This document discusses best practices for integrating Revit Structure models with structural analysis software. It recommends starting models in Revit Structure to ensure accurate geometry for documentation. Two popular analysis programs, ETABS and Robot, are described and compared in terms of their supported elements, properties, and workflows. Preparing the Revit model by paying attention to analytical lines and levels improves data exchange. The document provides guidance on exporting models to analysis programs and updating designs based on results.
This document discusses best practices for integrating Revit Structure models with structural analysis software. It recommends starting models in Revit Structure to ensure accurate geometry for documentation. Two popular analysis programs, ETABS and Robot, are described and compared in terms of their supported elements, properties, and workflows. Preparing the Revit model by paying attention to analytical lines and levels improves data exchange. The document provides guidance on exporting models to analysis programs and updating designs based on results.
This document discusses best practices for integrating Revit Structure models with structural analysis software. It recommends starting models in Revit Structure to ensure accurate geometry for documentation. Two popular analysis programs, ETABS and Robot, are described and compared in terms of their supported elements, properties, and workflows. Preparing the Revit model by paying attention to analytical lines and levels improves data exchange. The document provides guidance on exporting models to analysis programs and updating designs based on results.
This document discusses best practices for integrating Revit Structure models with structural analysis software. It recommends starting models in Revit Structure to ensure accurate geometry for documentation. Two popular analysis programs, ETABS and Robot, are described and compared in terms of their supported elements, properties, and workflows. Preparing the Revit model by paying attention to analytical lines and levels improves data exchange. The document provides guidance on exporting models to analysis programs and updating designs based on results.
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Integrating Revit Structure with Analysis
Softwares. (Best Practice)
When Revit Structure first came out in the mid-2000s it was pitched as a design and documentation tool. But, even at this early stage of its development, Autodesk recognized the importance of linking to structural analysis softwares. When it comes to analytical software there are numerous options in which software to use, and how exactly to utilize that software with a Revit model. This article will cover when Revit models should be exported to analytical packages, how best to prepare a Revit model for use in analysis software and will be a comprehensive overview of the famous two analytical software options, Robot and ETABS. We will compare the different software packages and look at benefits, drawbacks, similarities and differences among them. This session will be a balanced look at these software packages from the perspective of the end user. Overview Autodesk supports linking through the open Revit API, which enables thirdparty structural analysis software developers to create workflows both to and from Revit. The process relies on Revits analytical model, which is automatically created alongside the physical model. Once the analytical model has been brought across the analysis application can be used to perform all types of structural analysis including nonlinear, dynamic and seismic. Most analysis applications also perform code checks and
any changes to member sizes can then be fed back in to Revit Structure so the whole design stays in sync. It can be a highly iterative process so the workflow is incredibly important. Revit Structure also has a visualization framework, which allows users to view analysis results inside Revit itself. This could be things like moments, forces or displacement diagrams and can help engineers quantify sizes of structural components. How to prepare a Revit Structure Model for Analysis There are specific best practices for each software package, but the following are good things to keep in mind when creating a Revit model that is intended to be exported to analytical software:
Pay attention to analytical lines
Make sure analytical lines intersect properly
Try to model on levels, not arbitrary distances away, i.e.
perhaps create a T.O. Steel level, or many levels for varying framing levels. However, keep in mind that sloped levels, such as roofs, may require specific attention and considerations
Model between levels, avoid unconnected heights
Consult the specifics of the intended software regarding how to
handle multi-span or multi-level elements
Use the approximate curve option for curved beams
Consider only updating sizes if updating geometry is not
required
Floors, slabs and roofs generally are not well updated, so
consider only sending them one direction, one time
Only export what needs to be analyzed, mark everything else
as not for analysis, create visibility filters, or use some other appropriate process
Understand that the process is not perfect and some amount of
clean up will be required regardless of what analytical software is used. Revit to Analytical or Analytical to Revit? Most, but not all, analytical software companies suggest starting the model in Revit. However there are certainly viable reasons to begin a model in analysis software:
Analysis was required prior to starting the Revit model
(receiving the Architectural model)
The engineer is far more efficient/comfortable in the analysis
software
Any specific feature, benefit, or limitation to the interface of
the analytical software and Revit Structure such that it is more efficient to begin the model in the analysis software.
