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Thread: Handling Massive Project with Revit MEP

  1. #1
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    Default Handling Massive Project with Revit MEP

    Hi fellow AUGI members,

    Help please!!! Our team is about to engage in a massive mixed-use project (consists of shopping center and 2 carpark bldgs.) having around 50 hectare (yes more than 5million sq ft) of total building size with the scope to utilize Revit MEP 2015. I have been involved previously with huge projects (500k sq ft below) but not a size of this new project. We are an engineering consulting team and I will be managing the MEP models in the office working with our Structure and Civil teams which will be also using Revit and Civil 3D respectively.

    I have been using split MEP models from my past projects for performance reasons but those ones have smaller linked archl and strucl models, and I have had no issues dealing with it even if one MEP model had to be reached to 250mb size (max. I have tried). This new project is kind of a big challenge to me as at this stage, the archl model for the main bldg. had already used 300mb of size. That's how the architects modeled it and it's just 1 central file for the model because the sheets were in a separate .rvt file. There are 2 other multi-storey carpark bldgs. which was in a separate model having used around 50 and 40mb which will be linked also to the central model. I believe the 2 separate bldg. could be handled easily as our strategy is to model the MEP of this bldgs separately. We all know that these archl models will grow in the later stage so a good MEP model strategy should take place in the early stage.

    Below is the strategy I made and sent to the architects:

    Main Bldg :
    1. Split the MEP model into 8 zones (each zones means 1 mep model combined and not divided by discipline for easy coordination, this is 4-storey including roof)
    2. LV & Transformer Rooms (around 5-6 no's. in the bldg) each in a separate model
    3. HVAC Chiller & Pump Room in a separate model
    4. Cooling Tower Yard in a separate model

    Carpark (2 separate bldgs.) :
    1. Carpark 1 as 1 MEP model
    2. Carpark 2 as 1 MEP model

    Now here's my query, is there anyone have had experience of this project size to share it with me, or even if not of the same size but it would be greatly appreciate if you guys can give me some tips handling this kind of project. I am pretty sure many of you have dealt with massive projects before and I would like to hear it from your experience. Thanks in advance.

    What worries me is I could not measure on how each split MEP models of the main bldg will be in terms of size considering the linked archl model is already 300mb and will become bigger later. I am aware that the size can be reduced when linking to MEP model and after removing some unnecessary objects from it but this is the first time I am linking a 300mb file. It's like 90% of the MEP model in each zone is taken up by the archl model so there's only 10% left to do to have a healthy model and avoid slowing it down.

    My question in mind is should I propose to the architects to split their models too? or may be advise them to use unique zone worksets so we can turn it off the areas not needed (I am not too sure if they will agree to this but we can try)? I have checked the expansion joints of their models thinking of splitting the MEP based on that but the area coverage of some joints are too huge in size so it made me to decide and proposed for MEP zoning.

    My estimated resource to work for the MEP modeling is 12-16 people and we are running 32gb machines. Resource and IT stuff wont be a problem but we don't have much time if I make mistakes later when MEP models become unworkable.

    Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks again.


    Kind regards,
    Last edited by BIMbeliever; 2015-04-26 at 04:30 PM. Reason: spelling check

  2. #2
    Super Moderator david_peterson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Handling Massive Project with Revit MEP

    I've just recently completed a 1.4 million sqft Manufacturing/Process building for a large pharma company.
    We split the model at every structural expansion joint (split into about 11 main "Building" components). Composite model consisted of about 90+ models.
    We only required 2 Structural models (they tend to be the lightest) 11 Arch, 11 M, 11 E, 11 P, 11 PE (process), several FP (fire protection), several Furniture models, 4 exterior models and a few other misc models.
    Average MEP models was about 400mb, Average PE model was about 600+MB, Average Arch was about 350mb.
    If you split at every expansion joint you should be ok. Much of this will depend on who intensive each building is.
    I'd try to keep the number of models to a min, but I'd also try to keep the file size under 600mb max.
    Much of this also depends on your workstation. I'm driving a Porsche so I don't really notice it that much. Others weren't so lucky.
    I've also heard a lot about this new A360. In theory (we've been told) there's no limit on file size or number of users that you can have in the model. Not sure how much I believe it but that's what we've been told.
    Let me know if you have other process questions, I'd be happy to pass along my experiences.

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    Default Re: Handling Massive Project with Revit MEP

    Hi Dave,

    I am not too sure if we can handle 400mb of model size but at the moment we are using 32gb MB RAM, 3.2GHz, with dedicated 4gb NVIDIA Graphics Card. I can see we have almost the same specs.

    How about the archl link, did you link the whole of it in each of the discipline model or archl split models are available for linking? In our case we have to link the whole model of more than 5million sqft to each split MEP model. I know a few things to avoid slowing down your MEP modeling like preparing a cropped view for all the views and to show only the areas to be modeled...or use scope boxes to cut off areas not intended for a particular MEP split.

    Also would you mind if you can share how many MEP and Structure modelers involved on the project you have mentioned? Thanks a lot.

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    Super Moderator david_peterson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Handling Massive Project with Revit MEP

    Oh you can handle models that size you just need to utilize your worksets efficiently. I've see process models that exceed 600mb.
    Our Arch links were split into 2 models (sometimes 3 or 4). We tend to split the interior from the exterior since they are usually done by different teams.
    We tend to (depending on size) split the furniture and sometimes lab equipment as well (since they are done by different groups)

    Best spots to split the model are at the expansion joint locations.
    The project I mentioned was about 1.4 million sqft (so much smaller that yours) and was a pharma manufacturing/process plant.
    The structural was split into 2 models only. Structural models tend to be lighter and leaner than anything else. (Plus 1 for sheet lists and 1 for a tiny guard shack and one for the CUP Yard area (tank farm, cooling tower, electrical out buildings)
    MEP was split into....
    Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Process (by far the largest model sizes), Fire Protection.
    Each trade was also split at each Building (they're all connected, but split by expansion joint and MFL wall)
    All in all I think we had 46 MEP and Process models, 5 Structural, 48 Arch models, 10 AV models (these were all really tiny) for a grand total of 109 models.
    I will also note that Some additional drawings were created using revit exports and cad overlays for some particular type of drawings that weren't really part of the "Design". Examples were Life Safety, Civil and Landscape

    Best advice I can give you is think about how many teams your going to have working on each portion of the building. I would again tend to split at major separations like Expansion joint or Building Separations or MFL (Maximum Foreseeable Loss) Walls.

    It much easier to so combine models than it is to take them apart. I would recommend that you have one model as your "Composite" model that you don't really do any modeling in that's used just to generate your sheet lists from. That way you have one model for document control. Create one library for users to pull content in from. Also have one point person that's responsible for each discipline for generating/creating new content so you don't duplicate families.
    Think about adding a few project parameters for things like Package and or Volume so you can split sheets later on down the line.

    If you have any other questions on how we handled this, please let me know.
    Hope this helps.
    Thanks

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