Structural steel

Commands

BIMAPPLYPROFILE, BIMLINEARSOLID, BIMSTRUCTURALCONNECT, BIMADDECCENTRICITY, BIMRECALCULATEAXIS, DRAG, BIMSTRETCH

How to use the BIM Profiles panel

  1. Drag and drop the desired profile from the BIM Profiles panel to the model space.
    Note: This command works in the same way as the LINE command.
  2. To define the starting point and the following point(s) click in the model space or use the dynamic dimension fields.
  3. Press Enter to end the command.


    Note: BricsCAD doesn't automatically generate the connections between the different segments because the chosen profiles are structural steel.

About BIMSTRUCTURALCONNECT

The BIMSTRUCTURALCONNECT command automatically generates connections for profiles.


For more information about this command, visit the Command Reference article BIMSTRUCTURALCONNECT.

Making a structural connection to linear solids
  1. Select the profiles you want to connect with.
  2. Launch the BIMSTRUCTURALCONNECT command. by typing it in the Command line or select StructuralConnect in the Model tab in the Quad.
  3. When the Hot Key Assistant is on (HKA on the status bar), a widget (as displayed below) appears on the screen. Tap the CTRL-key to cycle through the different options.






  4. Press Enter to accept the selected option and end the command.

About DRAG

The DRAG command makes it possible to alter a segment of a drawn profile without losing the connection to other segments.


For more information about this command, visit the Command Reference article DRAG.

Altering the positioning of segments
Note: This only works if the connections were created with the BIMSTRUCTURALCONNECT command.
  1. Set the value of DISPLAYSIDESANDENDS system variable to 1.
  2. Select a face perpendicular to the section of the profile.


  3. Launch the DRAG command.
  4. Click the mouse to set a new position for the segment. Or use the dynamic dimension field to enter a value for the displacement.


Procedure: use modeling tools to create a structural steel model

  1. Draw a BimGrid as a base.
  2. Launch the BIMGRID command.
  3. Click a starting point and enter values into the dynamic dimension fields.


  4. Draw a base slab underneath the grid.
  5. Create a slab using the BOX command.
  6. Ensure that the grid is entirely on top of the slab and that the axes of your profiles are displayed.


  7. Go to the Settings dialog and under the BIM > Structural section. Ensure that Display Axes is checked.


  8. Open the Profiles panel and drag a structural steel profile into your model. Start drawing at the intersection point of two grid axes and draw vertically upward.
    Note: To snap specific points, make sure you have toggled on the different types of points you want to snap in the context menu when right-clicking on ESNAP.


  9. Launch the BIMPROPAGATE command.
  10. Select the slab as base solid and press Enter.
  11. Select the column as your detail element and press Enter. BricsCAD will zoom into the 3D detail. Press C to copy the column as a solid, not as a block.
    Note: The default setting for BIMPROPAGATE is to copy the object as a block.
  12. Hit Enter.
    Note: BricsCAD automatically copies the beam to every grid intersection. This is because you chose the floor slab with a BimGrid as your base solid.
  13. Hover over the green checkmark and click Bim Grid in the dialog box.


  14. Click Explode. You can now manually toggle individual suggestions to create the pattern of your choice.
  15. Press Enter to accept and end the command.


Create beams between the columns
  1. Open the Profiles panel and drag a structural steel profile into your model. To set the start and endpoints, click the top of the column and then the next. Do this in both directions.
    Note: If you want to turn your profiles to make the flanges are facing upwards, press Q (from Quarter turn). The profile will turn 90 degrees around its axis.


  2. Drag and drop a beam profile from the Profiles panel onto this beam. Give the second beam a large profile, as it has a longer span.
  3. Select a beam and launch the BIMADDECCENTRICITY command to alter the relative position of the axes of the beams.


