WSP
Revit Best Practice Guide
Version 0.10 beta By WSP Revit Users
Printed: 26/09/2012 17:09
Before printing, think about the environment Think about it: Do you really need to plot this manual? (The hyperlinks
make it easy to navigate and searching is easier than looking at the index!)
If the answer is yes, choose a printer that prints on both sides of the paper.
Page2 |pages
Plot on A4 paper, both sides, booklet style, left edge binding, 1 per
sheet.
Overview
MT: I made an auto index and did some basic editing and checking throughout the document. I
turned on the tracking of changes. (Review tab, Tracking panel, Final:Show mark-up.)
Page | 2
Index
Project Start Up 4
Title Blocks .................................................................................................................... 4
Notes on title blocks ...................................................................................................... 4
Naming Convention ....................................................................................................... 4
External Reference 5
Pad Foundations 6
Pile Caps 7
Capping Beams 8
Secant / Contiguous pile wall ......................................................................................... 8
Sheet pile wall ............................................................................................................... 8
Diaphragm ..................................................................................................................... 8
Chamfers/steps to Raft Foundations ............................................................................ 10
Lift Pits/Sumps 11
Slabs 12
Openings in Slabs 13
Holes ........................................................................................................................... 13
Recessing within Slabs 14
Steps in Slab 15
Drops in Slab 16
Sloping Slabs 17
Ramp Slabs 18
Upstands 19
Beams 20
Walls/Core Walls 21
Lift /Door Openings 22
Service Openings 23
Columns 24
Sloping Columns 25
Bespoke ....................................................................................................................... 25
Holes through Columns/Buttress ................................................................................. 25
Approx. definition of a Column .................................................................................... 25
Bespoke Columns ........................................................................................................ 25
Waffle Slabs 26
Page | 3
Project Start Up
Ensure that project and shared origins are the same at start up
Shared project coordinates and origins to be agreed with all disciplines at project start up
Model levels before grids
WSP view purpose function should be used – browser filters
Consider modelling walls and cols full height for early stages. For later stages i.e. once structure
is fixed model should be split by floor.
Title Blocks
Matt Taylor ([Link]@[Link]) is able to assist in the creation of project specific
titleblocks.
Notes on title blocks
Additional notes – detail component MT: I have added note blocks as ‘Legends’ in the template,
is it preferred that we use detail components?
Keys modelled as a legend
Naming Convention
Revit File Location
Page | 4
External Reference
Revit > linked files
X – defines a linked file of importance eg. X_Survey
Investigate the use of linked groups rather than project groups
i.e. single model inserted into main model and copied where repetition occurs.
This could be a group of any elements for example a Truss
Page | 5
Pad Foundations
Standard pad family to be used
Depth – Total depth of foundation (inc. slab)
Do’s
Model Pad to top of slab
Cut slab around pad
Join slab and footing to show dotted line on plan
Don’ts
Model pad to underside of slab
Page | 6
Pile Caps
Piles are individual items locked to the reference plane within the cap
Standard pad family to be used
Do’s
Use menu tool
Pile information must be able to be scheduled ie coordinates, cut off levels etc.
Don’ts
Do not use column family
Page | 7
Capping Beams
To be foundation category
Use Standard Ground Beams unless in complicated areas.
Where this is the case use in place.
Slab edge up to inner face of capping beam
To be called up depth x width RC CAPPING BEAM
Loaded foundation beam to be used in most cases
Complex areas to be modelled in-place
Naming convention of in-place to contain local grids and
incremental
Foundation tag to be created added, to template MT:
TagPlan Fndn Type
Secant / Contiguous pile wall
To be a foundation category
Macro Monitored loaded family to be used
Individual piles
Corner pile always to be female MT: The AutoCAD macro
places males at the corners. Can it be confirmed that
female is the correct procedure?
Wall to be in own work-set
Matt Taylor to automate the placing of the wall. A special and
dynamic female corner family to be created
Sheet pile wall
As secant wall
Very simplified profile
Diaphragm
During early stages model as wall
Overlay contractors preferred scheme for GA’s (usually DWG format)
Page | 8
There is a need for more inline families to represent the repeating nature of foundation walls, Matt
Taylor to progress
MT: So, secant, sheet pile - what else is required?
