Adding Basic Building Elements: Adding Columns

2.12.10 10:25-10:40am

Adding Basic Building Elements: Adding Columns

Training File = Imperial\RAC_BBE_01_Add_Columns_i.rvt

In this exercise, you place structural columns in the model. When placing the columns, you use the grids placed during previous exercises as a layout tool. You alter the columns to meet design requirements, and place them on multiple levels of the building model.

Load a column family

1. In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 - Entry Level.
   
   
2. Click Home tabBuild panelColumn drop-downStructural Column.

   The design calls for a round concrete column.

3. Click Place Structural Column tabElement panelType Selector drop-down, and notice that the round column required is not available in the project.

   Load the column family from an external library.

4. Click Place Structural Column tabDetail panelLoad Family.
   
   
5. In the left pane of the Load Family dialog, click Training Files and open Imperial\Families\Concrete-Round-Column.rfa.

Add columns

6. Click Place Structural Column tabMultiple panelOn Grids.

   This option allows you to quickly select all of the grid intersections where columns can be placed.

7. Starting in the lower left corner and ending in the upper right corner, draw a selection window around the entire floor plan.

   All model elements except grids are filtered out of the selection set.

8. On the Multiple Selection panel, click Finish Selection.

   The columns are placed at the intersections of all selected grids.

9. Click Modify.

   Columns placed at grid intersections C4-C6 and H4-H10 are outside of the curtain wall that creates the skin of the building in the courtyard. You need to delete these columns from the project.

10. Draw a selection box around the columns placed at grid intersections C4-C6, and press Delete.
    
    
11. Using the same method, delete columns placed at grid intersections H4-H10.

Modify column height

12. Using a selection box, select the entire floor plan.
    
    
13. Click Multi-Select tabFilter panelFilter.

    You filter the selection set to include only the structural columns.

14. In the Filter dialog:
    • Click Check None.
    • Under Category, select Structural Columns.
    • Click OK.
15. Click Multi-Select tabElement panelElement Properties drop-downInstance Properties.

    You modify the properties and apply an offset to the top of the columns to accommodate the thickness of the floor above.

16. In the Instance Properties dialog, for Top Offset, type -1' 0'', and click OK.

Paste columns to upper levels

17. While the columns are still selected, clickMulti-Select tabClipboard panel,Copy.
    
    
18. On the Clipboard panel, click Paste Aligned drop-downSelect Levels.
    
    
19. In the Select Levels dialog, while pressing Ctrl, select 02 - Floor and 03 - Floor.
    
    
20. Click OK.
    
    
21. Open the {3D} view.

    In a 3D view, the columns added to all 3 levels are displayed.

Delete extra columns in the pavilion

22. Use the ViewCube to orient the view to the pavilion.

23. Zoom in to the columns in the pavilion.

    Even though the walls of the pavilion extend up 2 levels, it only has one floor level, so you can delete the columns on the second and third levels.

24. Select the columns in the second and third levels of the pavilion (2 columns on each level).
    
    
25. Press Delete.
    
    
26. Close the file with or without saving it.