While there are exceptions, my opinion is that the models should generally begin in Revit Structure. As time goes on engineers are becoming more and more comfortable with Revit and Revits analytical features advance every year, making this workflow more reasonable. Also, Revit is consistently the 3D modeling software utilized, and preferred analytical software may change often. But furthermore, as engineers, our deliverable is (usually) a set of 2D documents. Revit is the software used to create the geometry that ultimately is used to create the 2D drawings. Therefore, I believe it is important that the geometry is correct. Although there are other reasons that support starting in Revit, I believe this reason alone is enough to suggest beginning in Revit. Analysis Software Overview Two widely used analysis programs will be discussed. These article will cover more specific best practices of each. The following elements were supported for exchanging between each software and Revit Structure. 1.0 ETABS Computers & Structures, Inc. specializes in software programs for structural and earthquake engineering. ETABS was specifically developed for multi-story structures. CSi has several other design software packages such as SAP2000, PERFORM-3D, SAFE, and more. One item of note is that the CSixRevit link is not free, as is the case with the other software packages, and the latest best practice documentation is intended for Revit versions. ETABS: Elements/Properties supported for exchange
Grids (once only) Levels
Beams Curved beams (only if curve is approximated)
Steel Joists (come through as beams) Columns
Walls Floor Slabs
Isolated Footings Braces (vertical only)
Openings: wall, shaft and by face
Loads, load cases and load combinations (some limitations)
Reactions Material Properties (limited, once only)
Section/size properties End fixity/releases
ETABS: Elements/Properties unsupported for exchange
Openings: profile/boundary
Diaphragms
Horizontal Braces
Trusses (come through as unrecognized frame sections)
Beam Systems (come through as unrecognized frame sections)
opportunities during the import/export process. If a parametric family has an unrecognized type, ETABS will create a corresponding shape
Software setup: users must run as administrator (ETABS,
ETABSIO and Revit.exe). If Revit is not run as administrator then there is a possibility that CSIxRevit will not be able to open .log file. In this case CSIxRevit will not be able to write any warning in the log file and all warning messages will be displayed on the screen time to time. Directly sending data to ETABS may not work if Revit is not run as admin.
End release updates are occasionally buggy
Z-justification and start and end offset parameters dont
always translate properly
Material updates of walls, decks and slabs are not transferred
from ETABS to Revit. Workaround is to create new elements in ETABS and the old will be deleted and replaced with the new in Revit.
Only openings completely inside a wall or floor will be
transferred
In-place families are imported into ETABS as frame members
Elements can be deleted upon importing/exporting, but only if
the entire model is exchanged
Load combinations can be exchanged once, but cannot be later
updated. They can, however, be deleted and replaced
2.0 Robot Robot Structural Analysis Professional software is Autodesk analytical software provides engineers with advanced BIM-integrated analysis and design tools to understand the behavior of any structure type and verify code compliance. Robot Structural Analysis Professional structural software helps engineers more quickly perform simulation, slabs/walls meshing, analysis, and code-based design for any type of structure. Robot: Elements/Properties supported for exchange
Robot: Elements/Properties unsupported for exchange
Openings Foundation slabs (turn into floors)
Horizontal braces Phasing
Drilled pier foundations Structural Usage
Robot: Best Practices
Static analysis only. Analysis is limited by the capabilities of
Robot Structural Analysis and some analyses may require the enhanced capabilities of Robot Structural Analysis Professional
Consider differentiating between the start and end of analytical
lines perhaps make them different colors using visibility/Graphic overrides
The same person will model both the Revit and Analytical model, so staff appropriately
Multi-span members will be split into separate members once
in Robot
Use hosted area loads whenever possible
Send and update Revit/Robot models from Analyze tab within
Revit
Upon updating the Revit model, there is an option to keep
updated elements selected
Robot will analyze and exchange some connections: end plate
and column flange connections
Sloped planes/framing are supported, so only one level and
then element offsets are all that are required
Duplicate nodes will be created if analytical lines are not
modeled properly (such that their ends intersect, etc.)
Conclusion With its roots in documentation Revit Structure may have originally found favour with CAD technicians, but interest from engineers is starting to grow. This is not only down to the links with analysis software improving but workflows between architects, engineers, contractors and owners becoming more important for Revit and BIM in general.
Linking Revit Structure to analysis can help engineers think about the specifics of the design much earlier on, enabling them to try out different options long before things get too expensive to fix. This article provided a large amount of information on famous analytical programs with hopes of clarifying the benefits and limitations when integrating the use of these products with Revit Structure Models. Although the analytical software themselves are different, and intended for different types of analysis, this article also compared and contrasted each of them in relation to their ability to interface with Revit. This article hopes to have not only offer the information to help make the decision of which analytical software is most appropriate, but also to provide enough information to know what to expect when beginning to use the software in conjunction with Revit Structure.
