Getting Started with Revit Structure

[gposton]

Hi all. I am new to both Revit Structure and this board. We are about to begin a "test" project to begin using Revit Structure in the very near future. I have been the lucky guy to more or less lead the charge so to speak in implementing Revit Structure into our office.

My question for the board here is what are the important items to focus on to get our office ready to complete a project with Revit Structure?

I guess first thing I should throw out here is a little information on our office. We are an A/E firm and we are the in-house structural engineering group. We are a small group - 3 engineers and 4 designer/drafters - and most of our work is steel structures of 1-2 stories. The architects are going to be using Revit Building for this "test" project.

Thanks for any information you guys can throw out there...

[Tom Weir]

Hi,
Have you done all the tutorials yet?

Tom Weir
Los Angeles

[gposton]

Well, so far I have been working through the tutorial and that is giving me a pretty good feel as far as when Revit Structure can do. How much customization have you done to get a project where you want it to be?

[Tom Weir]

Hi,
Revit is not like Autocad, not a lot of customization to do. Of course as you work you will want to make symbols that correspond to what you use in your office, and things like that. Most objects will be in the existing libraries. As you get to those, and you have trouble, bring them here and we will help.

When you set up your new project link in the arch. model from Revit Building using the copy/monitor feature.

Tom

[Tom Dorner]

Assuming you are on subscription, log-in to the subscription site and click on the link to AU2005. AU2005 is the Autodesk University 2005 site where some of the classes where recorded. I believe there are 3-4 on Revit Structure plus some others on Revit Building.

For some other general Revit training links see them on my www.reviteer.com (http://www.reviteer.com/) website.

HTH

[Tom Weir]

< I believe there are 3-4 on Revit Structure plus some others on Revit Building.>

In fact mine is there!

Tom

[rmcelvain.103137]

The best way to approach it is to just get in and do it. Spend a lot of time developing the model and when you see a weird behavior come back here for clarification or assurance that you're not the only one.

As far as documenting your model goes, like Tom said; there isn't a lot of customization other than duplicating what you're used to seeing if that's what you still want to see. Some of the specifics I had to deal with were: font style and size (we use 1/12" for our text), our footing callouts use a different looking arrow, I made "dumb" section cuts because we were doing our detailing in AutoCAD (and ours were smaller than the factory's)....bottom chord extension symbol, T/FTG callouts ..... little things that didn't take too long once you do one or two.

Try to stay away from sloped framing for now, it's not elegant to say the least. Rolled members are easy enough but if you run into them check for threads here to get direction.

Hope that helps, the best way to learn is to use it.....

[jason.jacobson]

If you have some time to spend on this project, the best way to learn the software is to jump right in and learn as you go, as long as you haven't picked the most complicated project. When you get stuck on something, don't hesitate to use resources like this forum to search for past threads or post a new problem that you haven't seen addressed here yet. You need to have some patience and look at putting some extra hours into researching some snags that you come across.
And only model what you need. Don't go overboard modeling every single plate or bolt.

[gposton]

Thanks for all the suggestions. As of now - I am just about through the tutorial (at least the ones I feel that I need to really get into the software). I feel that I have at least a good "base" knowledge of some of the capabilities of the software. Now my plan - since I still have a little time before I need to get started on the project - is to start testing the program and see if I can make it do the things I would like it to do. I plan on using this forum to ask questions and hopefully get to the point I can contribute too.