  4. Click the down arrow. The beam moves down in relation to its axis.
  5. Press Enter to end the command.
  6. Repeat steps 3-5 for the other beam.
  7. Select the column and the two beams then launch the BIMSTRUCTURALCONNECT command to make a simple connection. Press Enter to accept the default option.


  8. Repeat step 7 for the other 2 junctions.
  9. Select the two columns connected to the beam in the Y-direction and launch the BIMPROPAGATE command.
  10. Select the beam in the Y-direction as the detail solid.
  11. Press C to copy it as a solid, not as a block.
  12. Press Enter.
  13. Choose which suggestions to accept. Press Enter to accept and finish the command.
    Note: Suggestions are made at the bottom of every column because the situation is symmetrical. You can toggle the suggestions off.
  14. Repeat steps 9 - 13 to create beams on the X-direction.
    Note: You can use box selections to select all the lower beams at once.
Move a Beam
  1. Set the value of DISPLAYSIDESANDENDS system variable to 1.
  2. Highlight the side face of the desired column and launch the DRAG command.


  3. Move the column to the desired position.


    Note: The connections with the adjoining beams are maintained.

Procedure: use the modeling tools to create a more detailed connection

  1. Set the value of DISPLAYSIDESANDENDS system variable to 0.
  2. Launch the BOX command and hover over the side face of the column.
  3. Press Shift once so that the face is highlighted in blue.


  4. Now draw a plate on the flange of the column.


  5. Select the beam and launch the SUBTRACT command.
  6. Select the endplate and press Enter.


  7. Select the face and launch the BIMIFY command from the Quad.
    Note: You can also Classify the plate manually by Quad selecting Classify Manually in the BIM tab.
  8. Open the Library panel and drag a bolt onto the plate.
    Note: You can position it precisely by entering values in the dynamic dimension fields.


  9. Select the plate and launch the BIMPROPAGATE command.
  10. Select the bolt as the detail and press Enter.
  11. Press Enter again and click on the blue question mark. It will turn into a green checkmark.
  12. Hover over the checkmark and select Grid.


  13. Add one row.
  14. Press Enter to end the command.


    The detailed connection has now been created.


Procedure: using BIMSTRETCH to modify structural steel

  1. Open a New drawing.
  2. Open the Profiles panel by clicking on it on the right-hand side of your screen.
    Note: If the Profiles panel icon isn’t visible yet, right-click on the ribbon and check BIM Profiles in the context menu under Panels.
  3. Drag the profile you want to draw a structure with within the model space.
  4. Draw a column with a height of 3000 mm. Don’t exit the command and draw a connecting beam with a length of 5000 mm horizontally. Now, add another column at the end of the beam. The height of this column is also 3000 mm.
    Note: Make sure you turned the profiles in the right way.


  5. Select the 3 beams and select Connect Structural in the ribbon or select the command from the Quad. You will be able to choose which connection you prefer. Choose the L-connection option and press enter. Your entities are now connected.


  6. In the ribbon, make sure you enable the Display sides and ends and Prioritize selection of Faces. You can find them in the Structural/MEP – View tab or set the value of DISPLAYSIDESANDENDS system variable to 1 and SELECTIONMODES system variable to 2.
  7. Check if the profiles are correctly classified as Beam and Columns.
  8. Launch the SLICE command and slice the beam in the middle.

    You will be prompted: Slice along axis? Press Enter to accept the default option (Yes).

  9. Select the midpoint of the beam and press Enter. Your beam is now sliced into two beams.


  10. Select the 2 ends of the beams in the middle of the structure. They will be highlighted in yellow.


  11. Quad select the BIMSTRETCH command in the Model tab.


  12. Hover orthogonally upwards, enter a height of 2000 mm and press Enter to accept.
  13. The result should look like this.


    As you can see, the connections between the profiles are automatically adapted to the new angle between the entities.
    Note: If you would only have selected one of the two side-ends in the middle of the beam, the connections on the side that was not selected won’t be included in the stretch and will look like this: