bim_unit-01_instructor_guide_2011_FINAL.pdf

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Autodesk BIM Curriculum 2011 Instructor Guide Unit 1: BIM Modeling Basics

Contents Unit Overview............................................................................................................................3!

Key Concepts........................................................................................................................3!Lesson Roadmap ..................................................................................................................6!Software Tools and Requirements........................................................................................7!Suggested Resources...........................................................................................................7!

Lesson 1: Modeling Building Elements ..................................................................................9!Lesson Overview...................................................................................................................9!Learning Objectives ............................................................................................................10!Suggested Exercises ..........................................................................................................10!Assessment.........................................................................................................................14!Key Terms...........................................................................................................................16!

Lesson 2: Building Envelope.................................................................................................17!Lesson Overview.................................................................................................................17!Learning Objectives ............................................................................................................18!Suggested Exercises ..........................................................................................................19!Assessment.........................................................................................................................23!Key Terms...........................................................................................................................24!

Lesson 3: Curtain Systems....................................................................................................26!Lesson Overview.................................................................................................................26!Learning Objectives ............................................................................................................28!Suggested Exercises ..........................................................................................................28!Assessment.........................................................................................................................33!Key Terms...........................................................................................................................35!

Lesson 4: Interiors and Circulation.......................................................................................36!Lesson Overview.................................................................................................................36!Learning Objectives ............................................................................................................37!Suggested Exercises ..........................................................................................................38!Assessment.........................................................................................................................45!

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Key Terms...........................................................................................................................46!Lesson 5: Fixtures, Fittings, and Furniture ..........................................................................47!

Learning Objectives ............................................................................................................48!Suggested Exercises ..........................................................................................................49!Assessment.........................................................................................................................58!Key Terms...........................................................................................................................60!

Lesson 6: Views and Visualization........................................................................................61!Learning Objectives ............................................................................................................64!Suggested Exercises ..........................................................................................................64!Assessment.........................................................................................................................73!Key Terms...........................................................................................................................76!

Lesson 7: Materials, Lighting, and Rendering .....................................................................77!Learning Objectives ............................................................................................................80!Suggested Exercises ..........................................................................................................80!Assessment.........................................................................................................................88!Key Terms...........................................................................................................................90!

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Unit Overview Key Concepts

Evolution of Design Communications

To appreciate the key features and value introduced by building information modeling (BIM), it is helpful to look back at the history of design communication and how building modeling has been used in that process.

Prior to the Renaissance, building designs were documented and communicated using physical models. These models provided a physical representation of the proposed design that everyone could easily see from many perspectives. To construct a physical model, design features had to be fully understood and resolved in 3D, so the model served many purposesas a design tool, as a building plan, and as a record of the design.

The use of physical models necessitated a direct style of communicating the proposed design to the people who would execute it. Master builders would interpret the model and explain the key design features and details to the craftspeople charged with building it. And when questions arose, people would return to the master builder and the physical model for guidance.

This method of communicating design intent through physical models relied heavily on the quality and skill of the craftspeople employed. Fine details that could not be seen in the model would be resolved in the field based on the knowledge and experience of the builders.

Eventually, the inefficiencies inherent in relying on physical models to communicate design led to a new, more efficient developmentarchitectural drawings.

Introduction of Architectural Drawings

During the Renaissance, a new system that decomposed a proposed design into a series of related architectural drawings was developed and widely adopted. In this system, a design is described through a series of 2D orthographic projections, which typically include:

Plans views showing a design from above. These views often include floor plans showing the layout of rooms and spaces, roof plans, and site plans.

Elevations views showing exterior facades. Elevations are also used to show interior details and complement the plan views by documenting the height of key design elements (for example, in kitchens, bathrooms, or spaces with cabinetry).

Sections views showing the vertical relationships between building elements and their connection details.

These 2D views are often complemented by 3D drawings showing how the design features resolve in views that are more easily understood by people unfamiliar with architectural drawing conventions. These 3D views can be drawn using several methodsisometrically, axometrically, or as perspective views. However, the effort required to create these 3D views is significant. So they are often created after a design is complete, rather than as a working design tool.

Architectural drawings are used to serve many purposesas design tools, as building plans, as contract documents, as historical records, and as-built drawings. For many years, they have

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been used as the primary method for communicating design intent between a projects designers, owners, builders, reviewers, approvers, and users. But as the number of purposes and uses has increased, the number of architectural drawings that must be produced to fully document a project has also increased dramatically.

Rather than relying on hand-drawing and drafting, a more efficient method for creating architectural drawings was needed. In the late 1980s, the widespread adoption of microcomputers provided a solution, and computer-aided drafting (CAD) transformed the building industry.

Computer-Aided Drafting

The adoption of CAD tools, such as AutoCAD software, provided a huge leap forward for the building industry. CAD significantly increased the efficiency with which architectural drawings could be produced, while also bringing greater consistency, reusability, and repeatability to the design process.

While the value efficiency gain was enormous, the CAD approach still suffered from a critical weakness that was introduced during the transition to drawings, which relies on 2D abstractions to represent a 3D design. The lines that are used in architectural drawings do not carry any intelligence about the elements they represent. They are just lines, and they can be drawn in ways that do not accurately represent real 3D objects.

While the production of architectural drawings using CAD tools is very efficient, there is no inherent coordination between drawings, conflict checking, or change propagation. CAD drawings can be interlinked or cross-referenced, but each one remains an essentially separate element. Coordination between the lines shown in the drawings is not automatic, and design professionals are responsible for the formidable task of maintaining consistency between the hundreds or even thousands of individual drawings needed on a typical building project. As projects became more complex, design teams grew larger and time schedules became more compressed, demanding a better approach.

Building Information Modeling

The introduction of BIM tools, such as software products based on the Autodesk Revit platform, provided a quantum leap forward in our ability to communicate about design with all members of a project team and manage the myriad of details necessary to describe and coordinate the activities involved in designing and constructing a building project.

In a BIM-based workflow, design and construction information from all project participants is stored in a single database (or a series of inter-linked databases that facilitate easy sharing of information about building elements). This sharing of project information enables new workflows that simplify the storing, tracking, and reporting of all building information.

This BIM approach helps eliminate inconsistencies by providing all project team members with the most current information about elements in the design. Changes made by any team member can be synchronized with the central repository, so rather than relying on disparate versions or copies, everyone has access to the current state of the design and the effort required to coordinate the information is drastically reduced.

BIM has not only revolutionized the drawing production process: having access to the information stored in a building model has also created new workflows that are fundamentally changing the way projects are designed, constructed, planned, and analyzed. BIM offers benefits throughout the entire project lifecycle, including:

Analysis of structural and energy performance in the design phase

Planning, 4D sequencing, and conflict checking in the construction phase

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Component ordering during the procurement phase

3D printing and machining in the manufacturing phase

Facilities management knowledge and updating records of events in the use phase

Several key trends in the building industry are driving the adoption of BIM as an indispensable tool for firms to remain competitive.

Reducing Waste and Rework

There is increasing pressure on AEC firms to reduce waste and rework. On-site material waste from inefficient assembly and poor planning represents a large part of a project budget and consumes additional resources for proper disposal. BIM tools enable the detailed design of building elements off-site, increasing the efficiency of material use, assembly, and installation.

BIM facilitates the retention of knowledge and best-practices from one project to the next, thereby reducing wasted effort involved in reinventing project standards. And the transition from a paper-based workflow between functional silos to a BIM model-based workflow helps reduce the number of design errors requiring rework or costly resolution in the field.

BIM can improve coordination between both the project data and the project team members, so errors can be spotted earlier, giving teams the opportunity to act proactively to avoid costly mistakes and waste.

