Architects and structural designers cooperation

[Anonymous]

Hi,
we have such an issue in our school. Students of architecture do work in Archicad and we, civil structural designers still work in AutoCAD (or Allplan). So we are trying to work in one model together - in Archicad. So I need to create an Archicad template for civil structural designers. The architects create a model, we select only load-bearing structures but there are several issues regarding to the fact that (at least in our country) the architects draw the cutted vertical constructions and the floor below, however we civil structurals designers draw the cutted vertical constructions nad the ceiling above (plus the vertical of the next level - with double-dot-dash line).


1) How can I set my own template to see the vertical constructions of the upper level (double-dot-dash line) without changing the architect's model? I can change the drawing when I select the wall above (in next level) and change the visibility to the home level and below, but it changes also the architectural drawings.

2) How can I change a line type of the constructions above? There is no Criteria in Grapic Override for choosing only constructions from other level than the current level is. So every time I change anything, the Graphic Override changes both, the walls in the current level and the walls from the upper level. (still speaking about first level drawing)

...and there are many other issues. The point is to create a template or something for structural design students without changing the architect students model (except. the constructoin IDs and characteristics like load-bering structur marking and so...). I cannot change anything that could affect their layouts.


Thank you very much!

[Erwin Edel]

We create structural drawings from our model. What you describe is only possible by stacking several different saved views with graphic overrides.

However, once you've set this up in a template, it gets easier with new projects going forward. This doesn't help your current project obviously.

You need three model view option combinations:
1. one where you show doors, windows, skylights as opening only. You should be able to set the detail level of windows to show reveal settings
2. one where you hide all the openings
3. one where you show openings with contours

We have 11 Graphic override combinations:
1. Roof view
2. Foundations
3. Facades
4. Roof structure
5. Beams
6. Piles (foundation)
7. Trusses
8. Structural walls
9. non structural walls
10. schematic walls
11. dashed line walls
12. floor (slabs)

The rules we have sort out things like:
1. show outlines in a bolder / thicker line for elements
2. show elements dashed
3. hide cover fills

So for a typical story we have:
A saved view from one story below that shows the outer walls with dotted lines
A saved view that shows the structural walls from one story below with dotted lines
A saved view that shows the floor (slab) and the structural walls on that story
A saved view that shows (schematic) the non structural walls on that story
A saved view that shows the roof on that story (if you have a pitched roof)
A saved view that shows the beams by having a very high cutplan so it projects beams as needed

We have annotation layers for each different layout / story for structural drawings specifically. Layer combinations set up for these.

It would take me a long time to list out all the saved view settings with all the graphic overrides, rules etc, but I hope you get the basic idea.

It can be done, but it's not ideal. We do this with a smaller structural engineering firm that outsources their drawings either way, so we keep a bit of extra revenue from client by also doing the structural drawings. Our ArchiCAD models are very detailed, without wanting to brag about my own work , so it's very easy to generate the sets since we've put pre-linked layouts and view sets in our template. The real work is annotation, which generally takes maybe 1-1,5 hours per layout.

[Anonymous]

Erwin Edel has answered it for the most part. Informative Stuff.

We are an Design/Build Team working in ArchiCAD and we have a Structural Engineer and Mechanical Engineer that we give access to our files through BIMcloud who do all of our structural/mechanical design and drawings inside of ArchiCAD. Works awesome and when we're ready for our permit set we just export them all on our end. If you have any more questions send me a message I may be able to show you examples of how we set up files to work together.