AUTODESK REVIT STRUCTURE 2011

Using the Revit Extensions

for Steel Framed Floor
Design and Analysis
David J. Odeh, PE, SECB
Odeh Engineers, Inc., North Providence, RI

Many structural engineering firms have adopted

Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 software to help
improve the productivity and efficiency of their
practices. Using Autodesk Revit Structure 2011,
engineers can create a single building information
model (BIM) that can be used for many purposes,
including construction documentation, detailing,
and coordination with other disciplines.
Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 also generates an analytical model that can be used
to link with other external analysis tools, such as Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis
Professional 2011 software, or to perform design and analysis functions directly inside
of the model using the Autodesk Revit 2011 Structure Extensions. The Autodesk Revit
Structure 2011 Extensions are particularly useful to structural engineers because they
help to minimize the need to create and maintain multiple models for construction
documentation and analysis.
This white paper explores two new Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 Extensions for steel
framed floor system design and analysis: the Composite Design Extension and the Vibrations
Analysis Extension. These tools enable the engineer to analyze and optimize steel member
sizes, evaluate floor vibrations, and directly populate the Revit Structure model with calculated design information. Specific applications of the extensions include: conceptual review
of floor framing options, detailed design of new steel framed floors, and analysis of existing
floor systems.
The new extensions help engineers be more productive by performing typical daily design
tasks directly within the Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 model, minimizing the need to run
separate applications or perform tedious hand calculations. This white paper demonstrates
a workflow and some design examples that illustrate the use of the extensions in a typical
structural engineering design office.
NOTE: All content herein is intended to illustrate the use of the design tools within Autodesk
Revit Structure 2011 and does not represent formal design of any specific structure. All
concepts and tools discussed in this whitepaper are intended to be used by a qualified
structural engineer with proper license in the location of the project. All results and designs
computed by the system must be reviewed by a qualified engineer, who shall be fully
responsible for any final design or documentation prepared using these tools.

CONTENTS
Overview of the Revit
Structure Extensions..2
Workflow for Floor
Design and Analysis...3
Example Projects........9
Summary.....................12

AUTODESK REVIT STRUCTURE 2011

Overview of the Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 Extensions

The Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 Extensions are available as a package of useful tools
that work as add-ons to the Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 software. Autodesk Subscription customers can download the extensions or by visiting the Subscription center at http://
subscription.autodesk.com
The extensions are accessed via the Add-Ins tab in Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 in the
Extensions Manager (see Figure 1 below), under the Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis
Professional 2011 Extensions. In this white paper, the discussion focuses on the Composite
Design Extension (CDE) and the Vibrations Analyzer Extension (VAE).
FIGURE 1
Revit Extensions Manager
and Add-Ins Palette

AUTODESK REVIT STRUCTURE 2011

Workflow for Floor Design and Analysis

The Composite Design Extension (CDE) and Vibration Analysis Extension (VAE) were
designed to work together, helping the engineer to optimize and analyze floor framing
that is selected from the Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 model.
The typical workflow to use these tools consists of the following three steps:
Step 1: Create the Model in Autodesk Revit Structure 2011
Create the Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 model, including specification of the floor
slabs, initial beam sizes, column or wall supports. Material properties, such as steel
strength, concrete density and strength are applied in the Autodesk Revit Structure
2011 model.
Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 creates a parallel analytical model automatically. The
engineer can manage the analytical model by creating Analytical views (in plan or 3D) and
performing adjustments and consistency checks to help evaluate if the model is consistent
and properly completed.
Apply loads to the floor in Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 (through the Analyze ribbon in
Autodesk Revit Structure 2011). The CDE recognizes dead loads and live loads placed on
slabs or beams (point loads must be placed on top of a beam).

