11742 Projektering og udfrelse af bygninger F14

Exercise 2

From building model to structural analysis

Export of a Revit Structure Model into FEM Design is done through a StruSoft
StruXML Revit Add-In.
Before starting the exercise watch a short tutorial explaining StruSoft StruXML
Revit Add-In: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNLbARQrV_k

Installation:

StruSoft StruXml Revit 2013 Add-In and StruSoft StruXml Revit 2014 Add-In can
be downloaded from the StruSoft download page:
http://download.strusoft.com/FEM-Design/inst120x/
Run the installation file. After completion of the installation process, StruSoft
FEM-Design panel will appear in the Analyze tab in Revit along with the Export
StruXml command.

Introduction:

The transfer of structural elements from Revit to FEM-Design is done by

exporting an analytical model of an instance of an element along with its
properties, i.e. material, section/profile/thickness, release conditions,
eccentricity.
If a structural element in Revit does not have analytical model enabled, it will
not be exported to FEM-Design.

Task: Export from Revit to FEM-Design and analyze the structure

The task is to export the model from Revit to FEM-Design and perform a stability analysis in FEM-Design.

Step 1:


Run the Export StruXML

Open Exercise_11B 11034.rvt in Revit. Choose Export StruXML command

that is placed in the StruSoft FEM-Design panel in the Analyze tab in Revit.
Upon choosing the command, a Code dialog will appear. Before exporting
model to FEM-Design, it is necessary to select one of the design codes.
Chosen code and national annex will influence the material and sections
library that will be used for mapping.

Select Eurocode (NA: Danish) and press OK.

Upon pressing OK, a StruXml Export dialog will appear. Here you can decide
if to export grids and levels, if to export only selected elements, etc.
Furthermore, you can see a list of unmapped elements (sections) and
materials.

In the Export tab select Grids and Levels to be exported along with the
model.

Step 2:
Materials mapping

Move to Materials tab and map the two materials. (1) Select material in the
left dialog, (2) select corresponding material in the right dialog, (3) press
Map selected item.

Repeat the procedure for the second material. Map Metal Steel 345
MPa into S 355.
After you map all the materials, press Apply button to save the mapping.

Step 3:
Sections mapping

Move to Sections tab and map the two sections. (1) Select section in the left
dialog, (2) select corresponding section in the right dialog, (3) press Map
selected item.
After you map all the sections, press Apply button to save the mapping.

Step 4:
Export the model

Step 5:
Open the model in
FEM-Design

Go back to Export tab. The list of warning should be clear since all the
necessary mapping have been done.
Define a name and location of the export file and press Export button.

Upon pressing Export button, model will be exported to a struxml file and
export report will be displayed. Press Close.

Open FEM-Design 3D Structure. (1) From the main menu choose: File 
Open. (2) Choose StruSoft common structure XML files (*.struxml) in the
Files of type and browse for the desired file, (3) press Open button.

Step 6:
Apply loads

Watch a video Loads and load combinations that is uploaded at

Campusnet.
Create following load cases:

Apply the following loads into the structure:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Self weight is calculated automatically (+ Struct. dead load)

Live load: 1,5kN/m2 (on every floor except of the roof)
Snow: 0,72 kN/m2 (on the roof)
Wind load from X-Direction: 1kN/m on every floor. (0,5 kN/m on the
roof)
5. Wind load in Y Direction: The same as the X direction.

Hint 1:
The coordinate system of the model is as follows: green is X, red is Y. Be
aware of this when you put on your line- and surface loads. In the load
command you have to determine the load direction. Z-direction is vertical.
Hint 2:
When putting on live load (surface load) select Pick existing region" and
then right click on the surface. FEM Design will now load the whole plate
area except the hole in the middle. This trick can be used for the line load as
well, by picking the plate edge.

Step 7:
Create load
combinations

Create following load combinations:

Step 8:
Run analysis

Go to Analysis tab, select Calculate button. Check Load combinations and

Stability analysis to be calculated. Type 2 as requires buckling shapes
number for each load combinations. Press OK.

When the calculation is finished, following error message is shown:

Step 9:
Display results

Press New result button and go to Load combinations  Displacements for

Service Limit combination. Look at the results. The structure is unstable. All
connections are hinged.

Press New result button and go to Stability analysis for Service Limit
combination. Display one of the buckling shapes.

Press Animate result button in order to see the animation of the colapce
mechanis.

Step 10:
Make the structure
stable

It is now your job to make the structure stable. You can choose whether to use
some extra truss members, walls or change the connections between columns
and beams, etc. Try to understand how the structure behaves, and discuss with
you partner, how the loads is transported to the supports.
There are two ways how the model can be repaired:
1) Modify Revit model and update FEM-Design model with the changes. In
this case:

Do not change location of the initially imported model if you want to be
able to update it.

Be aware that the Update file option is very limited at the moment. Use
it only to add additional elements or change sections / profiles of
existing elements in Revit.
2) Modify model directly in FEM-Design.
Try to add some elements in Revit, update the FEM-Design model with those
changes and after that, perform other changes in FEM-Design if necessary
(change connections, supports, etc.). Below you will find a tutorial on how to use
the update FEM-Design model with changes made in Revit.

Update function:

Procedure:

Save your FEM-Design model.

Go to Revit. Add additional elements (truss elements, walls, etc.) to the
Revit model. Remember to assign a structural material to the new elements.
Example: added core walls

Export the updated Revit model into new struxml file (according to
procedures described in Steps 1-4)
Go back to FEM-Design, go to Edit  Update file. Select the struxml file
containing the updated Revit model. Open.

The FEM-Design model is now updated with the new elements without
losing information about applied loads and load combinations.

Step 11:
Make a report

Rerun the analysis to check if the structure is now stable (Steps 8-9).
Structure will be stable if the critical parameter is above 1.

Make a report on how did you solve the task of unstable structure. Wrote
shortly which actions did you perform (adding new elements, modifying
connections, etc.) and how did that influence the structure behavior. Add some
print screens of the structure and the stability analysis results.

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