Managing Project Phasing

I’ve seen this scenario played out more times than I’d like. People get Revit, build a model, and then start clicking the Demolish button found on the Phasing panel on the Manage tab (see Figure 21.1). Yes, doing so forces hidden lines, and now you’re demolishing walls that were constructed in the same phase that they’re being removed. You can’t do that!

With some practice, and by following the procedures in this chapter, you’ll be able to swing that hammer all you want. But for now, to get started, go to the book’s web page at www.sybex.com/go/revit2012ner. From there, you can browse to Chapter 21 and find the file called NER-32.rvt. (If you prefer, you can follow along with your own model as well.)

The objective of the following procedure is to create a Demolition phase and insert it between the Existing phase and the New Construction phase. Follow along:

1. 1. On the Manage tab, click the Phases button on the Phasing panel, as shown in Figure 21.1.

   

   
   
2. 2. In the Phasing dialog, click the number 1. This is the control for the Existing phase row.
   
3. 3. To the right of the dialog is the Insert section. Click the After button.
   
4. 4. Rename the phase that is now in the middle to Demolition, as shown in Figure 21.2.

   

   
   
5. 5. Click OK.
   
6. 6. Make sure you’re in Level 1. On the View tab, click Duplicate View Duplicate View, as shown in Figure 21.3.

   

   
   
7. 7. Right-click the new view, and rename it Level 1 Demolition.
   
8. 8. Open the Level 1 Demolition plan.
   
9. 9. In the Properties dialog, scroll down to Phasing, and change Phase to Demolition, as shown in Figure 21.4.
   
10. 10. Zoom in on the East Entry, specifically where the ramp is entering the building to the south, as shown in Figure 21.5.

    

    
    
11. 11. Type WT. Doing so tiles the current views you have open. Make sure one of them is the 3D view.
    
12. 12. Select the entire south ramp, floor slab, railings, and framing, as shown in Figure 21.5. Make sure you select the structural framing system that is spacing the beams for the canopy roof, and not the beams themselves.
    
13. 13. In the Properties dialog, set Phase Created to Existing and Phase Demolished to Demolition, as shown in Figure 21.5.
    
14. 14. Go to the Level 1 Floor Plan (not the demolition).
    
15. 15. Change Phase Filter to Show Complete. The ramp should disappear. No sense living in the past. Notice that the demolition plan shows the items on a demo line type. Who needs layers, right?
    
16. 16. Go back to the Level 1 plan, and select the two doors and walls shown in Figure 21.6.
    
17. 17. Set Phase Created to Existing.
    
18. 18. Select the doors, and set Phase Demolished to Demolition. Revit removes the doors and infills the openings, as shown in Figure 21.7. (It’s understood that the entire building should be existing. This is an example of how Revit behaves during the phasing process.)

Examining Graphic Overrides

1. 1. Click the Phasing button on the Manage tab.
   
2. 2. Click the Graphic Overrides tab.

   

   
   
3. 3. For the Lines column under the Cut heading, click the button that displays a shaded line, as shown in Figure 21.8.
   
4. 4. Click the Color button.
   
5. 5. Change the shading of the line to 75, 75, 75 as shown in Figure 21.8.

Another function of Revit that we need to venture into is similar to phasing but has an entirely different meaning when it comes to tracking aspects of a project. This functionality is called design options.

Creating Design Options

That being said, there is a lot to be added to this functionality in future versions of Revit. To start adding and implementing Design Options, follow the preceding steps.

1. 1. On the Manage tab, click the Design Options button, as shown in Figure 21.9.

   

   
   
2. 2. In the Design Options dialog, click the New button under Option Set.