Managing Greater Project Complexity

Project teams are growing increasingly diverse in response to the increasing complexity of design requirements. Design teams may now include dozens of designers representing disciplines such as energy analysis, electrical design, mechanical systems, information technology, fire protection systems, daylighting, and many more. These multidisciplinary project teams need tools that facilitate better communication and coordination, and BIM has proven to be very effective in this role.

The workflow required by these multidisciplinary teams is also becoming increasingly complex as team members collaborate more and earlier in the project design phase. In paper-based workflows, designers often worked in functional silos with periodic handoffs of printed drawings to share information. This approach is not sufficient for the levels of coordination needed for todays projects.

BIM provides a vehicle for early and consistent collaboration. Team members can be given access to the current state of the project, even at the earliest steps in the design process. This facilitates early design input from all team members and supports an iterative design approach where the inputs from all team members are considered as the proposed design is evaluated and matures.

Working with Compressed Project Schedules

Competitive and economic pressures are driving the time budgeted for projects design and construction to be compressed. Many projects now use a fast-track delivery approach where many design and construction activities are carried on concurrently to bring the facility on line in the shortest time possible.

This fast-track delivery strategy requires project teams to work simultaneously and collaboratively across all disciplines rather than sequentially in silos. The BIM-based workflow allows early participation and information asset sharing by all team members, which improves project delivery time.

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Integrated Project Delivery

The benefits of sharing project information between all the participants in the design, procurement, and construction activities on a project are driving major changes in the way teams are being organized for project delivery. This trend is creating a need for new organizations, new risk sharing relationships, and new tools/technology that enable sharing.

The integrated project delivery (IPD) approach includes new practices and workflows as well as new contract types and risk-sharing relationships that enable project team members to focus on the entire building lifecycle and rewards them based on the success of the overall project. IPD requires the involvement of more diverse participants earlier in the design process, and the use of a BIM-based approach is often crucial to its success.

Over the life of the project, BIM brings great advantages that easily outweigh the up-front costs of transitioning to a BIM-based workflow. The adoption of BIM as an integrated approach to coordinate the design, analysis, and construction activities on a project is essential for project teams wanting to remain competitive going forward.

Lesson Roadmap In this unit, students will learn many basic techniques for creating building information models by exploring:

Modeling Building Elements

Modeling exterior and interior walls

Adding doors and windows

Creating floors and roofs

Building Envelope

Modeling wall types and design features

Creating new wall types and editing their structure

Working with doors, windows, and wall openings

Creating roofs with different shapes and slopes

Curtain Systems

Designing curtain grid patterns

Adjusting grids and mullions

Creating and using curtain panels types

Placing doors in curtain systems

Interiors and Circulation

Creating stairs and ramps

Customizing stair shapes

Creating floor openings

Modeling elevators

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Fixtures, Fittings, and Furniture

Modeling in-place, project-specific components

Adapting components to fit your needs

Creating new parametric component families

Views and Visualizations

Creating plan views and setting view properties

Creating elevation and section views

Creating 3D views

Adjust the appearance of elements in a view

Materials, Lighting, and Rendering

Assigning materials to model elements

Changing material display and render appearance

Creating exterior rendered views

Creating interior and nighttime rendered views

Software Tools and Requirements

To complete the exercises in this unit, students should download the Autodesk Revit

Architecture software from the Autodesk Education Community website and install it on their computers.

This unit presents many of the fundamental concepts of creating BIM models through the application of the tools in Revit Architecture. The features presented are a small subset of the full range available in the Autodesk Revit platform, specifically focusing on creating new models and displaying them in ways suitable for various applications.

For more detailed coverage and examples of how to use Revit software for other design tasks, students can refer to:

Curriculum materials available on the Autodesk Education Community website.

Revit softwares extensive help system.

Videos and tutorials available in the Revit help menu.

Suggested Resources

BIM Methodology

BIM Deployment Plan usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?id=14652957&siteID=123112

Case Studies/White Papers

Factor Ten Engineering Introduction Link to White Paper

Factor Ten Engineering Design Principles Link to White Paper

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Autodesk AEC Headquarters and Integrated Project Design, Factor Ten Engineering Case Study, August 2010 Link to White Paper

Banana Farm 1.0, Factor Ten Engineering Case Study, August 2010 Link to White Paper

10 Exchange Square, London: Information Technology for Collaboration, 2005 www.gsd.harvard.edu/people/faculty/pollalis/cases/BL-CaseStudy-mar-2005.pdf

Architecture Programs Implement Interdisciplinary Collaboration Studios to Capitalize on the Emergence of Integrated Project Delivery Link to White Paper

Autodesk Revit Architecture

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011 User Assistance docs.autodesk.com/REVIT/2011/ENU/landing.html

Autodesk Revit Architecture Services & Support Center usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/index?siteID=123112&id=2956546&linkID=9243099

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011 Tutorials usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=14844953&linkID=9243097

BIM Curriculum Materials and Support

Autodesk BIM for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Management 2011 Curriculum students.autodesk.com/ama/orig/bim2010/start.htm

BIM Curriculum Support and Discussion http://www.bimtopia.com/bimcurriculum.html


Autodesk BIM Curriculum 2011 Instructor Guide Unit 1: BIM Modeling Basics Lesson 1: Modeling Building Elements

Lesson 1: Modeling Building Elements Lesson Overview In this lesson, students explore basics techniques for using the Autodesk Revit Architecture software to create a building information model of a simple structurea one-story residence. They will learn how to:

Model exterior and interior walls.

Add doors and windows to the walls.

Create simple floor and roof elements.

View the completed building model.

Modeling Exterior and Interior Walls

Many designers begin the building modeling process by creating elements that represent the exterior and interior walls of the proposed building.

In Autodesk Revit software, you create walls by using the Wall tool to sketch lines that indicate where walls should be placed. As you sketch these lines, 3D wall elements are created in the model and appear in other model views.

The characteristics of the walls created are determined by the properties of the wall type that you have selected. You can specify the materials and structure of the walls being placed, as well as wall height and many other physical properties.

As you place or reposition walls in the building model, Revit software automatically joins the walls that intersect.

Adding Doors and Windows

After placing exterior and interior walls, a common next step for many designers is to add doors and windows to the model.

Doors are typically placed on the exterior walls to facilitate access and egress from the building as well as on the interior walls to enable circulation between the rooms. In Revit software, doors are hosted by wall elements. You create a door by using the Door tool to choose a door component and then place it in a wall that has already been modeled.

Windows are typically placed on exterior walls of a building to provide ventilation, daylighting, and emergency egress. In Revit software, windows are also hosted by wall elements. So the pattern for procedure for placing window components is similar to doors. You use the Window tool to choose a window component and then place it in a wall element.

The characteristics of the doors and windows placed are determined by the properties of the door and windows types that you have selected. You can specify the features, sizes, and materials by selecting different types as you place them. You can also easily change the properties of a door or window by selecting it and choosing a new type.

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Creating Floors and Roofs

Most buildings also include a floor underfoot and a roof overhead. So to complete the complete the building model, designers will add these elements.

The shape of many roofs is determined by the location of the walls that support it. For these roofs, a simple strategy for designing the roof is to trace the boundary of the exterior walls (which is also called the footprint), and then specify which edges of the roof will be sloped. The shape of the roof is then determined by the intersections between the sloping roof planes.

In Revit software, the Roof by Footprint tool enables you to use that simple strategy, sketching lines or picking walls that indicate the boundaries of the roof and specifying which edges should create sloped roof planes. The characteristics of the roof createdincluding the materials and structure, as well as the slopeare determined by the properties of the roof type that you have selected.