FIGURE 2
Applying Loads to Analytical
Model in Revit Structure

AUTODESK REVIT STRUCTURE 2011

Step 2: Analyze/Design the Floor Framing for Strength and Deflections using the Composite
Design Extension
Select the area of the floor to be designed or analyzed. For the CDE, the engineer can
select individual members, groups of members, or the entire floor (as long as the floor slab
is continuous). Typically the CDE will be used first to evaluate the member strengths and
static deflections, followed by a check of vibrations using the VAE.
Initiate the extensions using the Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 Extensions Manager
Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis Professional 2011 Composite Design. The
extension opens a new dialog box with the selected members highlighted.
FIGURE 3
Launching the Composite
Design Extension from
Autodesk Revit Structure
2011

Launching the Composite Design Extension from Autodesk Revit Structure 2011

AUTODESK REVIT STRUCTURE 2011

Using the CDE, members can be optimized or checked for both composite and non composite action. For composite members, the CDE will check the pre-composite loads
and post composite loads for strength and deflection criteria against the American
Institute of Steel Construction standards and user settings. Numerous design settings
are available to the engineer to fine-tune the design.

FIGURE 4
Member selection and
detailed design information
from Composite Design
Extension (clockwise from
top right: stud layout,
moment diagram, detailed
results report)

AUTODESK REVIT STRUCTURE 2011

When satisfied with the design, clicking OK on the CDE dialog will update all of the
members in the Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 model with the new member size,
camber, and stud count (for composite members).
FIGURE 5
Updating the Revit
Structure Model after
design in Composite
Design Extension

Member sizes, Studs, Camber

AUTODESK REVIT STRUCTURE 2011

Step 3: Check the Design for Vibration Serviceability using the Vibration Analysis Extension
Last, the design is checked for vibration serviceability using the VAE. The VAE analyzes
bays in the floor framing, either from the user selected members or by inferring them
from the slab that is selected by the user.
FIGURE 6
Launching the Vibrations
Analysis Extension from
the Revit Structure Model
after Designed

Member sizes, slabs, bay layout

AUTODESK REVIT STRUCTURE 2011

The VAE analyzes the floor based on user settings, and it can consider walking
excitation, rhythmic excitation, and sensitive equipment vibrations as recommended
in the American Institute of Steel Construction Design Guide #11 Floor Vibrations due to
Human Activity.
Bays that do not pass the vibration criteria can be adjusted in Autodesk Revit Structure
2011 and re-analyzed as required.
FIGURE 7
Vibrations Analysis Options
(top) and Detailed Results
(bottom) from the Vibrations
Analysis Extension

AUTODESK REVIT STRUCTURE 2011

Example Projects
The following examples illustrate real projects for which the Composite Design and Vibrations
Analysis extensions were used. The extensions are very useful for both new design and
evaluation of existing designs.
Conceptual Design of New Floor Hospital Outpatient Clinic Building
For a new three-story medical outpatient clinic building, several different design options
needed to be considered for the floor framing. The design criteria were established in
conjunction with the owner and architect as follows:
6" floor slabs using 3" composite slab-on-deck construction
Maximum beam/girder depth of 18"
Live load of 100 psf for entire floor
Walking vibration criteria per AISC Design Guide #11
The design engineer created three different bay framing options in a Autodesk Revit
Structure 2011 model (utilizing a linked Revit Architecture model for the column grids
already established by the architect), including beam layouts, slabs on deck, and preliminary
loads . Next, the Composite Design Extension was used to optimize the beam sizes within
the established depth restriction from the architect of 18". The member sizes and stud
counts were then saved directly back into the Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 model. Each
design was also checked for vibration serviceability using the Vibrations Analysis Extension.
FIGURE 8
Takeoff analysis of three
options for hospital
building layout, based on
Revit Structure schedule/
quantity table

AUTODESK REVIT STRUCTURE 2011

Finally, a member piece count and steel weight were calculated using the Autodesk Revit
Structure 2011 Scheduling/Quantities feature. A graphical summary of the results was
prepared for consideration by the owner and construction manager, upon which the most
economical scheme was selected. This scheme was immediately converted into a production
Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 model to begin detailed design.

