Does anyone use archicad to make stuctural plans?

[Anonymous]

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.

[vfrontiers]

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!

[Djordje]

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 😉

[Anonymous]

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.

[Mats_Knutsson]

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