Length Roundoff parameter can be specified for a beam family, overriding the exact calculation of the beam length to a broader, more applicable length. This reduces calculation and can improve overall performance during modeling.  Performance improvement is observed when a model contains a large number of joined beams that differ in length, though by very little. If the beams are within the round off tolerance, they are adjusted accordingly.

Setting the Structural Framing Length Round-off parameter:

 

Third, users now have the ability to control temporary dimension font size and background to display as transparent or opaque.   Also, edited references are remembered allowing users to select the temporary dimension grip locations and place them onto other more important references. This edit is then remembered the next time an object is selected and when temporary dimensions are displayed.

Temporary dimensions improvements:

 

Fourth, for walls, there is now a Split Walls with Gap tool for easy wall panel creation.

Creating split walls with gap:

 

Next, improvements to 3D Alignment tool allows user in 3D views to no longer need set a work plane when selecting the elements they want to align using the element’s node, vertex, edge, surface, form or level.  Users can use the align tool on vertical surfaces in 3D views such as aligning the tops of elements with one another or aligning surface patterns from adjacent elements to one another.

Aligning elements in 3D views:

Lastly, the span direction for metal deck floors is now controlled within the floor boundary creation tool rather than having it controlled through the annotation tag. Users can now pick or sketch lines to indicate the span direction of the metal deck floor.

Setting span direction for metal deck floors:

 

First, the beam placement using 3D CAD Geometry allows users to place 3D beams using 3D lines, edges, and curves from geometry that is imported with CAD files. This assists in modeling complex dimensional framing based on the data of an imported 3D lines model. It also minimizes the need to recreate designs from the beginning in both Revit Architecture and Revit Structure.

Beam Placement using 3D CAD Geometry:

Documentation Enhancements

Many of these documentation enhancements were AUGI wish list items that were included in the Autodesk Subscription Advantage Pack for Revit Structure 2010 (October 2009) and are now part of the 2011 release.

First, users can now enable the “A” and “W” user defined parameters for schedule fields within a project.  In previous releases of Autodesk® Revit® Structure, the A (Cross-Sectional Area) and W (Weight) parameters were not accessible to use with schedules.  Now, these user defined parameters can be used in schedules without the need to convert them into shared parameters for convenience and QTO (to calculate steel tonnage) purposes.

Adding cross-sectional area and weight parameters to schedules:

Second, users can use the conditional formatting in schedules to visually identify parameters that meet or do not meet design standards. If the conditions are met, then the formatting is applied to the schedule cells.

Adding Conditional Formatting to Schedules:

 

Third, elevation tags are now customizable to display according to your company’s construction documentation standards.

Creating custom elevation tags:

Fourth, users can create new rows in a Sheet List to create placeholder sheets.  These placeholder sheets can be used to represent consultant sheets or convert them later into project sheets. In addition, users are now able to display a sheet layout grid system for proper placement of views.

Improvements to Sheets:

 

Fifth, convert model lines to detail lines and vice version with one simple click. No longer will users need to spend valuable time cleaning up drawings that were incorrectly created due to lack of experience or attention to detail. If imported CAD drawing are accidentally inserted as 3D elements instead of 2D elements (Current View Only), simply select all of the lines and click the Convert Lines button in the Modify Lines contextual tab. Lines will disappear in all views except for the current view. Detail Lines can just as easily be converted to Model Lines.

Converting model lines to detail lines and vice versa:

Lastly, users can place batt insulation within detail views. Insulation is sketched similar to lines. Users can set an offset from the cursor, and you can pick a line on which to sketch the insulation.

Adding Insulation to detail views:

Text and Leaders Improvements

Many enhancements have been made to text and leaders. These enhancements include the ability to display a text box and the creation of bullets and numbering when listing text items. 
Also, issues with word wrapping and zoom scaling have now been fixed.  Users can use text formatting keyboard shortcuts and be able to find and replace words within their notes.
The leader enhancements include allowing users to specify a more precise location to set the proper justification for the leader within the top, middle, or bottom locations of the right or left side of the text note and the ability to adjust the distance between the leader end and the text note.