Analysis of Existing Floor System Office Building High Density

Storage Installation
In this example, a tenant of an existing office building wished to install a high density file
storage system, weighing approximately 250 psf, on an upper floor of the building. The
original structural drawings indicated that the floors, constructed using a composite slab
on deck system, were designed for typical office live loads of 50 psf + 20 psf partition loads.
While the high density file storage system would result in higher loading than these design
values, the higher loads would be localized to a limited area of the floor. A structural analysis
was performed to assist the client in locating the storage system so that floor reinforcement
could be minimized or avoided altogether.
FIGURE 9
Revit Structure model
showing loads traced over
architectural layout of
office space

To perform the analysis, the engineer first created a Revit Structure model, utilizing AutoCAD background drawings provided by the owner. Member sizes and stud counts were
directly input into the Revit Structure model from information provided on the original
design drawings. The AutoCAD background drawings also indicated the floor plans with
partitions and proposed locations for new storage spaces. Using the AutoCAD drawing
as an overlay in Revit Structure, the engineer sketched the loads in different areas to
help simulate the effects of the high density file storage system (superimposed onthe other
live loads present in the office and the actual partition loads as measured in the building).
Each loading case was analyzed using the Composite Design Extension to help determine
if the members met both strength and deflection criteria. Detailed results were printed
indicating member pass/fail status.
Ultimately, working with the client, a location was selected that required minimal structural
reinforcement to the steel framing.

10

AUTODESK REVIT STRUCTURE 2011

New Fitness Center and Natatorium

In this example, a large steel framed fitness center and natatorium structure was designed
using several third-party software applications. This structure consisted of composite
slab-on-deck floors (for the fitness center), and a long-span steel truss roof system over the
natatorium space. The lateral force resisting system was designed using reinforced masonry
shear walls. Due to the hybrid nature of the construction, several applications were required
to help perform the analysis and design of the structural elements. Member sizes and other
information were input manually by the engineers into a Revit Structure model in order to
coordinate design with the architect and prepare the final construction documents.
For this project, clearly the extensions would be insufficient to complete the entire design of
the structural framing. However, the Composite Design Extension was used by the project
manager to help perform a quality assurance check on the output of the third party software
application, as well as the accuracy of the input to the model. The CDE was run for the entire
floor, and helped identify any failed members for strength or deflection. In most cases,
such members were determined to be input incorrectly or had changed in span or tributary
area at some point after the design was completed in the third party application. Rather
than re-run the entire model through the third party software, these individual members
could be more quickly resized using the CDE and checked for adequacy.
Additionally, the VAE was used to check rhythmic vibrations on the floor framing for the
fitness center. It was discovered that the bay sizes resulted in failure of the vibration criteria
as initially designed in the third-party application, and member sizes were subsequently
increased and stiffened to help meet the requirements for vibrations.

FIGURE 10
Revit Structure model of new
Fitness Center (front part
of building, with elevated
composite floors) and Natatorium (rendering produced in
Autodesk 3D Studio Max
Design software)

The integrated extensions proved to be invaluable tools during detailed design for this
project, since they could be rapidly deployed to check, fine-tune, and resize elements
without resorting to a complete re-analysis using other software.

11

AUTODESK REVIT STRUCTURE 2011

Summary
The Revit Structure Extensions for steel framed floor design apply to both composite and
non-composite floors, and can be used to more quickly analyze member strength and
serviceability, more rapidly explore different design concepts for floor framing, and help
create optimum framing designs by weight, cost, or depth. The new Vibrations Analysis
Extension also helps users to evaluate all three vibration serviceability criteria included in
the AISC Design Guide #11 Vibrations due to Human Activity.
The Extensions work directly inside of Revit Structure by reading information from the analytical model, and saving results directly back into the model file. By using a single model,
engineers can often eliminate the need to create and maintain separate models in third
party applications, thus improving their efficiency in performing daily design tasks. Furthermore, even in complex models where third party design tools are required, the extensions
are a very useful tool for helping with quick design revisions, quality assurance checking, and
the review of third-party analysis results for accuracy.

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