topic Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans? in Modeling

Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

Anonymous — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 02:49:05 GMT

Almost all structural engineers (all types of engineers in that manner) in my country use windows based programs (mostly Autocad(buhhhhh)) and given the fact that I am just starting, I am certain that I can use a Mac (and what better way than to use Archicad), so I was wondering if anyone out there use Archicad to make structural or civil plans, and if not what programs are mostly used in these areas (for the Mac mainly).

Thanks for answering the poll and giving your comments.

Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

Anonymous — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:05:21 GMT

I do both Architectural & Structural, and on Mac. Works great. If your question is how the structural layers are setup; Archicad Master Templet http://www.bobrow.com/forum/index.php? will be having the layer combinations setup in few weeks. You can use the AC library objects or better yet Objectives http://www.encina.co.uk/objective.html to create you structural elements.
Joseph

Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

Anonymous — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:02:07 GMT

When yo make the structural plans on archi, can you make archicad give you the beems section our do you have to draw it?

Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

Gerald Hoffman — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:16:36 GMT

If your question is whether you see the section view of the structural member the answer is yes, as long as you have modeled it. If you mean something else please clarify.

Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

Anonymous — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:19:02 GMT

nicus wrote:
When yo make the structural plans on archi, can you make archicad give you the beems section our do you have to draw it?

Of course as I mentioned before:
You can use the AC library objects or better yet Objectives http://www.encina.co.uk/objective.html to create you structural elements.

Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 07:56:06 GMT

At my previous office we used ArchiCad for all drawings, both architectural and constructions.
We did alot of own parametric GDL-object to speed up the process.

Nowadays I work at an architecture office.

Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:02:08 GMT

Hi,

Working as I do in a multi-disciplinary office where the architects use Archicad, I have tried this several times.

I tried many ways to get the drawings to show elements correctly according to structural standards, but never quite made it. Maybe its the Norwegian requirements for drawings that are unusual.

The biggest difficulty was getting lines on the hidden face of a object to show up dashed (adjoining walls in section etc.) They had to be drawn in (and updated) manually. In the end it was just too much trouble and we standardized on Revit Structure/Tekla Structures.

I haven't tried the latest Archicad 11, maybe things have improved.

Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

Chazz — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:06:10 GMT

I think ArchiCAD is a great tool for doing structural drawings with the potential to make much more literate, explanatory and illustrative documents than the 2D programs typically used by flatlander structural guys. In fact, we frequently stipulate that the structural plan "drafting" be done by us (with the structural details provided by the engineer). This carries the BIM concept along much further and provides a more integrated product and reduces coordination error.

Ironically, my main complaint with AC and structural work is the inability to show only the wall cores. This shortcoming has been brought up here numerous times and many workarounds have been sugested by smart, creative users but this feature omission remains glaring.

Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:37:59 GMT

Mark wrote:
The biggest difficulty was getting lines on the hidden face of a object to show up dashed (adjoining walls in section etc.) They had to be drawn in (and updated) manually. In the end it was just too much trouble and we standardized on Revit Structure/Tekla Structures.

Try using the Hidden Line Tool in the Special menu, it does the job.
Joseph

Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 09:39:47 GMT

Joseph wrote:
Mark wrote:
The biggest difficulty was getting lines on the hidden face of a object to show up dashed (adjoining walls in section etc.) They had to be drawn in (and updated) manually. In the end it was just too much trouble and we standardized on Revit Structure/Tekla Structures.
Try using the Hidden Line Tool in the Special menu, it does the job.
Joseph

I don't have a Special Menu, or hidden line tool. Why would this be? I am using Archicad 11 v1086 Norwegian version.

It would be great to get this to work.

Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

vfrontiers — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:43:02 GMT

I have done structure using ArchiCAD. The thing I liked most was the ability to create my own object that not only displayed correctly in 3d, but also LABELED correctly in 2d.

I created a Beam (tool) that would allow different sections (STUD, BEAM, I-JOIST,GLB, PARALAM,etc.). This would show correctly in 3d and sections and would label itself in the framing plan.

I also created a SHEARMAX panel and a shearwall label to go with it.

Even nicer, was the ability to SCHEDULE shear panels for the drawings!

I have also typically used the STEEL beams and columns to validate sections (heights of beams, etc) during the STEEL SHOP DRAWING PHASE.

When 3d = 2d, you can't go wrong!

Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

Djordje — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:16:11 GMT

Mark wrote:
Joseph wrote:
Mark wrote:
The biggest difficulty was getting lines on the hidden face of a object to show up dashed (adjoining walls in section etc.) They had to be drawn in (and updated) manually. In the end it was just too much trouble and we standardized on Revit Structure/Tekla Structures.
Try using the Hidden Line Tool in the Special menu, it does the job.
Joseph
I don't have a Special Menu, or hidden line tool. Why would this be? I am using Archicad 11 v1086 Norwegian version.

It would be great to get this to work.

Browse the Tips&Tricks forum ... it just might be somewhere there 😉

Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:21:17 GMT

vfrontiers wrote:
I have done structure using ArchiCAD. The thing I liked most was the ability to create my own object that not only displayed correctly in 3d, but also LABELED correctly in 2d.

I created a Beam (tool) that would allow different sections (STUD, BEAM, I-JOIST,GLB, PARALAM,etc.). This would show correctly in 3d and sections and would label itself in the framing plan.

I also created a SHEARMAX panel and a shearwall label to go with it.

Even nicer, was the ability to SCHEDULE shear panels for the drawings!

I have also typically used the STEEL beams and columns to validate sections (heights of beams, etc) during the STEEL SHOP DRAWING PHASE.

When 3d = 2d, you can't go wrong!

Sounds great, one of these day I have to get in touch to learn few tricks.

Re: Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

Mats_Knutsson — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:12:56 GMT

Mark wrote:
Joseph wrote:
Mark wrote:
The biggest difficulty was getting lines on the hidden face of a object to show up dashed (adjoining walls in section etc.) They had to be drawn in (and updated) manually. In the end it was just too much trouble and we standardized on Revit Structure/Tekla Structures.
Try using the Hidden Line Tool in the Special menu, it does the job.
Joseph
I don't have a Special Menu, or hidden line tool. Why would this be? I am using Archicad 11 v1086 Norwegian version.

It would be great to get this to work.

Hi,
I've done a really large structural project with AC some 4 years ago and I tested the Special menu trick but the thing for me was that when I wanted 2D "look" of the elevations and sections I couldn't reproduce the "lack of logic" that a draftsman uses for his 2D drafting. Example...this hidden aligning wall should be dashed here but over here I don't want to see it...
You have to tamper many objects anyway and I preferred doing everything "hidden" with plain 2D so I could control it. It's quite quick anyways. Personally I can't use to many inter-dependent connections in a model because my brain is not capable of thinking so deep in so many dimensions...

I used Rhino for the modeling of the rock wall which I imported in ArchicAD and got really nice section for the connection concrete slab-beams between the building and the rock wall side.

/Mats