Showing the new text and leader improvements:

 

Revit Structure 2011 Fit and Finish New Features

Fit and Finish

By further building upon the enhancements made in prior releases, Revit Structure 2011 promotes continuity across releases in an effort to make features and functionality more complete and help boost customer satisfaction.

Slanted Columns

In Autodesk® Revit® Structure 2010 software, engineers and drafters could create slanted columns using the same column families they have used for vertical columns, which include not only physical characteristics, but also analytical as well. Users could place the slanted column in elevation, section and 3D views and had some control of the slanted column end position and behavior.

 

Autodesk® Revit® Structure 2011 software provides the following slanted column enhancements where one can now place slanted columns in a plan view in the same workflow as the 2-click method of placement in 3D views.   Users can adjust the slanted column along an attached beam and be able to cut the slanted column to an attached structural floor or slab.  Additionally, users can cut a slanted column horizontally, vertically, or perpendicularly, even when it is not attached to an element.  Beam joins will now automatically adjust when resizing an existing slanted column

Beams Systems

Today, many engineers and drafters model each structural member that comprises the flooring system. Although the beam system tool in previous releases allowed users to efficiently layout a set of beams, Autodesk has now enhanced this tool to allow better accuracy and placement of the beam system elements.

In Autodesk Revit Structure 2011, beam systems now allow users to select a support such as a wall or beam to specify the direction of a beam system.   Users can also draw a sketch line inside or outside a beam system to specify beam direction and can also drop the beam system using the Remove Beam System tool. Once dropped, the individual beams will remain in place.

 

Trusses

The creation of truss elements is frequently a time consuming task for engineers and drafters. The previous release of Autodesk Revit Structure allows users to add trusses to their building model more quickly according to the layout and other parameters specified.

In previous releases, users were able to attach the top chord to roof or slab elements, edit the location of the top and bottom chords, and were able to unlock the truss elements from the truss family. 

Now, Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 has enhanced these features starting with the ability to attach the bottom chord of a truss to a structural floor or foundation slab element.  Users can also simultaneously sketch custom chords while the truss is attached and be able to remove a truss family.  Once dropped, the truss chords and webs will remain in place.

 

Concrete Reinforcement

Many engineers and drafters detail concrete models with individual rebar, rebar sets, area and path reinforcement. Autodesk® Revit® Structure 2011 now provides the following structural reinforcement enhancements to help aid in the rebar replacement to your concrete elements. 

First, reinforcement volume and length project units can be specified with appropriate numerical rounding and representation.  Second, concrete slab edges are now valid hosts for cover and reinforcement.  The first and last bars in rebar sets are now suppressible in a project.  Third, an additional rebar bending radius has been implemented to meet the needs of some international codes.   Cover reference line style can now be configured in the Object Styles dialog and the cover reference lines now remain in view when resizing and repositioning rebar.    Fourth, major Spacing is now a label category parameter for area reinforcement tags.   Finally, you can now specify and place spiral rebar in a concrete host. Because spiral rebar is fully dimensional it requires a unique shape family and can be scaled, rotated, and resized accordingly.

 

Analytical Model

Revit's Analytical Model allows the user a number of options in vertical and horizontal projection with multiple options for adjustment. Autodesk® Revit® Structure 2011 now has improved tools where one can horizontally project from columns to the default plane, the auto‐detected plane, or a named reference plane.

Users can also horizontally project from the center line of a beam, location lines, grids, and named reference planes as well as set the horizontal projection from the center of a wall core to accommodate varying widths in structural walls.  Top or bottom vertical projection of a column will now auto‐detect to beams when structural floors are not present and vertical projection from beams from the locations line or bottom of a beam.  

Also, for columns, one can use the top or bottom of a column analytical model as a source for manual analytical adjustment.  Finally, just like users can add rigid links to columns, users can now set rigid link parameters for beams.  This rigid link of beams will adjust to the columns they are attached to and will take into consideration all other columns within the same space of the beam.  This allows for rigid links along a beam between its connected ends.

 
   

Connection Symbols

In construction drawings, connection types can be shown using various symbolic annotations at the end of the structural elements.  Autodesk® Revit® Structure 2011 now provides several new connection symbol families that can be loaded and selected as default connection symbols through a new interface in the Structural Settings dialog.