Revit Structure

2013 Basics

Framing and Documentation

Elise Moss

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Structural Columns and Walls

Lesson One
Structural Columns and Walls
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

Load structural columns

Create structural column types
Create openings in structural columns
Use AutoCAD profiles to create a structural column family
Add and modify structural columns
Edit a wall profile
Add an opening in a wall

Pin columns in position to prevent columns from moving.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

Command Exercise
Exercise 1-1 Load a Structural Column
Drawing Name: i_columns.rvt
Estimated Time to Completion: 10 Minutes
Scope
Load a structural column

Solution
1.

2.

Activate the FIRST FLR Structural Plan in the Project

Browser.

Activate the Structure ribbon.

Select ColumnStructural Column.

3.

4.

5.

In the Type Selector, note that there are several

Wide Flange- Columns available.

Select Load Family on the Mode panel.

Browse to the Structural Columns folder.

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Note the columns are sorted by material type in

alphabetical order.
Select the Concrete folder.

6.

7.

Highlight the Concrete - Rectangular Column with Drop Caps.

Note that you see a preview of the family in the Preview window.
8.

Press Open to load the the Concrete - Rectangular Column with Drop Caps family.
If you see this dialog,
select the second
option.

9.

10.

On the Properties Pane:

Select the Type Selector to see the different
sizes available for that family.

11. Close without saving.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

Command Exercise
Exercise 1-2 Modify a Structural Column
Family
Drawing Name: modify_columns.rvt
Estimated Time to Completion: 10 Minutes
Scope
Modify a Wall Profile

Solution
1.

2.

Activate the FIRST FLR Structural Plan in the Project

Browser.

Select the column located at A1.

Right click and select Edit Family.
A new file will open with the column
family.

3.

Activate the Lower Ref. Level in the Project Browser.

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Structural Columns and Walls

Study the parameters assigned to the

different dimensions.

4.

5.

6.

Activate the Front Elevation in the Project Browser.

Note how the levels control the height of the column.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

7.

Activate the Lower Ref. Level in the Project Browser.

8.

Select Family Types on the Properties panel.

9.

Select New under Family Types.

10.

Type 12 x 24 for the Name.

Press OK.
Change the value of h to 2 0.

11.

12.
13.

Press the Apply button.

Observe how the column changes.
Select each size in the type drop-down list.
Press the Apply button.
Observe how the column changes.

14. Press OK.

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Structural Columns and Walls

Go to the Applications Menu.

Select Save AsFamily.

15.

16.

Browse to your exercise folder.

Save the family as a Custom family.
17. Close any open files without saving.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

Command Exercise
Exercise 1-3 Create an Opening in a
Structural Column
Drawing Name: modify_columns.rvt
Estimated Time to Completion: 10 Minutes
Scope
Modify a Wall Profile

Solution
1.

2.

3.

Activate the West Elevation.

Activate the Structure ribbon.

Select the By Face tool on the Opening panel.

Left click to select the face of the column.

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Structural Columns and Walls

4.

Create the sketch shown.

Draw a rectangle.
The rectangle is 2 6 x 8 .
Center the rectangle on the column by applying an EQ
dimension between the reference plane and two
horizontal dimensions.
Position the sketch so it is 5 6 from the Basement
Level.
Add a 1 fillet to each corner using the Fillet Arc tool.
5.

Select the Green Check on the Mode panel to finish the opening.

Switch to a 3D view so you can inspect the new

opening.

6.

7.

Close without saving.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

Command Exercise
Exercise 1-4 Use AutoCAD Profile to
Create a Structural Column Family
Drawing Name: column.dwg
Estimated Time to Completion: 60 Minutes
Scope
Create a custom column family

Solution
On the Application Menu:
Go to NewFamily.

1.

2.

3.

Locate the Generic Model floor based template

under the Imperial Templates folder.
Press Open.
Activate the Front elevation.

4.

Activate the Create ribbon.

Select Revolve from the Forms panel.

5.

Activate the Insert ribbon.

Select the Import CAD tool.

6.

Locate the column.dwg file in the exercise folder.

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Structural Columns and Walls

7.

Set Colors to Black and White.

Set Layers to All.
Set Import Units to Auto-Detect.
Set Positioning to Manual- Origin.
Press Open.
8.

Revit will provide a couple of warnings, which can be ignored.

9.

Right click and select Zoom to Fit.

You can also double click the mouse wheel to Zoom to Fit.

10.

Window around the right side of the column.

