Ifc exporting a structural analysis boundary condition

[Anonymous]

Dear All

I'm new to Revit and new to this Forum, so pls don't mind if my question is very basical or some rough.

I'm using Revit 2017 Trial

I created a file (see attached terzaProvaRevit_myRTE.png (this post didn't let me attach .rte)) with some point boundary conditions (a fixed condition for Structural Analysis)

I exported it as IFC (download terzaProvaRevit.ifc (again this post didn't let me attach .ifc))

Can't find that information in this latter file

Any help?

[renanrr3]

Hello alorenzom, welcome to the forum.

I am probably as new as you are to Revit, but I have spent some time looking at this same subject. Are you able to get the analytical representation of the column and beams in the IFC file? Or you just get the physical model exported, without analytical properties?

I did not spend too much time in this, but my previous conclusion was that the default settings of Revit IFC export tool did not allow us to get a IFC file with analytical properties of the structure. I am still not quite sure if this could be solved with correct configuration of IFC Mapping, or even with the use of the extended IFC Export plugin.

I just concluded that the Revit IFC export tool is not capable, yet, of allowing analytical model interoperability in a satisfactory level. And therefore, probably this is the same reason why you do not get this boundary condition represented.

Of course, it is best to wait someone with greater experience to confirm or not my conclusion, since I lack experience with IFC exportation. As I said, both of us could be just missing some configuration in the IFC Mapping or the IFC Export plugin.

Best regards

[Anonymous]

Hello renarr3,

thanks for your contribution to the topic.

In my simple example exporting, someway I got the analytical model.

In particular, for any IfcBeam I considered the Axis Curve2d IFCSHAPEREPRESENTATION I found in the exported ifc (as you can see downloading terzaProvaRevit.ifc), which gives me coordinates of the node in which IfcBeam connects to other IfcBeam or IfcColumn

As for the exportation of structural boundary conditions, 

• I couldn't find out how to use the right settings in 'Revit / Export / IFC'
• I can't find any 'IFC Options' in 'Revit / Options' to configure  IFC Mapping

I agree with you about waiting someone with greater experience on IFC Mapping and the IFC Export plugin.

I think the capability of exporting structural analytical model with loads and boundary conditions has been already implemented.

Anyway I wonder if there's a way to get further attention from Revit users and Support, on this topic.

[renanrr3]

Hello alorenzom,

It is very nice to know you got it exported correctly. I will explore your file later. Did you make any changes to IFC Mapping or any configuration in Revit to get this result?

I am not in my computer right now to check your file, but is it possible that this axis you got is not the analytical representation, but the axis of the physical model? If you use Revit tools to force the analytical line to be out of the beam, do you get it correctly in the IFC after exporting? Also, do you get nodes, loads, member releases, etc, correctly in IFC?

These might be good tests to see if IFC export in Revit can manage analytical model. I remember in my previous tests trying to interface Revit with SAP2000 though IFC, I did manage to get the stick lines of beams analytical model, but they behave very oddly, and I then concluded that they were axis from the physical model, not the analytical.

You can access the Revit IFC export options going to Revit > Export > and going all the way down the list. It is not located in the Revit general options window.

Best regards

[Anonymous]

Hello renanrr3,

thanks for your interest and your sharing in this topic.

I didn't make any changes to IFC Mapping or any configuration in Revit

Actually I just tried some beams and columns in which the anlytical model is given by the axis of the physical model. 

And as an "interpretation" of the ifc exported, I considered end points of the Axis Curve2d IFCSHAPEREPRESENTATION of the beams, and the centroid of ends of the Body MappedRepresentation of the columns, as the end point of the anlytical model of the members (where these ends are in the same point I consider an analytical connectivity node).

But you are right user could want something more generic. 

Anyway I still haven't managed to know the revit tool to force the analytical line to be out of the member.

Best Regards