The steps for creating floor elements in Revit is very similar to creating roofs. You open the Floor tool and then sketch lines or pick walls to indicate the boundaries of the floor. The primary difference is that most floors are not sloped (although they can be if that is appropriate for the model). The materials and structure of a floor are determined by choosing the floor type.

Learning Objectives After completing this lesson, students will be able to:

Create a basic building model containing essential elements, such as walls, doors, windows, and roofs.

Understand how to place walls and choose wall types.

Place wall-hosted elements, such as doors and windows, and set their height and other properties.

Appreciate how to create floor and roof elements by sketching their boundaries and choosing their types.

Suggested Exercises

Exercise 1.1.1: Modeling Exterior and Interior Walls

In this exercise, students will learn how to:

Create walls by picking their location line and sketching them in a plan view.

Change the orientation of walls that have been placed.

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Video Tutorial

Unit1_Lesson1_Tutorial1.mp4

Student Exercise

Unit1_Lesson1_Exercise1_Start.rvt

Continue adding exterior and interior walls to the building model shown in the video tutorial, using the underlay drawing as a guide to determine their location.

Open the Ground Floor plan view.

Create new exterior walls using the Generic 8" (.20 m) wall type. Place the walls by setting the location line to Finish Face:Exterior and tracing the outer edge of the walls shown in the underlay drawing.

Add new interior walls using the Generic 3" (.08 m) wall type. Place the walls by setting the location line to either the Finish Face:Exterior or Finish Face:Interior and tracing the corresponding edge of the walls shown in the underlay drawing.

Figure 1.1.2. Completed exterior walls of residence

Figure 1.1.1. Placing exterior walls

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Exercise 1.1.2: Adding Doors and Windows


Add doors and windows to a building model by choosing their type and placing components in host walls.

Change door and window placement.

Change door and window height properties.

Video Tutorial


Student Exercise


Continue adding interior and exterior doors to the building model shown in the video tutorial at the locations indicated the underlay drawing. The door types and sizes needed are shown in the legend that appears in the plan view.

Add windows to the east exterior wall at the locations indicated in the underlay drawing. Use the window types and sizes shown in the window type legend that appears in the plan view.

Set the head height property for all windows to be 7 feet (2.13 m).

Figure 1.1.4. Door and window elements placed in the project model

Figure 1.1.3. Adding window elements with proper height

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Exercise 1.1.3: Creating Floors and Roofs


Create roofs based on the building footprint.

Sketch a roof boundary and selecting the slope-defining edges.

Set the roof level and slope instance properties.

Video Tutorial


Student Exercise


Open the Living Area Roof Level plan view.

Create a new roof over the living areas of the project model by tracing the footprint indicated by the red model lines that appear in the view. These lines show the outer boundary of the roof, and all edges should be slope-defining with a slope of 3"/12" (14.04 degrees).

Open the Carport Roof Level plan view.

Place a flat roof over the carport area by tracing the outer boundary indicated by the blue model lines shown in the view.

Figure 1.1.5. Creating a basic roof and choosing slope-defining edges

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Figure 1.1.6. Finished sloping and flat roof over the project model

Assessment

Modeling Walls and Columns

If a wall is connected to other walls, how will moving one affect the others?

Moving a wall will typically affect other walls to which it is joined. The other walls will stretch or shrink to try to maintain the connection.

If two walls have been constrained using a locked dimension, then movements to one wall will be mirrored in the second wall to maintain the distance specified in the constraint.

What methods can you use to resize a wall?

You can select a wall and then drag on the blue dots that appear at its ends to stretch or reduce the length a wall. You can also enter a new value into the temporary dimension that appears when a wall is selected.

If you want to extend a wall to meet another wall, the trim tool offers an easy way to quickly and precisely join two walls.

Adding Doors and Windows

What do the temporary dimensions for a door or window element typically show?

By default, the temporary dimensions show the distance between the center of the door or window to the nearest adjacent wall or the nearest door or window. You can change the temporary dimension preferences for a project to show the distance to the edges of the door or window (rather than the center).

How can you indicate the hinge side and the flip of a door as you are placing it? After it has been placed?

As you place new doors, you can indicate the direction that the door will swing into by hovering the cursor near the face of the wall on the interior side of the door. The hinge side of a door can be changed by pressing the space bar.

After a door is placed, you can select a door and small blue arrows appear that enable you to quickly change the flip orientation and hinge side.

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When you place doors or windows in 3D views, how is the level associated with them determined?

When you place doors or windows in 3D views, Revit tries to determine the appropriate level based on the closest level below the sill of the door or window. Often, this is a good assumption, but sometimes, it yields unexpected results

For this reason, it is typically better to place doors and windows precisely in plan views (which implicitly specifies the associated level), and then adjust their height settings in the properties palette.

Creating Floors and Roofs

When you create a roof by footprint, how is the shape of each of the roof surfaces determined?

The shape of footprint roofs is determined by the intersection of the sloping planes that are created for each of the slope-defining edges specified.

The location and angle of the hip or valley intersections between the planes is determined by the relative angles of each plane. When two planes of equal slope intersect, the boundary between the planes typically creates a 45-degree angle with the roof edge. When planes of unequal slope intersect, the angle varies to resolve the difference.

The location of the roof ridge lines are determined by the distance from the roof edges and the slope of each surface.

What determines the roof slope?

The primary considerations for roof slopes are functional, such as drainage or snow removal. Once those requirements are met, adding slope is purely a matter of architectural style.

Flat roofs are rarely completely flat, but typically have a slope of 1"/12" (4.76 degrees) to provide needed drainage. For example, ranch houses and prairie school houses typically feature very low slopes: 3" or 4" in 12" (14.04 or 18.43 degrees). For taller roof styles, such as Tudor houses, roofs can be 6"9" in 12" (26.57 to 36.87 degrees). Finally, A-frames are even greater than 12" in 12" (45 degrees).

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Key Terms The following key terms were used in this lesson:

Key Term Definition

Type Properties Properties are common to many elements in a family. A type property affects all instances (individual elements) of that family in the project and any future instances that you place in the project.

Instance Property Properties that apply to individual instances (elements) of a family type in the project. Instance properties tend to vary with the location of an element in a building or project. An instance property affects only one selected element, or the element that you are about to place.

Project Views Different views of the model, such as plan, elevation, section, and 3D views.

Boundary Lines The outer limits or edges of many building elements, such as stairs, floors, or roofs.

Sill Height The measurement from the floor up to the bottom of the rough opening or sill of a door or window.

Head Height The measurement from the floor to the top of the rough opening or head of a door or window.


Autodesk BIM Curriculum 2011 Instructor Guide Unit 1: BIM Modeling Basics Lesson 2: Building Envelope

Lesson 2: Building Envelope Lesson Overview In this lesson, students will explore how to use the Autodesk Revit Architecture software to place and work with the elements that compose a building envelope. They will learn how to:

Model wall types and design features.

Create new wall types and edit their structure.

Place and adjust the properties of doors, windows, and wall openings.

Create roofs with different shapes and slopes.

Modeling Walls Types, Structures, and Design Features

All walls placed in a building model have a wall type associated with them. The wall type includes a definition of the layers and materials that determine the thickness of the wall, so choosing the correct type for every wall is very important for creating accurate building models.

As you place new walls in your model, Autodesk Revit software automatically chooses the same type as the last wall created. You can accept this type or choose a different wall type using the Type Selector. You can also change the wall type after walls have been placed, but it is typically more efficient and better practice to choose the proper wall type as you place new walls.