Delete the right side by pressing the Delete key on
the keyboard or right click and select Delete.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

11.

12.

13.
14.

Highlight Boundary Line.

Select the Line tool on the Draw panel.

Draw a vertical line to close the profile.

Select the Trim tool from the Modify panel.

Use the Trim tool to clean up the profile.

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Structural Columns and Walls

15.

Zoom into the base of the column sketch.

Activate the Create ribbon.
Add two reference planes aligned to the two horizontal
lines.

16.

Use the ALIGN tool to lock each horizontal sketch line to

the reference plane.
Add an aligned dimension between
each new reference plane and the Ref.
Level.

17.

Be sure to select the Ref. Level and the reference plane - not the column sketch or
floor!
Zoom into the top of the
column sketch.
Activate the Create ribbon.
Add eleven reference planes
aligned to the each horizontal
point that defines the profile.

18.

Reference planes are used to control the geometry.

19.

Use the ALIGN tool to lock each horizontal

sketch point/line to the reference plane.

Add an aligned dimension

between each new reference
plane and the top reference
plane.

20.

Be sure to select the reference planes - not the column sketch!

21.

Select the top reference plane so it is highlighted.

In the Properties pane, enter Column Top as the
name for the reference plane.
Hint: By naming reference planes, they can be selected as work planes and used in
formulas.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

22.
Select the Aligned
Dimension tool.
Add a dimension between the
top reference plane and the Ref.
Level at the bottom.

23.

24.

Select the dimension.

Right click and select Label.

Select the Add parameter option from the Label dropdown list.

Set the Name to Height.

Enable Type.
Press OK.

25.

26.

Add an aligned dimension between the base

vertical line and the center reference plane.

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Structural Columns and Walls

27.

28.

Select the dimension.

Right click and select Label.

Select the Add parameter option from the Label dropdown list.

29.

Set the Name to Base Radius.

Enable Type.
Press OK.

30.

Add an aligned dimension between the top

vertical line and the center reference plane.

31.

32.

Select the dimension.

Right click and select Label.

Select the Add parameter option from the

Label drop-down list.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

Set the Name to Base Radius.

Enable Type.
Press OK.

33.

34.

35.

Select each arc in the sketch.

In the Properties pane:

Enable Center Mark Visible.
Repeat for each arc.

36.

Add an aligned dimension between the

center mark for each arc and the center
reference plane.

37.

The values of the aligned dimensions

don't matter and shouldn't be locked.
These dimensions just ensure that the
geometry stays in a proper location.

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Structural Columns and Walls

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.
43.
44.

45.

46.

Select the Types tool on the Ribbon.

Press New under Family Types.

Type 7 0H x 1 0 Dia.
Press OK.

Verify the Height is set to 7 0.

Change the Top and Bottom Radius to 6.
Press Apply and verify that the sketch updates.
Press OK.

Highlight the Axis Line tool.

Select the Pick Tool from the Draw panel.
Select the center vertical plane.
Lock the axis into position.

In the Properties pane:

Select the Material column.
Highlight the Default material.
Select Duplicate at the bottom left of the dialog box.
In the Material Browser:
Type concrete in the
search field.

47.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

Locate the Concrete

material in the lower
panel.
Select the Copy to
Document tool.

48.

Enable Use Render

Appearance.

49.

Press Done.
Press OK to close the
Material Browser.

50.

You should see the material listed in the

Properties pane.

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Structural Columns and Walls

51. Switch to a 3D view.

52.

Select the Green Check to Finish the Revolve.

53.

Your column should be formed.

54.

Activate the Create ribbon.

Select the Family Categories tool.

55.

Select Structural Columns.

Press OK.

This adds the properties for Structural Columns to the family.

56.

Save the column in your exercise folder.

Name the file Column - Grecian.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

Command Exercise
Exercise 1-5 Add and Modify Structural
Columns
Drawing Name: i_columns.rvt
Estimated Time to Completion: 30 Minutes
Scope
Add Structural Columns
Modify Structural Columns

Solution
1.

2.

3.

4.
5.

Activate the First Flr. under Structural Plans in the Project

Browser.

Activate the Structure ribbon.

Select Column.

Use the Type Selector to select W-Wide Flange

Column W10x49.

On the Options bar:

Set the Height to ROOF.
On the ribbon:
Select At Grids.

To place columns at grid intersections, select the vertical and horizontal grid.
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Structural Columns and Walls

6.

