Rainscreen Modelling (Detail, Parts, Phasing, Wall families)

[matthewhickey06574367]

I am building a BIM model of a building with a marble rainscreen. I have attached details and elevations. I was wondering how I should go about modelling this in revit. I need to make an exploded axon, but at the same time I want to schedule all the pieces of the facade. Should I use parts? I want to be able to draw the wall and have all the parts in there, instead of dividing it by hand everytime. I realized that showing the original doesn't have the gap either. I think that phasing the detailed model into a separate "detail" phase might work for this purpose. but I'm wondering how I can use sweeps and reveals to build the wall family correctly. Also there is a part where the marble facade comes out and the facade needs to wrap under the bottom as well as on the top. Do I use a separate wall family? And how do I use parts to accurately model this.
I also wonder about how I can set the parts to appear/not appear in different display levels (coarse/fine) etc. Because I'm having difficulties with not showing the railings in plan, but I guess that's not bad. Although the scale makes them impossible to read and the line weights make it look sloppy. I want to gain control over Revit, so it doesn't have that look, you know what I mean. hahaha. I'd attach my revit file but it's too big.
The image is simply of the wall type I'm trying to redefine so that it is accurate, I can't figure out how to place vertical sweeps (for the railing and insulation) But the brackets are embedded in the insulation. Please help, I might be overthinking this. THE pdf shows the details I obtained.


Thank you in advance, I am new to this community, but I look forward to sharing my knowledge and gaining some time saving tips in the process.

[jsteinhauer]

This sounds like a great use of Curtain Walls. You'll need to create materials & detail components for your panels, but it is going to be much easier than dealing with walls. There are some AU classes that discuss this topic in depth. I believe Paul Aubin taught at least one of these classes in the past. Whether they're still available online is beyond me. AU only makes the last two (?) years of classes available online. They say that beyond that, the techniques might not be applicable.

We had a project that used this technique for the building exterior composed of precast concrete, metal panel & curtain wall. It was great, but it was abandoned for reasons that elude me.

Cheers,
Jeff S.

[matthewhickey06574367]

I'm not exactly sure how you would use a curtain wall for this. If you could elaborate, or provide a sample family of a wall that you've done like this.
The construction of the wall is from outermost (exterior finish) to innermost (interior finish) as follows (layered wall)
marble panel
air gap (horizontal brackets are detailed in section)
vertical rail bracing (I cannot make this the substrate because it gives me an error so I put it under thermal layer)
rigid insulation (vertical bracing is attached to this a vertical rail parallel to this layer, no sure how to add this into the family)
structural layer (colmun and square steel hollow section)

[jsteinhauer]

Matt,

You can take the walls that you have created, and use them as the "Panel" of the curtain wall system. You're going to need to create a mullion family which will basically be used to cut the panels. All of your details (Clips, Hangers...) do not need to reside in the wall/curtain wall family. They can be added in sections, enlarged plan details, and drafting views. If you want to model the staggers of the Horizontal & Vertical Joints, per your details, you are able to push and pull the panels around in the instance properties. If you want the panels to be not on the same plain, you're going to have to learn how to use Adaptive Components.

As an example, model a curtain wall that does not predetermine the mullion & panel information (Type Properties). Place your own mullions to divide up the curtain wall. Then select a panel and change its properties to that of the wall style you created to represent your marble. Attached is an image of how easy it is done. Literally only took 1.5 minutes.

You're going to have to search AUGI, YouTube and other resources to get the rest of the information.

If you're in Canada, do you have to have both English and French on your documents?

Best of luck,
Jeff S.

[matthewhickey06574367]

So you would have to put a curtain wall in front of the layered wall?
I want to know how to place reveals in elevation along reference planes, so if i move the planes, then the reveals move too. Is this possible?

[matthewhickey06574367]

I understand now. I can use the wall type I created as the mullion. Ok, thank you. Didn't understand at first.
As for the French/English question, I'm not sure! Hahaha, Quebec is the only French providence, but everyone knows English too. It seems to be french for the documents since the contractors might not speak English as well. I do not live there, I'm from New York City, but obtaining the drawings from the firm for my DD project. I am a student.

Also, I have a question regarding a divided surface. I have a single mesh, but it is double curved. SO I cannot place wall types on it. How would I go about using this family: http://seek.autodesk.com/product/latest/agg/mcgrawhill/CENTRIA/NST13957 As the panels for that divided surface? I am confused about the difference between divided surfaces and curtain wall systems which create a grid, are they different or interchangable?

[matthewhickey06574367]

How do I use a wall type for the curtain wall panel? My properties becomes grayed out when I select a panel. I understand what you mean but I'm a visual learner.

[jsteinhauer]

So you selected the curtain wall panel, and under its Instance Properties, you tried to change the Panel/Wall type? If you did this and you're still not able to change the panel style, than your curtain wall is probably controlling the panel via the type properties. You will need to modify the Type Properties, under Construction==>Curtain Panel, set it to none.

Best of luck,
Jeff S.