Structural Grids and Columns ‘Structural grids describe the pattem and location for structural columns. Once you have placed columns, you are able to build the rest of the structural design. Learning Objectives in this Chapter + Add structural grids to provide the location for structural columns. + Add structural columns to the project as the first design consideration, © 2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® ot‘Autodesk Revit: Structure Fundamentals 5.1 Adding Structural Grids The structural grid indicates how to space the bays of a building and where to place columns, as shown in Figure 5-1. Any changes to the grid influences the elements that are referenced to them. Figure 51 + Each line or arc in a grid is a separate entity and can be placed, moved, and modified individually. + Grid and Level lines are very similar in how they are drawn and modified. How To: Create a Structural Grid 4. In the Structure tab>Datum panel, click 2 (Grid) or type GR. 2. Inthe Type Selector, select the Grid type which controls the size of the bubble and the linestyle. 3. In the Modify | Place Grid tab>Draw panel (shown in Figure 5-2) select the method you want to use. Figure 5-2 In the Options Bar, set the Offset if required. Continue adding grid lines as required, oe 52 (© 2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®‘Structural Grids and Columns Modifying Grid Lines * Grids can be drawn at any angle, but you should ensure that all parallel grids are drawn in the same direction (.e., from left to right, or from bottom to top). + When using the Multi-Segment tool (shown in Figure 5-3), sketch the line and click “ (Finish Edit Mode) to complete it Figure 5-3 Grid lines are very similar to Level lines. You can modify grid lines using controls, alignments, and temporary dimensions (as shown in Figure 5-4), or from the Properties palette and Type Selector. oo "Add Elbow a Temporary Dilnonsions ae @) Mignment Li | Figure 5-4 + To modify a grid number, double-click on the number in the bubble and type the new number. Grid numbers can be numbers, letters, or a combination of the two, + Grid numbers increment automatically. © 2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® 53‘Autodesk Revit: Structure Fundamentals Hint: Propagating Datum Extents | If column grids do not display in a view, this might be due to | adding a level after the grids were added. To display the grids in | plan views, select the grids in a view in which they are | displayed. In the Modify | Grids tab>Datum panel, click | Propagate Extents). In the Propagate datum extents dialog box (shown in Figure 5-5), select the views to project the | grid lines to. een ected Dab) yh Etre na he teeoee on Figure 5-5 + This also works for levels. . & (Propagate Extents) is particularly useful to make Grids display the same in all views. a4 (©2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®‘Structural Grids and Columns Practice 5a Estimated time for completion: 10 minutes In this case only the grids are available to copy into the project. If there were other elements, you could use the Filter command to limit the selection set. Add Structural Grids Practice Objectives ‘+ Copy and monitor grid tines from a linked architectural model. + Add additional structural grid lines. In this practice you will copy and monitor grid lines from a linked architectural model. You will then add additional grid lines where curved walls need extra support, as shown in Figure 5-6. Figure 5-6 Task 1 - Copy and monitor grids. ._ Open the project Syracuse-Suites-Grids-M.rvt. 2. Open the Structural Plans: 00 GROUND FLOOR view. 3. Start the Copy/Monitor command -and select the linked model. 4, In the Copy/Monitor tb>Tools pane, click “8 (Copy). 5. Inthe Options Bar, select Multiple. 6. Select all of the grids. You can select them one by one (hold as you do so) or use pick and drag from right to left to form a crossing window touching each one. 7. In the Options Bar, click Finish. 8. Close the Warning. © 2017, ASCENT - Conter for Technical Knowlodge® 5-5‘Autodesk Revit: Structure Fundamentals 9, Fd (Monitor) displays at each grid line, as shown in Figure 5-7. 410.In the Copy/Monitor tab>Copy/Monitor panel, click (Finish). ‘11, Navigate through the different floor plans. The Grids have populated throughout each floor plan, as shown in Figure 5-8. [ste 12. Open the Structural Plans: 00 GROUND FLOOR view. 13. Save the project. 56 © 2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®‘Structural Grids and Columns Task 2 - Add grid lines at arc points. 