8: Structural Items


CHAPTER 8
Structural Items


Well, we can’t avoid the topic of structure forever. Because we need to consider our structure from pretty much the beginning of the project, I had better add it to the first half of the book before we get too carried away!



  • Adding structural grids
  • Adding structural columns
  • Using structural framing
  • Understanding foundation systems
  • Adding structural footings
  • Using structural views

Adding Structural Grids


Revit has entire books on this subject alone, so this book addresses only the structural items available to people using Revit Architecture. If you are a structural engineer or structural designer, I recommend that you use Revit Structure. That application is just as powerful as Revit Architecture but is geared toward structural engineering. That being said, the two applications share the same file extension (.rvt), which you can open and modify directly from either Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, or Revit MEP with absolutely no issues.


This chapter delves into the structural world by presenting available functions that have been blended in with the architectural tools. The first item you will tackle is usually the first item in the model: structural grids. Although you add structural grids line by line, you will soon discover that these grids are just as “smart” as the rest of Revit. The starting point for all things structural is most certainly the grid. In Revit Architecture, you will find quickly that placing a structural grid into a model is not a complicated task. Grids are essentially placed one line at a time. Those lines you place, however, have “intelligence.” For example, if you place a vertical grid line called A and then place a horizontal grid line called 1 that intersects with A, you will have a grid location. If you place a column at that intersection, the column will assume a new property called Location. That location is—you guessed it—A-1.


Let’s get started. To begin, open the file you have been following along with. If you did not complete the previous chapter, go to the book’s web page at www.sybex.com/go/revit2012ner. From there you can browse to Chapter 8 and find the file called NER-19.rvt.


Placing a Grid


Placing a grid means drawing grid lines in one by one. You can copy grids to speed up placement, and array them if the spacing is regular. This task sounds tedious, but it is a welcome change from other applications that force you to create an entire, rectangular grid that you have to keep picking at until it resembles your layout. Grids are like snowflakes: no two are the same.



  1. 1. In the Project Browser, go to the Level 1 floor plan. (Make sure you aren’t in the Level 1 ceiling plan.)
  2. 2. Zoom in to the east wing’s radial entry.
  3. 3. The Datum panel that holds the Level and Grid tools appears on the Home tab and the Structure tab. On the Datum panel of the Structure tab, click the Grid button, as shown in Figure 8.1.
    f0801.tif

    FIGURE 8.1 The Grid button on the Datum panel of the Structure tab


  4. 4. On the Draw panel of the Modify | Place Grid tab, click the Pick Lines icon, as shown in Figure 8.2.
  5. 5. Pick the core centerline of the north wall, as shown in Figure 8.2.
    f0802.tif

    FIGURE 8.2 Your first column grid


  6. 6. The grid bubble needs to be moved. Press Esc twice or click Modify (to clear the command), and select the grid bubble. Notice the round blue grip, similar to Figure 8.3.
    f0803.tif

    FIGURE 8.3 Examining the column grid grips


  7. 7. Pick that round blue grip, and drag the column bubble to the right about 15´–0˝ (4500mm), as shown in Figure 8.4.
    f0804.eps

    FIGURE 8.4 Dragging the column bubble to the right


  8. 8. On the Datum panel, click the Grid button again.
  9. 9. On the Draw panel, click the Pick Lines icon if it’s not picked already.
  10. 10. Pick the core centerline of the interior wall that terminates at the exterior wall, as shown in Figure 8.5.
    f0805.eps

    FIGURE 8.5 Adding the second grid line


  11. 11. Drag the right end of the line to align with grid 1. It snaps weakly. After you move your line to the length of grid 1, pick the second point. An alignment line appears.
  12. 12. If the grid bubble isn’t appearing on the right side as shown, but on the left side, find the blue box on the right side of grid 2. Pick it. It will turn the grid head on.
  13. 13. On the left side of grid 2, you will see a grid bubble (see Figure 8.5). You will also see the same blue check box. Click the check box to turn the grid head off at this location.
  14. 14. Press Esc.

Being able to pick lines is certainly an advantage, but you will not always be in a situation where you have geometry in place to do so. In the following procedure, you will add grid 3 by picking two points:



  1. 1. Select the Grid button from the Home tab.
  2. 2. On the Draw panel, select the Line icon.
  3. 3. Pick a point along the center reference plane, as shown in Figure 8.6.
  4. 4. Pick a second point in alignment with grid 2 (see Figure 8.6).
    f0806.eps

    FIGURE 8.6 Adding grid 3 at the center of the building


  5. 5. Add grids 4 and 5 to the exact opposite ends of the east wing (see Figure 8.7).
f0807.tif

FIGURE 8.7 The completed horizontal grids


You need to add two more grids at 45-degree angles. This will be as easy as drawing lines. The objective here is to manipulate the grids to read the appropriate numbering:



  1. 1. On the Home tab, click the Grid button if it’s not selected already.
  2. 2. Pick the center of the radial wall.
  3. 3. Draw the line at a 45-degree angle until you are beyond the radial wall, as shown in Figure 8.8.
  4. 4. Click in the bubble for the angled grid and rename the grid line 2.1. You can do this while placing grids. Click outside the grid number field to enter the change.
  5. 5. Draw another grid line at a 45-degree angle in the opposite direction.
  6. 6. Renumber it to read 3.9 (see Figure 8.8).
f0808.tif

FIGURE 8.8 Adding two additional grids and renumbering them


You need two more horizontal column lines that span the length of the building. You will number these lines as 2.10 and 3.1. The lines will run centered on the corridor walls. To do this, you will use the Pick Lines icon on the Draw panel.