You can create new wall types to model materials and wall assemblies that are needed for your design. And you can specify settings that determine the height of the top and bottom of the wall in the Properties palette.

Placing Doors, Windows, and Wall Openings

In Revit, doors, windows, and wall openings are modeled as components that are hosted by walls. You place these elements by opening the Door tool, Window tool, or Wall Opening tool, and then placing the component in a wall that has already been modeled.

While they are similar in many ways, the specific pieces contained in each type of component differ slightly because they include unique parts needed to perform their architectural functions:

Door components cut an opening in a wall, which is filled by a door frame and one or more swinging, sliding, or folding door panels. Many door types also include interior and exterior trim.

Window components cut an opening in a wall, which is filled by a window frame and one or more swinging or sliding sash panels. Many window types also include interior and exterior trim.

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Wall openings cut an opening in a wall, but include no panels or other parts to fill the openings. Wall opening components are also available in the Revit Library to create nonrectangular shapes, and some components include trim.

You can change the sizes of doors and windows by choosing different types in the Type Selector or duplicating an existing type and changing its dimension properties to create a new size.

Doors and windows can be placed individually, or you can use arrays to quickly place many components using an even spacing. All of the elements in the array will be identical to the first and be spaced evenly along the length of the array.

After placing a door, window, or opening, you can adjust its:

Horizontal placementby dragging the element along the wall or adjusting the temporary dimensions to precisely place it.

Vertical placementby adjusting the Header or Sill height properties.

Orientationby selecting the element and clicking its control arrows to flip the exterior and interior sides.

Hinge side (for doors only) and swingby selecting the element and clicking its control arrows to change the location of the hinge and the direction that the panels swing.

Creating Roof with Different Shapes and Slopes

The Roof by Footprint tool in Revit enables you to create roofs with many different shapes and forms by sketching or picking the roof boundary and specifying which edges of the roof should create sloping roof planes. Using this tool, you can create model the common roof shapes typical of most architectural styles, for example:

Hip roofsall roofs edges are slope-defining.

Gable roofssome roof edges are not slope-defining, and gable end walls appear at these edges.

Shed roofsone roof edge is slope-defining.

Flat roofsno roof edges are slope-defining.

You can also build up more complex roof shapes by creating several independent roof elements to model gambrel roofs, mansard roofs, clerestory roofs, and dormer roofs. Where the edge of one roof intersects the face of another roof, you can join them to automatically determine the geometry of the intersection.

Revit also provides a Roof by Extrusion tool that enables you to create roof surfaces by extruding a surface from a sketched roof profile. This tool provides great flexibility for creating roofs that cannot be defined using simple sloped planes, for example a curving roof or barrel vault.


Understand the methods for changing wall types and for creating new wall types with specific structures and design features.

Appreciate the techniques of placing doors and windows both in regular patterns and with appropriate height properties.

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Explore methods for creating simple and complex roof elements modeling a variety of roof shapes and forms.

Suggested Exercises

Exercise 1.2.1: Modeling Wall Types, Structures, and Design Features


Edit a walls constraints and instance properties.

Define a walls structure and adjust the material wrapping settings.

Add design features to a wall, such as sweeps and reveals.

Use and modify stacked wall types.

Edit wall boundaries to create custom shapes.

Video Tutorial


Student Exercise


Select and change all of the exterior walls in the project model to wall types that more accurately model an actual construction assembly. Change the type from Generic 8" (0.20 m) to Exterior Brick.

Create a new wall Type called Wood Panel Wall and specify the following structure starting from the exterior side:

o Finish 2 [5] layer of Horizontal Panel Wood with 1/2" (13 mm) thickness. This layer wraps.

o Structure [1] layer of Stud Layer Wood with 1 5/8" (41 mm) thickness. o Finish 2 [5] layer of Horizontal Panel Wood with 1/2" (13 mm)

thickness. This layer wraps.

Change all the interior walls to this new wall type Wood Panel Wall.

Figure 1.2.1. Regular walls and stacked walls with edited boundaries

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Also change the exterior living room walls indicated on the Ground Floor plan view with the text annotation Panel to the Wood Panel Wall.

Open the default 3D view, and select the interior walls that protrude through the roof. Attach these walls to the base of the roof.

Figure 1.2.2. Residence with newly specified interior and exterior wall types

Exercise 1.2.2: Adding Doors, Windows, and Wall Openings


Place windows and doors and change their location using temporary dimensions.

Use arrays to quickly place groups of regularly spaced windows.

Use the Group and Associate array option.

Edit door and window instance properties.

Create new window and door types.

Create wall openings.

Video Tutorial


Figure 1.2.3. Placing windows and setting their properties

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Student Exercise


Open the plan view of the project model and zoom in to focus on the living room area, which features a row of doors on the east side and a row of windows on the west side.

Change the views display style to wireframe so you can easily see the underlay drawing indicating the locations of the doors and windows to be placed.

Place a Double-Glass type door at one end of the east wall, and then array it to create three instances as shown in Figure 1.2.4. Use the underlay drawing to determine the position of the first door you are placing, and use the width of the door as the distance between elements of the array.

Create a similar array of Casement Dbl with Trim type windows in the dining and bedroom areas as shown in Figure 1.2.5. Use the underlay drawing to determine the position of the first window and use the width of the window as the distance between elements of the array.

Figure 1.2.4. Arrayed doors in the living room area

Figure 1.2.5. Arrayed windows in the dining area

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Exercise 1.2.3: Creating Roof Shapes


Create roofs by specifying their footprint and adjusting their properties.

Modify a roof footprint and slope-defining edges to fine-tune the shape and create various roof shapes and forms.

Create a custom roof form by extruding a roof surface from a sketched profile.

Video Tutorial


Student Exercise


Create a new roof by footprint over the triangular main living area of the project model. Trace the red model lines in the Roof Living & Bedrooms plan view as the boundary of the roof and specify that all edges will be slope-defining. The slopes to use are indicated in the text annotations on the view.

Create another roof by footprint over the southeast bedroom wing by tracing the green and blue model lines in the plan view. All edges of this roof should be specified as slope-defining, except for the green boundary (as this edge will be joined with the living area roof). The slopes to use for each edge are indicated in the text annotations.

Join the non-sloping edge of this bedroom area roof to the closest face of the living area roof to create a single roof as shown in Figure1.2.7.

Figure 1.2.6. A roof created by extruding a surface from a sketched profile

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Figure 1.2.7. Roof composed of several joined roof elements

Assessment

Modeling Wall Types, Structures, and Design Features

How is the total thickness of a wall type computed?

The total wall thickness is determined by adding thickness to each of the different layers that make up the wall assembly.

How can changing a walls type affect the clear space between adjacent walls?

Changing a walls type typically changes the wall thickness, and this can change the space available between adjacent walls. Where the thickness will be added depends on the location line setting of the wall.

In a typical residence, what locations are most critically affected by the wall thickness?

Narrow hallways, closets, bathrooms, or anywhere where the space provided is close to the minimum clearances required.

Adding Doors, Windows, and Wall Openings

Do the doors and windows move with the walls?

Doors and windows will automatically move when their hosting wall moves.

They can also move within a wall if constraints have been set up that link their position to other objects (for example, intersecting walls or nearby doors or windows).

Windows do not change location if the wall length or height is resized.

Do doors and windows automatically adapt to the thickness of the host wall?

Yes. The elements (frames, jambs, sills, and so forth) of the door and window components typically resize themselves based on the thickness of the hosting wall.

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What happens if the boundary of the door or window exceeds the extents of the wall?

Generally, Revit will allow you to place doors and windows as long as the placement pointtypically at the center of the windowis within a wall.

