Modelling standards for Stair and Elevator cores

[rtaube]

I was wondering what everyone's office standards were for modelling stair and elevator cores. We are having some discrepancies in the office, so I'm trying to nail down a standard. For instance: a square ten story building with 2 levels below grade. One core in the center, one along the exterior.

For concrete walls, and concrete slabs:
1. Are the slab boundaries covering the entire building footprint with shafts cut vertically? or are the openings drawn in the boundary.
2. Do the core walls run continuous from bottom to to top or are they separate walls on each level?
3. Do the slabs run to the inside of the stair core? elevator core?
4. Do you join the slabs and poured concrete walls so that the solid lines don't show?
5. In section view, do you see the lines of these slabs at all?

6. Does this change for CMU walls with concrete slabs?
7. Does this change with PT foundations?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Overconstrained]

I can only speak for our small firm, but we do the following:

1. Use a vertical shaft after the slabs are drawn - This means that adjusting the shaft on one level adjusts it all the way up. (note: this isn't always possible for stairs, as openings can change form level to level)
2. Generally, our slabs would go to the inside face of the shaft (if using masonry block), but it's dependant on how the shaft is going to be constructed in the real world.
3. Full height core walls top to bottom level - Avoids alignment errors if using separate walls.
4. Join the walls to the slabs - So they display properly in section.

[damon.sidel]

As Dean speaks for a small firm, I speak for a firm mostly concerned with schematic design and design development, not CDs (at least on the recent Revit projects).

1. I agree with Dean, shafts, shafts, shafts. In addition to the usual "X" in the shaft, for MEP shafts, we use the symbolic lines in the shaft sketch for showing pipes, ducts, conduits, etc.
2. Continuous bottom to top.
3. Again, agree with Dean, slabs to the inside face of shaft walls.
4. Yes, join the walls and slabs.
5. No, if it is all the same material, there should be no joint lines.
6. Haven't tried CMU walls with concrete slabs.
7. Shouldn't change for PT foundations although I'd be interested to know why you ask.