  1. 1. On the Home tab, click the Grid button if it’s not selected already.
  2. 2. On the Draw panel, click the Pick Lines icon.
  3. 3. Pick the core centerline of the north corridor wall, as shown in Figure 8.9.
    f0809.tif

    FIGURE 8.9 Adding a column line to the north corridor wall


  4. 4. Pick the blue grip at the end of the line and stretch it to align with the already placed bubbles, as shown in Figure 8.10.
  5. 5. Click the Show Bubble button if necessary.
  6. 6. Rename the grid to 2.10 (see Figure 8.10).
    f0810.tif

    FIGURE 8.10 Dragging the line and turning on the bubble so you can rename the grid to 2.10


  7. 7. Zoom to the other end of the grid line and deselect the Show Bubble check box if necessary.
  8. 8. Repeat the process for the south corridor wall, adding an additional grid line numbered 3.1, as shown in Figure 8.11.

The grids are laying out okay, but it looks like you should make some adjustments to move the bubbles apart a little. You can do this by adding an elbow to the grid’s end.


Adding Elbows


As with levels, you can add a break in the line of the grid, allowing you to make adjustments as if the grid were an arm with an elbow:



  1. 1. Click Modify. Select grid 2.10.
  2. 2. You will see several blue grips appear. Pick the one that appears as a break line, as shown in Figure 8.12.
    f0811.tif

    FIGURE 8.11 Adding the grids along the corridor walls

    f0812.tif

    FIGURE 8.12 Clicking the Add Elbow grip after selecting the grid


  3. 3. When you pick this break line, it adds an elbow to your grid line, as shown in Figure 8.13.
  4. 4. Repeat the procedure for grid 3.1. Your grids should now look like Figure 8.13.
  5. 5. Save the model.
f0813.tif

FIGURE 8.13 The cleaned-up grid bubbles


It is now time to add the vertical grids. This will be a simple process until you get to the radial entry area. At that point, there will need to be some additional manipulating of the grid.


Adding Vertical Grids


The only real issue with adding vertical grids is the numbering versus lettering issue, because Revit will continue the sequencing from the horizontal grids. Make sure that when you add your first grid going in the opposite direction, you renumber (or rename) the first occurrence of the grid.


The objective of the next procedure is to create a grid pattern running vertically across the view:



  1. 1. Zoom out so you can see the entire east wing, as shown in Figure 8.14.
  2. 2. On the Datum panel of the Home tab, click the Grid button.
  3. 3. On the Draw panel of the Modify | Place Grid tab, click the Pick Lines icon, as shown in Figure 8.14.
  4. 4. Pick the core centerline of the west exterior wall of the east wing, as shown in Figure 8.14.
  5. 5. When you pick the wall, the grid is added. It will not be the name or number you want. You will change that. But first, pick the round blue grip and drag the bubble up past the dimensions, as shown in Figure 8.15.
  6. 6. Press Esc.
  7. 7. Select the new vertical grid.
  8. 8. Click in the bubble and rename it to A, as shown in Figure 8.16.
f0814.eps

FIGURE 8.14 Adding the first vertical grid by picking the core centerline of the exterior wall

f0815.eps

FIGURE 8.15 Dragging the new bubble out of the wall

f0816.tif

FIGURE 8.16 The grid is now named A.


It is now time to duplicate this grid. Because you have an arsenal of modify commands under your belt, the best way to duplicate this grid is to copy it, as shown in the following steps:



  1. 1. Select grid A.
  2. 2. On the Modify | Grids tab, click the Copy button, as shown at the top of Figure 8.17.
  3. 3. On the Options bar, make sure the Multiple check box is selected, as shown near the top left of Figure 8.17.
  4. 4. Pick a base point along the grid line within the wall, as shown in Figure 8.17.
  5. 5. Copy grid A to the wall centerlines, as shown in Figure 8.17. Notice that the grid lines will auto-sequence as you go.
  6. 6. Press Esc twice.
  7. 7. Start the Grid command again.
  8. 8. On the Draw panel, be sure the Line button is selected.
  9. 9. Pick a start point at the endpoint of the radial wall, where it intersects with the straight wall, as shown near the bottom of Figure 8.18.
  10. 10. Pick the second point in line with the adjacent grid bubbles (see Figure 8.18).
    f0817.eps

    FIGURE 8.17 Copying the grid line to the other walls

    f0818.tif

    FIGURE 8.18 Adding grid F


  11. 11. Press Esc.
  12. 12. Pick the grip on the bottom of the line, and drag it down past the south part of the radial wall.