If a wall is a resized such that the placement point falls outside the new boundary of the wall, Revit will report an error saying that it cannot cut the wall opening and will remove the window.

Can you place a door at a height above or below the associated floor level?

Most doors offer a sill height instance property that enables you to specify an offset above or below a floor level.

Creating Roof Shapes

What would be the method for creating a barrel vault roof?

Barrel vaults are best modeled using a roof by extrusion. The profile can be sketched as an arc or semicircle, and then extruded to form the length of the roof.

How about a dome?

Dome roofs are more difficult to create. One strategy is to create an in-place component that revolves an arc segment around a vertical axis. Unlike roof by extrusion, the profile to be revolved must be a closed loop indicating the thickness of the roof.

How would you model a sloping roof surface surrounding a lower flat roofa strategy often used to conceal utilities and mechanical equipment?

This sloping roof form could be generated using roof by footprint, specifying two boundariesthe outer and inner edges of the roof. The outer boundary is typically specified as slope-defining, whereas the inner boundary is not, to create roof planes that slope up from the exterior.

What can you do if Revit reports that it cannot create a roof by footprint using the boundary sketched?

When Revit reports that it cannot create the roof by footprint, this indicates that geometry specified in the sketch and slope configuration is physically impossible to create. First create a simpler shape (with fewer slope-defining edges and equal eave widths) and then iteratively edit the boundary sketch to add in complexity and details.


Key Term Definition

Stacked Wall A wall that has two or more horizontal layers, each consisting of different materials and surfaces.

Wall Sweep A horizontal or vertical projection from a wall, often decorative in nature. Examples of wall sweeps include baseboards and crown molding.

Revolve Solid geometry that turns (revolves) around an axis. For example, you can use the Revolve tool to design a dome roof, a column, or door knobs.

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Reveal A decorative cutout in a wall.

Slope Defining Characteristic referring to a roof edges role in defining the roof slope.


Autodesk BIM Curriculum 2011 Instructor Guide Unit 1: BIM Modeling Basics Lesson 3: Curtain Systems

Lesson 3: Curtain Systems Lesson Overview In this lesson, students explore techniques for working with curtain walls and the elements that define a complete curtain systempanels, grids, and mullions. They will learn how to:

Specify the layout and spacing of the curtain wall elements for new curtain wall systems and how to modify existing ones.

Explore the design options available for customizing grid patterns, panel materials, and panel types.

Curtain Wall Elements

Curtain walls provide separation between spaces, but typically do not support structural loads. They are often used to create very sleek, modern exterior skins for buildings or to separate interior spaces where high visibility is desired (for example, between a lobby and a conference room).

Curtain walls are composed of:

Panelsoften made of glass, but a wide variety of materials can be used

Gridshorizontal and vertical divisions that subdivide the wall

Mullionsmembers that frame the panels and provide support for the weight of the panels as well as resistance to wind and other lateral loads

Designing Curtain Grid Patterns

Curtain walls are created using Autodesk Revit softwares Wall tool and placed using the same techniques as other wall types. The key difference is that you must choose one of the special curtain wall types (which are listed after the basic wall types) from the Type Selector in the Properties palette.

When creating a curtain wall, you can:

Create a single wall panel that you will manually subdivide by adding grids and mullions to it.

Use a previously defined curtain wall type that specifies the grid pattern and mullion types as part of the type definition.

Regardless of which method you use to create a curtain wall, you can easily modify (add, remove, or move) grids and change the mullions as desired to accurately model your design.

Figure 1.3.1. Curtain system elementspanels, grids, and mullions

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You specify a curtain walls horizontal and vertical grid layout (as well as the mullions to be placed at the panel and wall edges) by editing its type and instance properties. You set the pattern for each direction independently, and the layout options include:

Nonecreates no grids.

Fixed numberdivides the wall into panels of equal size. The number of panels is set as an instance property each wall.

Fixed distanceplaces grids at the fixed distance specified. Smaller panels will be created at the beginning or end of the pattern if the total length to be divided is not an even multiple of the distance specified.

Maximum spacingdivides the wall into panels of equal size that are as big as possible without exceeding the maximum specified.

Minimum spacingdivides the wall into panels of equal size that are as small as possible but that are no smaller than the minimum specified.

Adjusting Grids and Mullions

You can edit the grid layout of existing curtain wallsadding, removing, or moving entire grids or selected segmentsusing the Curtain Grid tool.

With the Curtain Grid tool selected, you hover the cursor over the horizontal or vertical edges of a curtain panel, and Revit suggests potential grid locations that would divide it into even increments (for example, halves or thirds). You can also align curtain grids to other elements in your model by snapping to faces, reference planes, or levels.

When adding curtain grids to a wall, you can use placement options to:

Add grid lines across all segments (the entire face).

Add grid lines to one segment (a single panel).

Add grid lines across all segments except ones that you pick to exclude.

Use the Mullion tool to place mullions on any grid line segment, on an entire grid lines, or on all of the curtain walls grid lines and boundaries.

To make editing curtain grids and mullions easier, choose an elevation or 3D view that displays the horizontal and vertical grid layout.

Creating and Using Curtain Panel Types

When you create a curtain wall using a type-defined layout or add grids using the Curtain Grid tool, Revit subdivides the wall into curtain panels with the same type properties.

By default, curtain panels are set to a type named Glazed, which specifies a transparent glass material. You change a curtain panels type by selecting it and choosing another type from the Type Selector.

You can also create new curtain panel types to model panels with different properties (for example, different colors, materials, or transparencies) by duplicating an existing type and setting the material properties to create the desired effect.

Placing Doors in Curtain Systems

Curtain wall systems behave like basic walls in many ways, but one key difference is that they cannot host standard door objects.

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You add doors to curtain walls in Revit by replacing curtain panel elements (which are typically stationary or fixed) with a special panel type that provides door functionality.

Before replacing a fixed curtain panel with a door panel type, you should adjust the curtain grid lines by adding or removing segments to create a panel with dimensions that match the size of the desired door panel.


Explore new design alternatives made possible through the use of curtain panels.

Combine different techniques and components in order to create a functional curtain system.

Investigate the best way to divide curtain walls for various applications.

Suggested Exercises

Exercise 1.3.1: Creating Curtain Walls


Create new curtain walls.

Change the type of an existing wall to a curtain wall.

Adjust the placement and orientation of curtain walls.

Define curtain wall type properties to automatically place curtain grids and mullions.

Video Tutorial


Figure 1.3.2. Creating new curtain walls

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Student Exercise


Create a new curtain wall type called Residence NorthWall by changing the type of the exterior wall at the north side of the residence to Curtain Wall 2, duplicating it, and renaming it.

Adjust the type properties of the north wall to specify a layout with a fixed number of panels as the vertical and horizontal grid pattern, then adjust the instance properties in order to create a grid layout that matches the pattern shown in Figure 1.3.3.

Figure 1.3.3. Initial curtain grid layout on the north side of the residence

Exercise 1.3.2: Adjusting Grid Lines


Add new grids to existing curtain walls.

Edit existing curtain grid lines and segments.

Add mullions to curtain grid lines.

Pin and unpin curtain system elements to prevent or allow changes to the layout.

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Video Tutorial


Student Exercise


Modify the curtain wall on the north side of the residence by adding and removing curtain grid lines to match the pattern shown in Figure 1.3.5.

Complete the design by adding mullions to all the grid lines on the north wall.

Figure 1.3.5. New grids and mullions in curtain grid layout on the north side of the residence

Exercise 1.3.3: Choosing and Creating Curtain Panel Types


Select individual curtain wall panels.

Figure 1.3.4. Pinning curtain system elements

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Change curtain wall panels to different types.

