MSF20357

Reinforcement Detailing Beyond Limits

Thomas Fink
SOFiSTiK AG

Learning Objectives
Learn how to handle revisions properly
Learn how to split area reinforcement on large slabs reflecting stock length
Learn how to place rebars along non-planar faces
Learn how to create and annotate 2D views and sheets out of the model

Description
Although reinforcement-detailing capabilities of Revit Structure software have been improved
from release to release during recent years, a lack of features is preventing users from changing
their workflows from 2D detailing with AutoCAD software to a Building Information Modeling
(BIM)-concentric workflow in 3D. This class will demonstrate how to overcome these feature
gaps by using third-party software. This includes easily distributing rebars along non-planar
faces, splitting area reinforcement on large slabs, properly handling revisions, and creating 2D
views out of the 3D model. This session features Revit Structure.

Your AU Expert(s)
After receiving his diploma in structural engineering at Technical University in Munich, Thomas
Fink has worked in structural engineering and software development for over 30 years. He is co-
founder and CEO of SOFiSTiK AG, a leading German supplier of software for analysis, design,
and detailing. He was on the board of the German section of buildingSMART for more than 10
years, and chaired the working group innovations of the Bavarian Chamber of Building
Engineers. Whenever he has time, he loves to fly balloons and to sail.

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Introduction
Rebar objects have been introduced in Revit in Version 2009 for the first time, 8 releases ago.
Over the years Autodesk improved the functionality from release to release, introducing fabric
sheets, rebar containers, couplers, multi rebar annotation and much more. Capabilities of rebar
objects have been increased each year.

Despite these efforts many features necessary for productive work are still missing.

To speed up time to market and to better serve European workflows Autodesk started a close
partnership with German based SOFiSTiK AG in 2012 which led to the development of
SOFiSTiK Reinforcement Detailing (RCD) [1] and other Add-ons for Revit Structure like
Reinforcement Generation (RCG) [2] or SOFiSTiK BiMTOOLS [3].

This lecture will concentrate on 4 key features of RCD. Beside these many other useful tools are
available.

RIBBON BAR OF SOFISTIK REINFORCEMENT DETAILING

Splitting and Staggering Rebars

With the command Area Reinforcement it is easy
and fast to populate slabs and walls with rebars in
two directions and 2 layers. Generated rebars may
become longer than stock length and in case the
shape of the host is not rectangular removing the
area system results in many rebar sets with one
rebar (Layout Rule Single) which may have
different length.

With Revit 2015 SOFiSTiK introduced the

command Split Rebar which allowed to split one
rebar set according to various rules. This
command has been enhanced for Revit 2017.

1 http://www.sofistik.com/index.php?id=961&L=1
2 http://www.sofistik.com/index.php?id=992&L=1
3 http://www.sofistik.com/no_cache/en/solutions/soficad/bimtools/

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There is an option which allows to generate model lines which can be modified to influence the
splitting. These lines can be copied, moved or deleted to help users getting desired rebar
layouts. A big improvement in particular in combination with single rebars is the possibility to
select multiple rebars for one split command.

USING SPLIT REBAR RESPECTING VARIABLE LENGTH

A set of single rebars can be grouped into one rebar container. This minimizes the number of
bar marks, improves the performance of Revit and is useful in regards of usability and
annotation. Single rebars would result in single annotations, a rebar container can be annotated
using the multi rebar annotation tool.

REBAR CONTAINER ENABLES BETTER DOCUMENTATION

Last not least many users do not like to design many rebars, each of a different length. It is
common practice to group several rebars with variable length to get the same length, reducing

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the number of bar marks. This is what the command Stagger [4], introduced in Revit 2017
does.

STAGGER REBARS

Place rebar along curved faces

Creation of rebar sets was possible only in hosts with plane and parallel faces. With Revit 2017
Autodesk introduced variable rebar sets with the limitation, that the variability has to be linear.
This is useful and sufficient for tapered beams. Since 2015 some lectures at AU talked about
creating variable rebars sets using Dynamo.