1. Inthe Structural Plans: 00 GROUND FLOOR view, zoom in on the south side of the floor plan, where the green outline shows two curves (curtain wall locations). Additional grids need to be placed at the midpoints and end points of the arcs to support the curtain wall. 2, Inthe Structure tab>Datum panel, click = (Grid). In the Modity| Place Grid tab>Draw panel, veiy that ~“” (Line) is selected, Select the end point of the arc on Grid G between Grid 2 and | Grid 3 and draw the vertical grid line, as shown in Figure 5-9. Figure 5-9 Draw the grid line until the blue alignment line displays, as shown above in Figure 5-9. This ensures the new bubbles stay locked in line with the other bubbles. © 2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® 87‘Autodesk Revit Structure Fundamentals 4. Once the grid is in place, rename it to 2.1. At the top end of the grid clear the check above the bubble to toggle it off. Then stretch the grid line up, as shown in Figure 5~10. Figure 5-10 Draw another vertical grid line at the midpoint of the same are, as shown in Figure 5~11. Rename the grid to 5.1. Use + (Add Etbow) to modify the bubble location. \ | | Figure 514 (© 2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®Structural Grids and Columns 6. Add grid lines to the end points of the second arc, as shown in Figure 5-12. When you are finished, there should be four new grids: 2.1, 5.1, 6.4, and 9.1. Figure 5-12 7. Clear the bubble and adjust the top ends of the grid lines to align them. 8. Zoom out to see the full layout. 9. Save the model. (©2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® 59‘Autodesk Revit: Structure Fundamentals Structural columns can be copied and monitored from linked files. 5.2 Placing Structural Columns ‘Adding columns to a structural model is a straightforward process. The Autodesk® Revit® software has a deep library containing standard steel structural shapes, as well as concrete structural shapes as shown in Figure 5~13. The software also keeps analytical data stored for each column that can be read by analytical software programs (such as Robot Structural Analysis, ETABS, RISA, and RAM). Figure 5-13 How To: Place Structural Columns © 4. Inthe Structure tab>Structure pane, cick J (Column). 2. Inthe Type Selector, select a column type. 5-10 (© 2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®Structural Grids and Columns: 3. In the Options Bar (as shown in Figure 5~14), set the following information: use ¥ (Fitter) to help you select only the architectural columns or grids for these options. Slanted columns are covered later in this student guide. Figure 5-14 + Depth or Height: Architects typically draw columns from the bottom up. + Level/Unconnected: Specify a level, or click Unconnected. If you select Unconnected, assign a distance. + Rotate after placement: Enables you to place the column and then graphically select a rotation angle. + Room bounding: (Concrete only) The column can be used to define the boundary of a room for area and volume calculations, To place individual columns, click at the required location, Columns automatically snap to grid lines and walls. To place multiple columns, inthe Modify | Place Structural Column tab>Muttiple panel, click: + 8 (At Columns) to place a structural column at the center of selected architectural columns. Select the architectural columns where you want the columns to be placed and then click “ (Finish) +E (at Grids) to piace structural columns at intersecting grids. Select the grid lines where you want the columns to be placed and then click “ (Finish.) © 2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® at‘Autodesk Revit: Structure Fundamentals Modifying Columns The location of columns on grids are included in the properties of the column. If the column is not on a grid it displays the distance from the closest grid intersection. Attaching columns to other objects associates or constrains certain parameters, such as height, When you select a column you can change its type by selecting a different one in the Type Selector. You can also change a variety of constraints and other options in Properties (as shown in Figure 5~15) and attach columns to other elements so that they move with the elements. conepains cn Column Location art © Figure 5-15 + Verify that Moves with Grids is toggled on. This ensures that when a grid line is moved, the columns connected to it move as well. This toggle is normally on by default, but it is good practice to check its status, + When changing the top and base levels and offsets, you should make these changes in a logical order, as having a zero or negative height column results in an error message. How To: Attach Columns to other elements 1. Select a column or group’of columns. 2. Inthe Modify | Structural Columns tab>Modify Column panel, ctick BF (atch Top/Base). 