Select multiple curtain wall panels to be modified at once.

Create new curtain panel types and specifying their properties.

Video Tutorial


Student Exercise


Change the indicated curtain panels on the north wall of the residence (shown in Figure 1.3.7) from glazed panels to a new type called Solid White.

Create a new panel type for panel 2 by editing its current type, renaming it Solid Gray, and assigning it the material named Gray Panel.

Create a new panel type for panel 17 by editing its current type, renaming it Wood Dark, and assigning it the material named Wood Panel Dark.

Figure 1.3.6. Specifying curtain panel type properties

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Figure 1.3.7. Panels to be changed in curtain grid layout on the north side of the residence

Exercise 1.3.4: Placing Doors in Curtain Walls


Adjust curtain grid segments to create a panel with the dimensions for a desired door opening.

Change a curtain wall panel element into a single or double door.

Video Tutorial


Student Exercise


Modify the curtain grid segments on the south side of the studio to match the layout shown in Figure 1.3.9. The width of the new door panel should be three times the width of the adjacent fixed panel to the right.

Figure 1.3.8. Changing a curtain panel to a single door

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Change the door panel to the type called Curtain Wall Single Door Wood and change the remaining panel types as needed to match the appearance shown in Figure 1.3.9.

Figure 1.3.9. Wooden door panel in grid layout on the south side of the studio

Assessment

Designing Curtain Grid Patterns

How would you specify a curtain walls properties to create vertical gridlines that are equally spacedfor example, 5 feet (1.5 m) aparton all sides of a building regardless of wall length?

Equally spaced gridlines can be created by editing a curtain walls type properties. By select the Fixed Distance option for the vertical grid pattern layout and assigning a spacing, the new condition will be met for all walls using this wall type.

To change how excess wall is distributed if the wall length is not evenly divisible by the desired spacing, you can change the justification instance property for each wall separately.

How would you specify panels of equal size but no larger than 10 feet (3.0 m) wide?

By changing the vertical grid layout to the Maximum Spacing option, you can set a target spacing that will not be exceeded. This option will evenly divide a curtain wall until the actual spacing is close to the desired spacing, leaving no need for a justification option.

If you change the grid pattern layout and spacing rules for an existing curtain wall type, are the walls that have already been placed updated using the new rules?

Yes. If the type properties of a curtain wall have been changed, all walls that have been assigned to that type will be updated. However, if instance properties are changed, only the wall being edited will be changed.

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Adjusting Grids and Mullions

Would it be easier to start by specifying a regular pattern in the curtain walls type properties, then modify it? Or would it be better to manually subdivide the wall by adding curtain grids individually?

If a pattern is simple, or it is to be repeated on multiple walls, then it would be easier to specify a regular pattern in the type properties. If only minor adjustments to the pattern are going to be made, then assigning a regular pattern may again prove to be helpful.

However, if each wall is extremely different, or the desired pattern is extremely complex, it may be easier to start from scratch instead of with a predefined pattern.

What types of patterns cannot be made using the layout options in the curtain wall type properties?

Vertical and horizontal grid lines can be placed at angles, offset, added, or removed, however, there is no option to create circular or curved grid lines.

How do you change the mullion properties (for example, the profile or the material) for a curtain wall type?

If the mullions are placed using the curtain walls type properties, then the mullion properties cannot be changed. We are only able to select a new, existing type within the curtain walls type properties.

If mullions are placed separately, they can be selected, changed, duplicated, and altered just like most other components in Revit.

Creating and Using Curtain Panel Types

What types of materials are typically used in curtain wall panels?

Glazing, which usually refers to glass or plastic finishes, typically make up curtain wall panels since they usually have a wide range of transparency properties that can be used for different applications. However, almost all materialssuch as metal cladding, stone veneer, and woodcan be used as curtain wall panels.

How are opaque or semitransparent panels used in a curtain wall designs?

Absolute transparency is not always needed in curtain walls. Opaque and semitransparent panels can be used architecturally to create private spaces such as meeting rooms or bathrooms. They can also simply add flare to a building by adding more variety to a design.

Can you create an open panel (with no material) in a curtain wall system?

It is not possible to delete a panel, but it is possible to change the type to an Empty System Panel, which is a panel type that lacks a material.

Placing Doors in Curtain Systems

Do curtain wall door panels behave like standard door types? Can you change the orientation or swing direction using standard door editing techniques? Do they appear in door schedules?

Yes. Once placed, doors in curtain walls act as any other door. They appear in schedules and their orientation and swing can be changed. However, you cannot drag them into another location like a typical door. Instead, to relocate a door, a new panel must be created and changed into a curtain wall door panel type.

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What other types of operable panels would be useful in a curtain wall? For ventilation? For shading?

Besides doors, curtain walls can include windows or sun shading devices.


Key Term Definition

Curtain Wall A system of panels, grids, and mullions, typically architectural and nonload bearing, used to separate spaces.

Panels Individual curtain wall sections, often made of glass, but a wide variety of materials can be used.

Grids Horizontal and vertical divisions that subdivide the wall into panels.

Mullions Members that frame the panels and provide support for the weight of the panels as well as resistance to wind and other lateral loads.


Autodesk BIM Curriculum 2011 Instructor Guide Unit 1: BIM Modeling Basics Lesson 4: Interiors and Circulation

Lesson 4: Interiors and Circulation Lesson Overview In this lesson, students explore techniques for creating several types of common circulation elements for multistory buildings, including stairs, elevators, and ramps. They will learn how to:

Create simple examples demonstrating circulation techniques.

Edit and customize elements as needed to model more complex conditions.

Add railings at floor edges and around floor openings.

Creating Simple Stairs and Ramps

As shown in Figure 1.4.1, stairs are typically composed of many elements, including:

Treadsthe the horizontal surfaces that you step on.

Risersthe vertical surfaces between the treads.

Stringersthe supports for the treads and risers, which can be located at the sides of the stair or in the center (underneath the treads and risers).

Railingson one or both sides of the stair.

Using Autodesk Revit softwares Stair tool, specify a few key characteristics, and Revit automatically creates a stair with all of these elements.

The simplest way to create a stair is to:

Specify the essential properties that set the height and length of the stairthe levels of the top and bottom of the stair.

Sketch the run linean imaginary line that specifies the direction and length of each stair section.

Revit automatically calculates the number of risers required to connect the top and bottom levels and reports the number of risers created as you sketch the run line.

Ramps are created in a similar way using the Ramp tool, which also appears in the Circulation panel of the Home tab:

Specify the top and bottom levels.

Sketch the run line.

Figure 1.4.1. Stair elementstreads, risers, stringers, and railings

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Revit automatically calculates the length of the ramp required using a slope of 1/12 for accessibility, but you can customize this slope as needed.

Modeling Custom Stair Shapes

You can change a stair in many ways to fit your requirements and the space available:

Use the Move or Rotate tool to reposition or reorient the stair.

Alter the stair properties (for example, the number of risers, tread length, or stair width) in the Properties palette.

Edit the sketch that defines the stairs layout to change the boundary shape or the placement and shape of the risers.

You can also sketch curved run lines to create curved or spiral stairs. When creating spiral stairs, keep in mind that a curved stair run is limited to a rotation of 360. If you need to model a stair with greater rotation, create several segments, then move and join them to create a continuous run.

Modeling Floor and Ceiling Openings and Adding Railings

While the Stairs tool automatically creates all of the stair elements needed to connect between two levels, it does not cut openings in the floors or ceilings that separate those levels. You can create these openings in two ways:

Use the Edit Boundary tool and adjust the floor or ceiling boundary sketch to include the layout of the opening.

