Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> Problems with offset joints in tilt-up concrete walls

mccoolj

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Joined: Wed, Dec 29, 2010
58 Posts

I'm trying to model precast concrete tilt-up walls in Revit Structure 2012, and I keep running into problems whenever I split the walls into separate panels. The "split with gap" seems pretty useful except that it throws off all my dimensions for my openings all the way down the wall. I also have some simple rectangular openings centered on wall joints, and the split with gap does cut through the openings nicely, except that it makes the opening off-centered, and it is sometimes extremely difficult to get it back centered on the grid. So much so that I had to edit the profile and add reference planes and lock the profile lines to them to get the opening back where it was supposed to be. The biggest issue though, is when I have an opening too close to the wall joint, so that a staggered wall joint is required. This has been maddening to try to get the right wall to extend underneath the left wall 8" or 9" like we need. Revit pushes the other wall wall back, then I drag it back in place, then it changes something else, and I am going around in circles. I would like to be able to lock down 1 end and tell Revit not to squeeze that joint down when I edit the other end, but I don't see any options for doing that. This is fairly common in tilt-up construction, so I need to be able to model this repeatedly without working all night on 1 wall! Anyone else have experience with this, or suggestions for other resources? I haven't found any help in other forums/blogs, or my Revit book, and haven't seen anything quite lilke this on here. Thanks everyone!

Jason

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WWHub

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I prefer to do these with a simple vertical reveal that cuts the panel.  The wall remains as one wall.

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AbsoluteBIM

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Joined: Fri, Jun 17, 2011
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I agree with WWHub, setting a simple reveal with be the way to go. However, if your working for the precaster and need to complete shop drawings, you'll probably need the panels to be seperate for Scheduling panels with weights, etc.

What if you tried doing it as a curtain wall system. Think of the vertical mullions as your gap between panels. Then in your Visibility Graphics, just turn off Curtain wall mullions. For your openings, you can just edit the profile of the wall to include your blockouts.

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mccoolj

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Joined: Wed, Dec 29, 2010
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We do need these as separate panels I think, since we show a separate reinforcing/opening layout for each panel mark. I've never tried anything with the curtain wall functionality, but that looks like it comes out sharp in your screenshot, so I'll give it a try. Thanks.

Slightly off-topic, I tried attaching a screenshot showing my situation, but they never show up in my post like yours did. Am I doing something wrong?

Jason

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Mr Spot

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Note, if you do go the curtain wall route with nested basic wall panels, you cannot make a curtain wall or its nested panels "Structural"...

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WWHub

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The other problem with using the curatin wall is the placement of any openings like doors.  You have to add curtain wall grids and adjust them to create openings.  Doors / openings that cross multipanels are a problem for the same reason.

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