6412 (©2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® O‘Structural Grids and Columns 3. In the Options Bar, set Attach Column to Top or Base and set the Attachment Style (as shown in Figure 5-16), Attachment Justification, and Offset from Attachment. Figure 5~16 4, Select the floor, roof, footing, beam, reference plane, or level to which you want the column(s) attached. + Ifyou what to detach a column that has been attached, select the column and click ©+ (Detach Top/Base). + You can use the Attach Top/Base command to attach structural columns to isolated foundations and footings. If the foundation height changes, the length of the column changes: with it + When you are placing columns and the required structural, column family or type is not listed, you can load additional families and add family types (sizes) from the library. How To: Load Structural Column Types 4. Start the Structural Column command. 2. Inthe Modify | Place Structural Column tab>Mode panel, click BD (Load rami), 3. Inthe Load Family dialog box, open the folder that contains the column families. In the default library, this is the Structural Columns folder as shown in Figure 5~17. Select the column material folder and then select the individual column type you want to use, (G tight Gauge Steet “Precast Concrete Bstea Dood Figure 5-17 © 2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® 5413‘Autodesk Revit: Structure Fundamentals, Hold to select 4, Navigate to the column family type that you want to use and ‘multiple families. click Open. 5. Inthe Specify Types dialog box, as shown in Figure 5-18, select a column size in the list and click Open. + Ifthe Family Already Exists dialog box opens, as shown in Figure 5~19, select Overwrite the existing version or select, Column-Coturn, which already exists in this project. ‘What do you want to do? Ifyou select Overwrite the existing version and overwrite the parameter values, any ‘changes that you have ‘made to any related families in the model are removed. Glick hereto eam more Figure 5-19 a4 (© 2017, ASCENT - Contr for Technical Knowledge®‘Structural Grids and Columns Practice 5b Estimated time for completion: § minutes Place Structural Columns Practice Objectiv + Place columns on grids. In this practice you will place columns at the grid intersections. ‘The completed practice is shown in 3D in Figure 5-20. Figure 5-20 Task 1- Add columns. 1, Open Syracuse-Suites-Columns-M.rvt. 2, Ensure that you are in the Structural Plans: 00 GROUND FLOOR view. 3. Inthe Structure tab>Structure panel, click (Structural Column). (©2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge® 545‘Autodesk Revit: Structure Fundamentals 4. Inthe Type Selector, select UC-Universal Column- Column: 254x254x73UC. 5. Inthe Options Bar, change Depth to Height and set the Height to Level TOS-14 Roof. 6. Place columns at the locations shown in Figure 5-21. (In some cases, it might be faster to place columns at the grid intersections and then delete any extra columns.) os Figure 5-24 7. Open the Default 3D view to display the full height of the columns. 8, Save the project. 546 © 2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®‘Structural Grids and Columns Chapter Review Questions 1. How do you line up grid lines that might be different lengths, as shown in Figure 5-22? Figure $-22 a. Use =! (Trim/Extend Multiple Elements) to line them up with a common reference line. b. Select the grid line and drag its model end to line up with the other grid lines. ©. Select the grid line, right-click and select Auto-Align. d. In Properties, change the Length and then use *# (Move) to get them into position. 2. Where can columns be placed? a. Columns can only be placed on grids. b. Architectural columns can be placed anywhere, but structural columns can only be placed on grids. . Both types of columns can be placed wherever you want. d. Grid-based column types must be placed on the grid, but free-standing column types can be placed anywhere. 3. How do you add additional column families to use in a project? a. Import them. b. Copy and Paste them from another file , Draw them in the project. 4. Load them from the Library. (© 2017, ASCENT - Conter for Technical Knowledge® S47‘Autodesk Revit: Structure Fundamentals Button Command Command Summary Location ss Golunnne axtd Grider fx [AtGetumas Y= Ribbon: Modify | Place Stvctural Column tab>Multiple panel ay | eras ~ Ribbon: Modify| Place Structural Column tab>Mutiple panel a [ere ~ Ribbon: Structure tab=Datum panel> Grid + Shortcut: GR . = ~ Ribbon: Structure tab> Structural panel Column + Shorteut: CL Vertical Column * Ribbon: Modify | Place Structural Column tab> Placement panel | Atach ~ Ribbon: Modify] Stactural Column TopiBase tab>Modify Column panel Detach * Ribbon: Modify | Structural Column Be | ToprBase tab>Modify Column panel 5-18 (© 2017, ASCENT - Center for Technical Knowledge®