Place a vertical opening or shaft opening element.

When creating stairs and ramps, Revit automatically adds railings to these circulation elements for safety. You can use the Railings tool to adjust these railings or add new ones in locations where they are needed:

Around floor openings

At exposed edges of floors and balconies

Modeling Elevators and Shafts

Modeling an elevator in the Revit software requires several steps:

Placing an elevator component

Creating a vertical shaft to cut openings in floors and ceilings

Adding walls around the elevator shaft

Cutting openings in the shaft walls for the doors on each floor

If an elevator component is not included into your model, you can load one from an external library.

The Shaft Opening tool is especially useful for modeling elevators because it can cut a vertical opening through many floors, ceilings, and roofs. When you move or modify the boundary of a shaft opening, the changes are automatically updated on every level.


Determine the necessity of circulation elements in a structure and evaluate various options.

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Explore the architectural and spatial advantages of creating stairs of different shapes and sizes.

Suggested Exercises

Exercise 1.4.1: Creating a Stair and Ramp


Create stairs by sketching run lines.

Flip a stair direction and move a stair into place.

Create stairs with multiple runs and complex layouts (for example, L-shaped, U-shaped, and curved stairs).

Create and modify ramps.

Video Tutorial


Student Exercise


Create a new stair from the first floor of the studio to the second floor meeting space using Figure 1.4.3 and the view called Studio Stair 3D as guides.

Figure 1.4.2. Sketch of the run, boundary, and riser lines for an L-shaped stair

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Figure 1.4.3. Stair from first to second floor in the studio

Create an L-shaped ramp with two runs and no railings connecting the deck at the first floor level to the parking area, which is 1'9" (0.53 m) below ground level, using Figure 1.4.4 and the default 3D view as a guide.

Figure 1.4.4. Ramp from the concrete deck to the parking area

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Exercise 1.4.2: Modeling Custom Stairs


Edit the sketch to change the stair boundary and shape of the risers.

Change stair and rail types.

Modify the steepness of a stair by adjusting the settings in the Properties palette.

Create and edit a spiral stair.

Video Tutorial


Student Exercise


Replace the stair created in the previous exercise with a new steeper stair with only 16 risers:

o Open the Stairs tool, edit the type properties, choose the Residential Open Riser type, duplicate it, and rename the new type Residential Open Riser Steep.

o Set the properties for this new type to allow a maximum riser height of 9" (0.23 m) and a minimum tread depth of 9" (0.23 m) then create a new stair using this type to replace the old one.

o Change the railing on the stair to Handrail Pipe. Create a spiral stair with 15 risers and run radius of 2'-0" (0.60 m) to connect

the first and second floor of the residence:

o Open the Stairs tool and duplicate the Residential Open Riser type again, renaming the new type to Residential Open Riser Spiral.

o Set the maximum riser height to 10" (0.25 m) and the minimum tread depth to 11" (0.28 m).

o Using the curved run line option, try sketching a spiral stair using this type. The sketch cannot be completed, because the rotation required exceeds 360.

Figure 3.4.2.Example of a photovoltaic potential

Figure 1.4.5. Sketch of the modified boundary and riser lines for a custom stair layout

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o Change the instance properties for this stair to set the Actual Tread Depth property to 10" (0.25 m). This value will override the minimum value specified in the type properties.

o Resketch the spiral stair using these new properties and move it to the location shown in Figure 1.4.6.

Figure 1.4.6. Placement of spiral stair in the residence

Change the spiral stairs railing to Handrail Pipe and add a center pole as shown in Figure 1.4.7 using the views First Floor Spiral Stair and Second Floor Spiral Stair as guides.

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Figure 1.4.7. Spiral stair with pipe railing and center column

Exercise 1.4.3: Creating a Floor Opening


Cut an opening to allow stairs to pass through floors.

Calculate the head height of stairways.

Modify floor openings.

Create railings.

Modify the physical properties of railings.

Video Tutorial


Figure 1.4.8. Adding railings around floor openings

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Student Exercise


Create an opening in the second floor of the residence at the top of the spiral as shown in Figure 1.4.9 and add railings of the type Guardrail Pipe as shown in Figure 1.4.10.

Figure 1.4.9. Floor opening for spiral stair

Figure 1.4.10. Railing around opening

Exercise 1.4.4: Creating an Elevator


Place an elevator component.

Add walls to enclose the elevator.

Cut an elevator shaft that spans all levels.

Provide openings in the shaft walls to access the elevator at each floor.

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Video Tutorial


Student Exercise


Place the Electric_Lift elevator component in the studio near the stair placed in an earlier exercise.

Add 6" (0.15 m) generic walls to the first and second floors as needed to enclose the elevator with shaft walls.

Use the Shaft Opening tool to cut an opening from the first floor to the roof within the shaft walls and place wall openings on the south shaft wall to provide access to the elevator.

Add a guardrail at the edge of the second floor slab between the west exterior wall and the new elevator shaft walls. Use the view Second Floor Elevator to see the progression of the elevator.

Figure 1.4.12. Finished elevator with opening in shaft wall

Figure 1.4.11. Placing an elevator component and walls to enclose the shaft

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Assessment

Creating Simple Stairs and Ramps

How does changing the riser height affect the number of risers required and as the number of risers changes, what happens to the overall length of the stair?

Increasing the riser height decreases the total number of risers needed since each step provides a larger gain in elevation. If we assume a constant tread depth, the total length of the stair decreases. This method essentially increases the slope of the stair.

If you need to shorten (or lengthen) the total run of a stair, which properties can you change to accomplish this?

To shorten a stair, increase the riser height and decrease the tread depth. To lengthen a stair, decrease the riser height and increase the tread depth.

What are the required properties of a wheelchair-accessible ramp as specified by the Americans with Disabilities Act?

The ADA defines regulations for ramps in section 4.7 and 4.8 of their Standards for Accessible Design. In general, the maximum slope for a ramp in new construction is 1:12 with a clear width of 36 inches (0.91 m).

Modeling Custom Stair Shapes

What is the typical relationship between tread length and riser height in a single family residence? For an exterior stair? Explain the difference.

Interior stairs in a typical residence typically have a riser height of about 7.25 inches (0.18 m) tall with a tread length of about 11 inches (0.28 m). For comfortable and safe use, the riser height and tread length should maintain the relationship: 2*Riser Height + 1*Tread Length = 2526" (0.64 to 0.66 m). Building codes in the United States limit the riser height to no more than 8 inches (0.20 m).

Exterior stairs are typically designed with a shorter riser height and a longer tread length to create a shallower slope. This reduction is appropriate for exterior conditions which are often slippery or wet.

What is the maximum riser height and minimum stair width allowed by todays building codes?

Except for spiral stairs and winders, risers may not exceed 8 inches in height measured vertically from tread to tread. Treads shall be at least 9-inches wide measured horizontally from nosing to nosing.

Modeling Floor and Ceiling Openings and Railings

How much clearance is required between the treads of a stair and the floor above (so users do not bump their heads)?

The required clearance between the treads of a stair and the floor above varies slightly based on the building code used. Typical values are 76 to 80 inches (1.93 to 2.03 m).

What can you do to a floor opening to increase the clearance provided?

You can enlarge a floor opening to increase the clearance between the floor and the treads of the stair below.

What are the key differences between a handrail and a guardrail?

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Handrails are generally defined as being used for guidance and support while the purpose of guardrails is to resist accidental falls. Handrail heights are commonly between 34" (0.86 m) and 38" (0.97 m), while guardrails are 42" (1.07 m) in height. There is often a requirement that a guardrail have a handrail included as well.