With SOFiSTiK Reinforcement Detailing 2017 two new commands are introduced: Face Rebar
and Distribute. Both commands create single rebars or rebar containers, which can be used
for presentation and which appear in rebar schedule.
Face Rebar

This command [5] works similar like the Area Reinforcement. The
user selects a face and can define the properties of the created
rebar sets within a dialog. Further documentation like annotations
will still be improved in further releases.

4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_FDtg_UD3M
5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wKsCZ7nb5U

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Distribute

This command is useful to create reinforcement for

arbitrary shaped columns and beams. Initially rebars in a
section at the beginning and/or the end of the host have
to be created. These rebars can be interpolated [6] (in
case of existing rebars on both sides) or extrapolated [7]
(in case of rebar on one side only) using a layout rule
defined in a dialog. Additionally, a layout rule for the
longitudinal rebars for each edge of the cross rebar can
be defined.

DISTRIBUTE: DIALOG AND RESULT

Create and annotate drawing sheets

Reinforcement drawings are a symbolic presentation of the rebars. In general, not all of the
rebars are displayed, distribution lines indicate where rebar sets shall be placed on site.
SOFiSTiK created several tools which enable and speed up this process.

6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz1ybuAFmm0
7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDdBq0UeTrg

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There is the possibility to hide certain rebars in a set (this is possible in Revit as well) and to
place various detail elements on the view. These detail elements are part of content packs
which are available for USA, UK and Germany. SOFiSTiK is working to serve other standards in
future. Experienced users can modify these content packs according their own standards and
needs. [8]

ANNOTATION OF A REBAR SET ACCORDING DIFFERENT STANDARDS

Hide and Tag is commonly used with distributed rebars in slabs and walls. Using the
command Tag all their annotations can be placed outside the host, which is common practice
in several countries.

Rebar end marks end of rebars, a very useful tool for longitudinal rebars in highly reinforced
beams.

BEAM WITH SYMBOLIC PRESENTATION OF REBARS WITH BAR END MARKS

Rebar Detail places detail elements over

selected rebars indicating their layer and up-
or downward bends at the end of the visible
line.

VARIOUS POSSIBILITIES USING REBAR DETAIL

8 http://au.autodesk.com/au-online/classes-on-demand/class-catalog/2014/revit-for-structural-
engineers/se5174

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Handling Revisions
Revit
Since Release 2015 Revit has the ability to handle revisions for projects and sheets and to
place revision clouds in 2-D views. First it is necessary to know where to find the tool to
manipulate Revisions, its on the Tab View:

This command opens a dialog which allows to switch between numbering per project or per
sheet, to add, modify or delete revisions and to influence the numbering.

Revisions can be documented on the title block of sheets and finally revision clouds can be
placed around the area with modifications. This tool can be found in the tab Annotate

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 REVISION CLOUD AROUND MODIFIED AREAS

These features may work nicely for architectural elements, in case of reinforcement the
workflow has to be a little bit more sophisticated.
SOFiSTiK RCD
After a rebar schedule has been released for production, existing rebars should not be modified
anymore. Quite difficult to achieve this with plain Revit when hosts are being modified.
SOFiSTiK RCD offers a tool Freeze Rebar [9], which protects reinforcement elements and
their tags from being modified. This should be done before releasing a drawing sheet.

After freezing the reinforcement, a revision should be created and if it exists the last revision
should be marked as issued in the dialog. SOFiSTiK Reinforcement Detailing introduced a
parameter called SOFiSTiK Revision and fills this parameter with the name of the latest
revision automatically when a new rebar is created. Finally in case a rebar is not frozen (or
has been unfrozen) a warning will be issued if a rebar which does not belong to the latest
revision is modified.

9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWyKa9-I7pA

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Finally, when producing a rebar schedule, users may select whether to generate a schedule for
all rebars, a certain revision or for all rebars without a revision.

Summary
Revit Structure together with applications from third party developers can handle all tasks
necessary for reinforcement detailing as long as the host geometry does not consist out of multi
curved faces. This is the case for almost all buildings and many building like structures like
rectangular or circular tanks. Using SOFiSTiK Reinforcement Detailing enhances quality and
efficiency in reinforcement drawing production.

Autodesk and SOFiSTiK will continue their efforts to close any existing feature gaps and to
enhance the software to support typical infrastructure projects like bridges, tunnels and others.

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