In a previous post I was talking about the importance of Detail Level usage in a custom family concerning quantification. In this topic we’re going to dig a bit deeper into that Detail Level. Also for structural analysis the Medium Detail Level has a big importance. The next rules need to be taken into account when you want to link your Revit model with Robot Structural Analysis (RSA).
Concrete Elements
(Precast) Concrete elements are seen as structural families where the parameter Material for Model Behavior is set to “Concrete” or “Precast Concrete” within the family editor.
When sending concrete elements to RSA, the tool will try to detect a default form in your structural elements. This mapping occurs on the shape that is assigned to Medium Detail Level in the family editor.
If the mapping finds one of these forms below, it will create a standard section with the same dimensions in RSA.
In case the mapping doesn’t find a default form it needs shape assignment. This can be done in two ways:
- The section is preloaded already in your RSA project by means of a custom section definition (saved into a user database) before you start sending the Revit model to RSA.
OR - In between the transfer of the model Revit allows you to map the section using the mapping dialog, where you can assign Revit sections to custom RSA sections.
Steel Elements
With steel elements (Material for Model Behavior is set to “Steel”), it works slightly different. Revit will first search for the Type Name of your family. If it finds the same name in its default loaded Section Databases (the ones that are set in the Job Preferences in RSA), than it will see this as a match. In fact, you can trish with this by renaming i.e. a RHS 100×8 section to HEA 200. It will create you a HEA 200 in RSA !!
When it doesn’t find a match in the type name, than it will look for its shape in Medium Detail Level. When this shape matches with one of the default parametric steel sections, it will create this form in RSA. Below a overview of default recognized steel shapes.
Conclusion
Be careful when playing with Medium Detail Level in your family. Take every situation into account: quantification, link with RSA, simplified presentation, …
And don’t mess with normalized type names like HEA, HEB, IPE, …
Revit beyond BIM 