Handrails are required on stairs, and guardrails are required on balconies and around floor openings.

Modeling Elevators and Shafts

What are the advantages and disadvantages of creating floor openings with shaft opening elements versus editing the floor boundary?

By using the shaft opening tool, Revit automatically creates an opening extending through multiple surfaces. This is convenient when multiple boundaries must be edited because it eliminates the need to do each one separately.

The shaft tool creates problems when different shapes need to be created or when a different floor must extend into the shaft region. If part of a new floor or roof passes through a shaft region, it will not be displayed.

Why are stairs and elevators typically located very close to each other?

Both stairs and elevators are essential circulation elements and they must be easily located. If the elevators are nonoperational and in cases of emergency, the stairs should be easy to access from the elevator location.

It is also common to place elevators next to stairways since they both require continuous vertical shafts.


Key Term Definition

Treads The horizontal surfaces of the stair that you step on.

Risers The vertical surfaces of the stair between the treads.

Stringers The supports for the treads and risers, which can be located at the sides of the stair or in the center (underneath the treads and risers).


Autodesk BIM Curriculum 2011 Instructor Guide Unit 1: BIM Modeling Basics Lesson 5: Fixtures, Fittings, and Furniture

Lesson 5: Fixtures, Fittings, and Furniture In this lesson, students explore techniques for creating and adapting components to model fixtures, fittings, and furniture. They will learn how to:

Create in-place components to model project-specific elements and geometries.

Adapt existing component families to meet their needs by adding and removing forms as well as assigning materials.

Create new component families and add parameters that enable them to dynamically resize the components and change their materials.

Using Component Families

Autodesk Revit software enables you to use and create component families that can be easily modified to help meet the requirements of different projects. It offers great flexibility and to help increase your modeling productivity. You can easily change the parameters defined for existing component and create new types as needed with different dimensions, appearances, visibility, and performance characteristics. By creatively working with the parameters available, you can often adapt a single component family to model a wide variety of elements in your project.

Modeling In-Place Components

You can use the Model In-Place tool to create unique components when a suitable component family does not exist. The Model In-Place tool affords the designer flexibility and creativity in designing and specifying custom, one-of-a-kind components for use within a single project.

Revit software offers five methods to create model geometry:

Extrusionpushes or pulls a 2D Sketch Profile along z-axis of Work Plane that the sketch was created in.

Blend3D shape extrapolated from two 2D Sketch Profiles, one at bottom and another at top of shape, with blend depth determining transition between top and bottom shapes.

Revolvecreates 3D shape by revolving a 2D Sketch Profile about specified axis.

Sweepdrives a 2D Sketch Profile along a planar 2D Sketch Path.

Swept blend3D interpolation of two different 2D Sketch Profiles, each on located at opposite ends of a planar 2D Sketch Path.

These five methods can be combined to create almost any geometry required.

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Adapting Components to Fit Your Needs

You can adapt existing component families to model objects with similar geometries. This approach is especially effective when components are available that have many common characteristics but are not exactly what you need. Rather than starting from scratch, it is often easier to edit an existing component family and change only the parts that are different.

You can open an existing component family in Revit softwares family editor in two ways:

Open the Revit family file using the Open command in the Revit menu, then choose Family in the submenu.

Select an existing component placed in your project, then opening the Edit Family tool.

Either method opens the Revit family editor, where you can explore the existing forms (extrusions, blends, revolves, and sweeps) defined in the component and edit their properties as desired to create your component.

Be sure to save the adapted component using a new family with a new filename to avoid accidentally overwriting the existing version.

Creating New Families

You can also create new component families from scratch to model objects that cannot be easily adapted from an existing component.

You create new components by opening the Revit family file using the New command in the Revit menu, and then choose Family in the submenu. Choose a template from the library that determines the category and hosting conditions for your component, and then define the component using tools in the Revit family editor:

Reference planes to establish the key boundaries.

Dimensions and parameters to dynamically set their location.

Solid and void forms (extrusions, blends, revolves, and sweeps) to define the parts of the components.

Materials and parameters to dynamically assign them.

As you define new parametric components, plan the critical dimensions that will drive the geometry carefully. Be careful not to over-constrain the forms by locking too many dimensions or adding too many parametric constraints. This is a common pitfall, and Revit will warn you when all the constraints defined cannot be met. When this happens, examine the constraints that have been added carefully, determine which constraints are in conflict, and remove the constraints that are not truly needed.

Well-designed parametric components greatly improve your modeling efficiency, because they enable easy modification and repurposing by simply creating new types and adjusting the type and instance properties. While mastering the skills required to create new parametric component families can be challenging, the time is well invested and yields tremendous returns.


Understand when to create unique components when suitable component families do not exist.

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Explore the various techniques for creating custom geometry, including extrusions, blends, revolves, sweeps, and swept blends.

Appreciate the value of adapting existing components into custom components.

Understand the techniques for creating new parametric families from scratch and loading them into projects.

Suggested Exercises

Exercise 1.5.1: Modeling In-Place Components


Use the Model In-Place tool to create project specific custom forms.

Create simple extruded shapes and set the extrusions thickness and material properties.

Combine and resize extruded shapes to model common building elements, such as furniture objects.

Video Tutorial


Student Exercise


Open the Ground Floor plan view of the project model.

Create an in-place component to model a dining room table that fits the unique triangular geometry of the walls.

o Create the table using two separate extrusions: one for the table base and another for the table top. The table top should be 4 inches (0.10 m) thick with its top surface located 32 inches (0.81 m) off the floor. The table base should extend from the floor to the bottom of the table top.

o Choose a material for these extrusions that is similar to cherry wood.

Figure 1.5.1. Using the In-Place editor to model counters by extrusions

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Use the Place Component tool to place chair components of type Barrel around the custom table as shown in Figure 1.5.2.

Figure 1.5.2. In-place component for dining table with barrel chairs placed around it

Model a custom-shaped bed as an in-place component for the nonrectangular master bedroom as shown in Figure 1.5.3. Since the bed needs to conform to the irregular geometry of the walls, it requires a custom component.

Model this in-place component using three extruded shapes to represent the following parts: the bed platform, the mattress, and the headboard.

Use void forms to cut openings in the headboard for books and bedsides accessories.

Figure 1.5.3. In-place component for bed in master bedroom

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Exercise 1.5.2: Modifying a Family Definition


Utilize existing component families to adapt them for new uses.

Add new forms to the families and change the instance parameters.

Assign new materials and dimension properties.

Define new component family types and load them into a project.

Video Tutorial


Student Exercise


Edit the family of the floor lamp near the sofa in the living room of the residence to create a new one with a mid-century modern look.

Modify the lamp shade form:

o Save the component family using a new name to avoid overwriting the original. Name the new component Floor Lamp Modern.

o Delete the center pole element, which is defined as an extrusion. o Select the lamp shade, which is defined as a revolve.

Open the front elevation view, and edit the revolve. Change the sketch of the boundary lines to create a funnel shape as shown in Figure 1.5.5.

Figure 1.5.4. Defining new bed types by adapting an existing object

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Figure 1.5.5. Updated boundary sketch and revolved form for lamp shade

Modify the lamp base form:

o Select the lamp base, which is also defined as a revolve. o Open the front elevation view again, and edit the revolve. Change the

sketch of the boundary lines to create a cylinder shape as shown in Figure 1.5.6.

Figure 1.5.6. Updated boundary sketch and revolved form for lamp base

Add three legs to support the lamp shade:

o Open the front elevation view again, and create a new solid extrusion. o Sketch boundar

Documents

bim_unit-01_instructor_guide_2011_FINAL.pdf