Modeling drywall for a medium sized project

[elias_munoz_neyra]

Greetings,

I've been a Revit user for several years but never modelled drywalls beyond LOD 300. Is it possible to model them beyond that, and if yes, what are the best practices?

Should I use curtain wall framing as metal studs and then change materials of the curtain panels for insulation? Should I create a wall type for gypsum board that will contain the doors and windows?

Thanks in advance

[RDAOU]

@elias_munoz_neyra 

You can use structural beam system as well as Curtain walls . For the panels you could also use a curtain wall (no mullions) and set the system panel to a basic wall.

Alternatively you can use a single basic wall >> Convert to parts >> exclude the metal stud layer and replace with either the beam system or curtain system mentioned above

Any of the above can get you to an LOD400

[elias_munoz_neyra]

Thanks for your response.

I never thought about the beam system. I appreciate the insight into new methods and approaches. 

Now, as for the corner beads would using a window family with only those modelled a good option? I'm thinking on the possibilities to model such items, including the wood to reinforce certain metal studs.

[mariano_biagioli · Accepted solution]

Hi Elias,

If the LOD is more than 300 but less than 400 (fabrication) I would recommend you to model only king studs as structural columns. Why? because those are the only ones that are important for coordination. The studs, if the panel is not pre-fabricated, are going to be field coordinated and you are going to waste your time and make your file increase the size needlessly.

Regards,

If the answer helped you, please don´t forget to mark it as a solution. Thanks.

[elias_munoz_neyra]

THanks for your response,

Regarding fabrication I've never reached that point. However, I'd like to ask for advice on how to face a LOD 400 scenario should the opportunity come. That would include screws as far as I'm concerned, right?

[mariano_biagioli]

For modeling that type of panels, there are Addins such as Agacad Metal Framing that make things easy, for ex. places the framing automatically when you have doors, windows, openings. 
You don’t have to model the screws, for that kind of thing use parameters in the important elements, and then with schedules, you get that info.
Is not healthy for the model to have thousands of elements like screws or things like that, they can be roughly calculated. 
The main things are the sizes and lengths of the members trying to optimize and standardize the fabrication.

(this is my opinion)

Hope it helps,

Regards,

[elias_munoz_neyra]

Thanks for your reply @mariano_biagioli .

I gave it a tohught and realized too that not modeling such tiny items was the appropiate course of action.

Sometimes people want all modelled as if it were the ultimate goal of a BIM software. 

THanks to both, you and @RDAOU  for the insight. 

[mariano_biagioli]

Yes, agree! Some people want to see everything modeled to have a beautiful model.
The trick is to not BIM too much or too little, but just right!

Regards,