Page | 9
Raft Foundations
Do’s
Model as foundation slab
Consider breaking up large slabs MT: is it worth giving a reason here?
Piles are attached to a reference plane
Don’ts
Do not use floor slabs
Do not model joints (to be done in line work)
Chamfers/steps to Raft Foundations
Generally do not model chamfers, left to contractor how he wants to build
Page | 10
Lift Pits/Sumps
Do’s
Use custom menu family
Don’ts
As lift pits MT: The wording could do with revising - what is it actually trying to say?
Matt to add button to menu’s MT: I’ve added them.
Page | 11
Slabs
Do’s
Control slab material by material and name
Model slabs as they are to be constructed
Suspended:-
Model entire area of slab, not infill between beams
Ground bearing:-
Model around foundations / coves
Don’ts
Do not break into numerous parts of smaller slabs
Page | 12
Openings in Slabs
Holes
If clash detection is being used then holes should be modelled. Use custom menu tool
Page | 13
Recessing within Slabs
Do’s
Use custom Family
If a recess is wholly within a slab use WSP custom recess family. Recesses should be hosted by
the element. Cut not face based
If recess is around the perimeter of a slab we separate slab
Matt to add button to menu’s MT: I have done so
Page | 14
Steps in Slab
Do’s
If steps are higher than slab depth use extrusions to fill gap
Don’ts
Do not use walls or beams
Page | 15
Drops in Slab
Do’s
Use custom menu family
Don’ts
Do not call up depth from top of slab (drop is from underside of slab)
Page | 16
Sloping Slabs
Do’s
Uniform sloping slabs use sloping slab command MT: Use actual command name.
Don’ts
Don’t use architectural ramps
Page | 17
Ramp Slabs
Do’s
Use standard slabs with Modify Sub Elements
Don’ts
Do not use Architectural ramps
Page | 18
Upstands
Do’s
Use wall family with unconnected height
Matt to look at creating a family
Don’ts
Do not use beam family
Page | 19
Beams
Do’s
If simple use standard beam family
Do not use walls
If complicated consider using a slab but give considerations to how it will be tagged
Place at SSL Level
Ensure that the beam is associated to the correct level
Don’ts
Use wall family
Matt to have a look at creating a family MT: Please specify.
Page | 20
Walls/Core Walls
Do’s
Model separate Link beams (Multi Storey)
Model SSL to SSL (typically)
Model using internal face option
Consider ‘disallow join command’
Model as a height
Don’ts
Do not use edit wall profile – in effect “banned”
Do not constrain core walls by locking together
Do not model as a Depth
Do not model as full height (except early stages see page )
Page | 21
Lift /Door Openings
Do’s
Use custom X-out / beam family MT: There are still
issues with this family when using coarse detail level.
I’ll have to make a beam family and a x-out family -
separately. (I have taken the x-out away.)
Ensure that beam and face wall align
Don’ts
Page | 22
Matt to add button to menu’s
Service Openings
Do’s
Model 250mm holes and larger as standard however project specific scenarios may over-rule
Use custom Family Matt to add button to menu’s MT: I have done.
Don’ts
Do not use face based families MT: When doing
openings through concrete beam families, I see
no choice?
Page | 23
Columns
Do’s
Model SSL to SSL
Don’ts
Model columns the entire height of building (except early stages see page 1)
-footnote- refer to precast for precast specific
Page | 24
Sloping Columns
Matt to have a look at creating a family MT: Please specify its’ function and usage.
Should be angle driven (preferred method)
Bespoke
Model as standard column
Holes through Columns/Buttress
Very rare but consider modelling as a wall
Approx. definition of a Column
A column’s dimensions are generally a ratio of
width x Length.
i.e. draw as wall if the length of the column is greater
than four times the width. i.e.(4 x Width) > Length
Design will override.
Bespoke Columns
Ellipses, semi circular, ½ ellipses need creating
Notes for Matt T
Create T, L, X shaped columns
Imperial columns sizes need looking at -0z W
Page | 25
Waffle Slabs
Oz “can you do something for this?
Page | 26