The next step is to add the grid to the radial entry area. This will not be as easy as simply picking a wall’s centerline. The trick here will be to establish a reference point to place the grid and, subsequently, a column.


Adding a Radial Grid Line


Sometimes, you have to think outside the box. Literally. Because you have radial geometry to contend with, you need to add a radial grid, as follows:



  1. 1. Zoom in on the radial entry of the east wing.
  2. 2. Click the Grid button on the Home tab if the grid command is not currently running.
  3. 3. On the Draw panel, select the Pick Lines button, as shown in Figure 8.19.
    f0819.eps

    FIGURE 8.19 Adding a grid line offset from the finish inside face


  4. 4. Type in an offset of 6˝ (150mm) on the Options bar.
  5. 5. Pick the finished, inside face of the radial wall, as shown in Figure 8.19. Make sure the alignment line indicating where the grid will go is on the inside of the wall.
  6. 6. The actual grid bubble lands in a congested area. Fix this by adding an elbow and adjusting the bubbles, as shown by grid G near the top of Figure 8.20.
f0820.tif

FIGURE 8.20 Adding bubbles to the radial grid line and adjusting their placements with elbows


One last thing you need to do is to make sure the grids are extending all the way to the west side of the east building. This will play a major role when you start placing columns.



  1. 1. Select grid 1.
  2. 2. Pick the grip icon to the left of the grid line.
  3. 3. Drag the grid past the west wall.
  4. 4. Repeat the procedure for grids 2, 2.10, 3.1, 4, and 5.
  5. 5. Repeat the procedure, stretching the vertical grids south. This will include grids A, B, C, D, and E. If you drag the lower end of grid A down, the copied grids B, C, D, and E will move with it. Make the lower end of grid F snap into alignment with the others.

I think you get the picture on adding grids. The next procedure is to start adding columns to these grid intersections. To do so, you will explore the Structure tab on the Ribbon.


Adding Structural Columns


The hard part is over. Determining where to put the columns is harder than physically placing them in the model. But of course there are rules to follow, and rules that need to be bent in order to accomplish the results you want to see.


This next series of procedures includes adding structural components to the model and placing framing systems in areas where a structural engineer may defer to the architect for structural integrity, given the design intent. (Also, try using that phrase in a meeting).


To add columns to the model, follow this procedure:



  1. 1. In the Project Browser, go to the Level 1 floor plan.
  2. 2. Zoom in to the radial entry area in the east wing.
  3. 3. On the Structure tab, click Column images Structural Column, as shown in Figure 8.21. This tool is also on the Home tab.
    f0821.tif

    FIGURE 8.21 The Structural Column button on the Structure tab of the Ribbon


  4. 4. You will probably not have any structural columns loaded into the model. If you get the message shown in Figure 8.22, click Yes to browse for a structural column. If you do have a column, click the Load Family button.
  5. 5. Browse to US Imperial images Structural images Columns images Steel (or Metric images Structural images Columns images Steel).
    f0822.tif

    FIGURE 8.22 You’ll see this message when no structural columns are loaded in the model. Click Yes. You can click the Load Family button to add additional columns to your project.


  6. 6. In the Steel folder, browse to HSS-Hollow Structural Section-Column.rfa (or M_HSS-Hollow Structural Column.rfa).
  7. 7. Double-click HSS-Hollow Structural Section-Column.rfa (or M_HSS-Hollow Structural Column.rfa). You will see a dialog box enabling you to select the type, as shown in Figure 8.23.
    f0823.tif

    FIGURE 8.23 Select HSS-Hollow Structural Section-Column.rfa and choose the HSS6×6×5/8 (HSS152.4×152.4×12.7) type.


  8. 8. Select the HSS6×6×5/8 (HSS152.4×152.4×12.7) column.
  9. 9. Click OK.
  10. 10. On the Options bar, make sure Height is set to Roof, as shown in Figure 8.24.
    f0824.eps

    FIGURE 8.24 Placing the column on grid intersection F-1


  11. 11. Place the column on the grid intersection F-1.
  12. 12. Press Esc twice.
  13. 13. Click the Column images Structural Column button on the Home tab.
  14. 14. Place a column at grid intersection F-2. Before you place this column, be sure Height is set to Level 2.
  15. 15. Set the column height Option to Roof. Place another column at grid intersection F-G (see Figure 8.25).
  16. 16. Click Modify.
  17. 17. Select the column you just placed (column F-G).
  18. 18. In the Properties dialog box, make sure that the top level is set to Up To: Roof, as shown in Figure 8.26 (just to check).
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Aug 3, 2021 | Posted by in Building and Construction | Comments Off on 8: Structural Items
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