CAD/BIM Tips & Tricks
Building With Strength: 12 Reasons Revit Structure Is a Must
22 July 2024
While creative architects dream up the phantasmagorical buildings of our future, it’s the structural engineers who deliberate and calculate what it’ll take to make those buildings structurally strong and safe despite environmental stressors. Let’s face it: It doesn’t matter how impressive and ooh-la-la a project is. If it ain’t safe, nobody is going to build it.
For many structural engineers — the human bedrock of the AEC industry — Revit® Structure has become a cornerstone in their world. While traditional drafting software relies on 2D CAD drawings, Revit Structure embraces Building Information Modeling (BIM), offering a more intelligent and collaborative approach to structural modeling and analysis. This article delves into the key functionalities of Revit Structure that cater to the needs of structural engineers.
Structural engineers can assess load-bearing capacities, deflection under loads and overall structural behavior, leading to safer, more efficient and
optimized designs.
What Can Revit Structure Do for You?
Revit Structure facilitates real-time clash detection, automatically identifying conflicts between structural elements, architectural models and MEP systems.
Once upon a time, 2D CAD was the best option technology offered. Now, with a tool such as Revit Structure, engineers can create a virtual, 3D model of the entire structure. Additionally, an analytical model can be created directly from the physical model, which saves time, reduces effort and ensures consistency. This intelligent model comprises not just geometric representations, but also embedded data such as member sizes, materials and analytical properties. This valuable data empowers structural engineers throughout the design process.
- Clash Detection and Seamless Coordination: Revit Structure facilitates real-time clash detection, automatically identifying conflicts between structural elements, architectural models and MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) systems. Addressing these clashes early in the design phase minimizes expensive and avoidable rework during construction.
- Enhanced Structural Analysis: The intelligent model in Revit Structure allows engineers to perform advanced structural analyses. They can assess load-bearing capacities, deflection under loads and overall structural behavior, leading to safer, more efficient and optimized designs. Additionally, with Revit Structure, engineers can either rely on analytical tools within Revit or directly export data to industry-standard structural analysis software as needed.
- Advanced Rebar Detailing and Analysis: Revit Structure offers comprehensive tools for modeling and detailing concrete reinforcement. Beyond basic bar placement, structural engineers can utilize features like rebar cages and automatic rebar tagging, as well as perform rebar analysis directly within Revit to optimize bar sizes and spacing.
- Steel Connection Design and Detailing: Another Revit Structure feature that structural engineers find helpful is the ability to define design intent for complex steel connections. You can also use Revit’s powerful families and parameters to create customizable connections that meet specific project requirements. Save time with automated steel connection detailing with tools that generate shop drawings and fabrication data directly from the model.
While creative architects dream up the phantasmagorical buildings of our future, it’s the structural engineers who deliberate and calculate what it’ll take to make those buildings structurally strong and safe.
- Automated Documentation and Data Extraction: Structural calculations, load reports and other construction documents can be automatically generated from the Revit Structure model. This eliminates the need for manual calculations, reduces the risk of human error and saves massive amounts of time.
Benefits of Revit Structure
The benefits of Revit Structure extend beyond its core BIM functionality. Here are some factors that can boost structural design workflows:
- Improved Efficiency and Productivity: Revit Structure offers a variety of automation tools that streamline repetitive tasks, such as creating beam schedules or generating member connections. Parametric modeling allows users to define member properties and have them automatically updated throughout the model, minimizing manual editing and the potential for errors.
- Superior Visualization and Communication: Revit Structure provides advanced visualization tools for creating realistic 3D renderings and walkthroughs of the structural model. These visuals can be used to effectively communicate design intent to architects, clients and construction teams.
- Worksets and Central Model Management: Revit Structure helps optimize project delivery with worksets. Assign specific areas of the model to different teams — enabling concurrent design and detailing — while maintaining data integrity. For additional time-savings, utilize Revit’s robust central model management features to track changes, manage revisions and ensure version control throughout the project lifecycle.
- Cloud-Based Collaboration and Data Management: Revit Structure integrates seamlessly with cloud-based platforms like Autodesk BIM 360™. This allows structural engineers to collaborate on the same model simultaneously from different locations, improving project delivery timelines and ensuring everyone has access to the latest information.
- Scalability and Future-Proofing: Revit Structure is a robust platform that can accommodate complex projects with intricate structural systems. Its open API (Application Programming Interface) allows for customization through third-party add-ins, catering to specific workflows and project requirements. As BIM adoption continues to grow, Revit Structure positions structural engineering firms at the forefront of modern design practices.
- Dynamo for Structural Engineering Automation: As a busy engineer, any task that can be automated is a bonus. Explore the power of Dynamo, a visual programming tool within Revit, to create custom scripts that automate repetitive tasks, streamline workflows and enhance design efficiency.
Advanced Features and Workflows:
- Analytical Modeling Integration: Revit Structure seamlessly connects with structural analysis software for complex calculations while maintaining a central BIM model. Rapidly quantify concrete, rebar, steel elements and other structural components with ease. Use this data for accurate cost estimation, material procurement and construction planning.
- Prefabricated Structural Components (PSCs): Facilitates incorporating PSCs into the model, allowing better coordination with prefabricators and optimized construction sequencing.
- Sustainability Analysis: Integrates with tools to assess the environmental impact of structural choices, enabling engineers to optimize for sustainability goals.
Revit Structure is not just a good idea — it’s a strategic decision that ensures efficiency and accuracy and puts you on the cutting edge of lasting structural design.
Investing in Intelligence: The Future of Structural Design
If you’re not yet using Revit Structure, but are considering transitioning, yes, there’s a bit of a learning curve, but the long-term benefits outweigh the initial investment.
Revit Structure empowers structural engineers to deliver high-quality, coordinated designs with a deeper understanding of structural behavior. In today’s competitive construction environment, embracing BIM with Revit Structure is not just a good idea — it’s a strategic decision that ensures efficiency and accuracy and puts you on the cutting edge of lasting structural design.
Time-Savings for Revit Users
There’s no denying that even with advances in modern design technology, it’s still a time-consuming process that sometimes involves a great deal of repetition. Axiom’s goal is to help you, the engineer or designer, minimize that repetition and save a ton of time.
If you’re tired of wasting time battling with the formatting of Word® or Excel® imports, for example, you can dump that particular struggle and leave it to Microsoft Office Importer™ to take care of it for you. Perfect formatting is yours in a heartbeat — and it’s as easy as falling off a structural beam.
Wish working with Revit families and views was easier, faster and more intuitive? Then Family and View Studio™ might be your new wingman. If you have any questions, call a CAD/BIM Consultant at 727-442-7774. Don’t forget to ask about the free trial versions of both time-saving tools.
All those in favor of safer, more enduring structures in our future buildings — and lickety-split tools to speed up your Revit journey — say, “I-beam!”
