Modeling
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Handrail ending

agroni
Booster
I have been searching the forum for a specific matter concerning the handrail tool.
Maybe it is a specific modelling case based on specific norms in Austria/Germany, hence did not find a solution. I am talking about the endings of the handrail. In the beginning and ending, the handrail must be extended by 30cm. Of course, the 30cm cannot be higher than 90cm from the floor, because it is against the regulations.

I have managed to extend the handrail by 30cm, but only starting from the endpoint of the reference line or the first raiser of the stair. This extension lies above the 90cm! See green annotation.
With the red annotations I have demonstrated how the proper handrail should be modelled. In the settings of the handrail I did not find an option to extend the handrail beyond the reference line, until it reaches 90cm from the floor!

Hopefully there is an option to model this kind of handrail and also with the possibility to save it as a favorite. I am dealing with a high rise building with many stairwells. Modelling each handrail separately will already be a huge task, but the changes to the stairwell will for sure cause an enormous amount of invested time. This I want to avoid.

Does anyone have an ingenious solution?
The BIMster @ AllesWirdGut
Currently: Archicad 26
User since Archicad 6.5 (2001)
13 REPLIES 13
Please add your version of AC to your signature. The solution in AC21 will be very different than in AC20, for example.
Richard
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Richard Morrison, Architect-Interior Designer
AC26 (since AC6.0), Win10
agroni
Booster
Richard wrote:
Please add your version of AC to your signature. The solution in AC21 will be very different than in AC20, for example.
well, handrail is a new element starting from AC21, so i thought it would be clear.
Anyway i am working on AC21 4022

I am talking about using the defaul handrail tool in AC21
The BIMster @ AllesWirdGut
Currently: Archicad 26
User since Archicad 6.5 (2001)
Does the handrail extension parameter not work for you? (See attached) Also, you might want to try the latest update as there were a number of fixes to stairs in it.
Richard
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Richard Morrison, Architect-Interior Designer
AC26 (since AC6.0), Win10
agroni
Booster
Richard wrote:
Does the handrail extension parameter not work for you?
Sadly no. The parameter that you've changes the length of the handrail starting from the reference line.
In my case (my image) see the green dimension with 30cm. It extends the handrail, but saddly in the wrong height.
The BIMster @ AllesWirdGut
Currently: Archicad 26
User since Archicad 6.5 (2001)
So I was able to achieve what you are looking for through a negative value in the "Ending Node Offset" parameter, although that may not be what GS intended. Hope that helps.
Richard
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Richard Morrison, Architect-Interior Designer
AC26 (since AC6.0), Win10
agroni
Booster
Richard wrote:
So I was able to achieve what you are looking for through a negative value in the "Ending Node Offset" parameter, although that may not be what GS intended. Hope that helps.
Wow, looks promising what you did here.
But I have a stupid question: how did you manage to open the option for the Node Settings???? In my case it is locked and I can't seem to get it open....
The BIMster @ AllesWirdGut
Currently: Archicad 26
User since Archicad 6.5 (2001)
Sorry, I don't know how to help you. I just selected a handrail that was attached to a stair and opened it. But certainly update to the 5021 build, if you haven't already.
Richard
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Richard Morrison, Architect-Interior Designer
AC26 (since AC6.0), Win10
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
It is possible to do. I have attached 2 screenshot, the first one shows the Starting state of the Railing, the second one shows the result. I show them in and Elevation Viewpoint because I can then show you exact distances and dimensions.
What you need to know that the Railing can consist of multiple Segments as defined by the Railing Reference Line, and the height of each segment is the same by default as set in the settings dialog. However, in Edit Mode you can display Segments and Nodes, then select individual segments and modify their Segment Height.

After you have placed a Railing that is associated to a Stair, you can add new nodes to the Railing. These new Nodes may or may not be associated to an element but the existing Nodes of the Railing will stay associated to their host Stair.

So, in an Elevation parallel with the Railing, select the Railing, click the lowest Node and use the "Continue Railing" Pet Palette command to move that node to achieve the Nodes shown on the second image. You need to create the new Node one Going distance to the left, so if your Going Depth is 350 mm, you have to create it 350 mm to the left. This is the point where the sloped Railing Reference Line Segment intersects the finish floor level.
Then use the command again to create another Node to the left again, creating a horizontal Railing Reference Line Segment; make it 500-600 mm to the left, we will adjust it later.

Now, go to 3D. We will need to do the next step in 3D because that is where Railing Segments and Nodes can be displayed. In 3D, select the Railing and enter Edit Mode. In the Edit Palette in the upper right, click "Segments and Nodes" to display them.
Click the leftmost segment (the horizontal Railing Reference Line segment) and in the Info Box or the Settings Dialog you can modify the Railing Segment Height to 900 mm. Then Exit Edit Mode.

Now, all is left is to adjust the position of the End Node of the Railing Reference Line so that the horizontal Top Railing length is exactly 300 mm. Go back to the Elevation View and on the second images you will see how I calculated where that End Node needs to be. You can Move this End Node with the Pet Palette command to its desired position.
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27
agroni
Booster
Thanx, Laszlo for the detailed explanation.
Your method works, bud sadly I am stumbling upon some obstacles which don’t look very nice.
  • Manual extension of the line prohibits the creation of a favorite to make it possible to place this type or railing in 20 other floors without editing the reference line. I already have the stairs placed since a long time, and by deleting them in each floor I will lose my dimensioning. So I cannot simple make one stair with an associative handrail and copy it on the other floors. Is there an easier way of copying this element an associating it with the stair?
  • There is a mistake in the floor plan presentation when I extend the reference line of the handrail. In the elevation the total length is 590cm, whereas on the floor plan is 660cm.
The BIMster @ AllesWirdGut
Currently: Archicad 26
User since Archicad 6.5 (2001)