Revit Structure Q&A

Revit Structure Q&A

• What is Revit Structure?
• What are the advantages of using Revit Structure?
• What are the files used in Revit Structure?
• What is Bidirectional Associativity in Revit Structure? 

1) What is Revit Structure?

Revit Structure is a purpose-built software for building information modelling. Traditional drafting CAD software represents the geometry of a design by using stylized symbols from designated illustrations. Some examples of these illustrations may be a series of plans, elevations, and sections. These illustrations are essentially independent of one another.  Building information modelling software represents a series of intelligent objects and elements such as walls, beams, schedules, and plan views. These objects and elements have parametric attributes. The information about these objects and elements is stored in a single-building model. You can extract any number of different views of the data from the model.

2) What are the advantages of using Revit Structure?

Revit Structure is normally used in structural design and building models. The BIM workflow offered by Revit Structure not only maximizes productivity but also optimizes design and documentation workflows. It speeds up project progress in design to completion, automating updates on the model with a single design change.

3) What are the files used in Revit Structure?

The files used by Revit Structure same as Revit Architecture are:

• RVT: Revit Project Files
• RFA: Revit family file
• RTE: Revit model file
• RFT: Revit family model file

4) What is Bidirectional Associativity in Revit Structure? 

Bidirectional associativity is the ability of the building information model to coordinate changes made in any view and propagate these changes to all other views. Bidirectional associativity is applied automatically to every component, view, and annotation. For example, a change in the size and location of a column is reflected in all plans, details, and schedules; all of which are associated with the column and influenced by the changes and are automatically adjusted. Revit helps ensure that plans, schedules, and building sections and elevations are immediately available, up-to-date, and accurate.  

Example of Bidirectional Associativity

• Flip a section line and all view updates
• Draw a wall in the plan and it appears in all other views, including material takeoffs
• Change a beam or column type in a schedule and the change propagates throughout the graphical and non-graphical views

For further learning, click HERE. Many thanks!

Practical Practices for Revit Structure Modeling

1. Minimize the use of Revit in-place families. Use preloaded families in the templates or your company project templates.
2. Minimize reference planes or delete it after use. For consideration, careful deletion because some reference planes are used as work plane otherwise name or tag the reference plane.
   
3. Maintain fewer and only essential links. Especially inserting CAD as an import symbol. 
4. Link only in current view. This is to avoid CAD links to show up in all views.
   
5. Work at Coarse detail level unless you are working with metallic structures.
6. When modelling, use families rather than groups. (Using groups to efficiently update repetitive elements)
7. Delete unused groups. And it can be done in Paragraph 9 using Purge command or directly from Project Browser.
8. When using copy/monitor. Make it sure that the element is ticked on structural otherwise it is hidden in all view. Further reading see here: https://pinoycadcoin.blogspot.com/2019/08/6-tips-and-tricks-why-revit-elements.html
   
   
   
   
   
9. Purge model files on a regular basis. Let's say weekly basis. Purge command is a way to reduce the model file size and increase user efficiency.
10. Eliminate unnecessary views from model files. Project browser it is like a project folder floating in your Revit. Be organize.
11. Use Propagate Extents for grids and levels (other option is copy to clipboard and paste/aligned to selected levels)
12. When linking Revit models use as underlay be sure to pin it and click the Select Links for disabling and accidental selecting the elements.

Thanks for reading folks!