Select the C grid and the 1 grid to place the first column.
Select Finish to confirm the placement.
Repeat to place columns at C2, C3, and C4 by performing the
following steps:
1. Select At Grids.
2. Hold down the CTL key.
3. Select a horizontal and vertical grid to identify the
intersection.
4. Select Finish to Place.

7.
To see the At Grids and the Finish
buttons you may need to select the ribbon
display tools. This is a bug in 2013 and may
be fixed in a future service pack/release.

8.

Right click and select Cancel to finish placing columns.

9.

Select the column at the C4 intersection.

Press the SPACEBAR.
Note that the column rotates.

10.

Window around the four columns that have been placed.

You should see the column type in the Properties pane.

11.

Select the Copy tool from the Modify panel.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

Select the C1 intersection

as the base point and the
D1 intersection as the
target point.
Note all the copied
columns are highlighted.
Press the SPACEBAR.

12.

Note that the columns on the D grid have rotated 90

degrees.

13.

Press ESC to release the selection.

Activate the Structure ribbon.

Select Structural Column.

14.

Use the Type Selector to select W-Wide Flange

Column W10x33.

15.

16. On the Options bar:

Enable Rotate after placement.

Set the Height to ROOF.
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Structural Columns and Walls

17. Select the At Grids mode.

Select the B grid.
Select the 1 grid.
This sets the intersection to B1.
18. Press the SPACEBAR.
Note that the column rotates.
19.

Select Finish from the ribbon to complete the column placement.

Note: If you press ENTER, you will re-initialize the grid selection and the column is
not placed. This is a bug which may be resolved in a later release.
20. Repeat to add columns at E1, F1, B4, E4, and F4.
Set the columns horizontal at each grid intersection.
Hint: You can also right click to select Finish once you
have placed the column.

21. Right click and select Cancel to exit placing columns.

22.

Activate the Structure ribbon.

Select Structural Column.

Use the Type Selector to select W-Wide

Flange-Column W10x33.

23.

24.

Select the At Grids mode.

25. Hold down the CTRL key and select A1, A2, G1, and G4 intersections.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

26.

Select Finish from the ribbon.

Columns are placed at each intersection.

27. Select Modify or ESC to exit the column command.

28. Window around the columns so they are all selected.
In the Properties pane:
Set the Base Level to BASEMENT.
Set the Base Offset to -1 6.
This places the column's bottom face 1' 6"
below the BASEMENT level.
Set the Top Level to ROOF.
Set the Top Offset to -6.
This places the column's top face 6" below the
ROOF level.

29.

30.

Press the Apply button at the bottom of the Properties pane.

31. Select the B grid.

Change the dimension between A.5 and B to 30 0.

Note that the columns remain aligned to the grid.

32.

Activate the 3D view.

33. Close without saving.

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Structural Columns and Walls

Command Exercise
Exercise 1-6 Edit a Wall Profile
Drawing Name: wall profile.rvt
Estimated Time to Completion: 10 Minutes
Scope
Modify a Wall Profile

Solution
Activate the West Elevation in the Project Browser.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Select the wall.

Select Edit Profile on the Mode panel.

Select the Line tool from the Draw panel.

You may need to play with the ribbon display tools to see the
Draw panel.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

5.

Draw a vertical line 5 6 to the right of the A

grid and 2 6 high.

6.

Use the TRIM tool to delete the top

line for the wall to the right of the
short vertical line.
Arrows indicate the selections for the
TRIM tool.

7.

Extend the right vertical line up.

Draw a new slanted line to close the profile.
Set the angle to 91.
To set the angle: add a temporary angle dimension using the Angle tool
in the Measure panel.

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Structural Columns and Walls

8.

9.

Select the Green Check on the Mode panel.

Switch to a 3D view.

10. The wall profile has been modified.

11. Close without saving.

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Revit Structure Basics: Framing and Documentation

Command Exercise
Exercise 1-7 Add an Opening in a Wall
Drawing Name: add_opening.rvt
Estimated Time to Completion: 10 Minutes
Scope
Add an opening to a wall.

Solution
Activate the West Elevation in the Project Browser.

1.

Activate the Structure ribbon.

Select the Wall opening tool on the Opening panel.

2.

Select the wall.

Draw a rectangle.
Adjust the size and position of the rectangle
using the grips and temporary dimensions.
Set the size of the rectangle to 4 0 high x
8 6 wide.

3.

4.
5.

Position the rectangle 5 6 to the right of the A grid and 3 0 above Level 1.
Switch to a 3D view.
An opening to the wall has been added.

6.

7.

Close without saving.

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