Modeling and Detailing of Bridges in Revit: Next Level

JAKUB BIELSKI: Hello, everyone. And welcome to today's class, which is the "Modeling and Detailing of Bridges in Revit-- The Next Level." Before we start, the safe harbor statements-- you know how it's going. And let me introduce myself and the company. And yeah, my name is Jakub Bielski. My background is the structural engineering. And currently, I'm the product owner at SOFiSTiK, which is the software provider. And I am based in Germany, Nuremberg.

My current role is working as a product owner, and I'm taking care of the BIM for infrastructure. And my main focus is, of course, taking care of the development of SOFiSTiK Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler, which is mostly the topic of today's class.

Let's take a look at the agenda. I have introduced myself, but I would like to say, of course, a few words about the company. Then we will go really briefly about the general workflow. Then we will take the focus on the modeling of the linear structures and also the detailing, which is the main topic for today. Then we will take a look at the real bridge example that is currently being developed. And in the end, we will take a look at some of the cloud developments. And we will close with the remarks and some useful links and useful information for you as well.

So SOFiSTiK AG is the German software provider that is focused on the development for the solution for the structural engineers, so basically, the FDA solutions, right, the finite element methods. And we are based in Germany, so our main production offices are in Nuremberg and Munich. But we are spread around the world, so we have quite a wide reach. And we support many different solutions and different workflows.

Our products we can collect in three different groups. The first one, which is the core of the company, is the calculation. It's the structural analysis and design, so basically the finite element methods, where we are really strong at the market. The second part is the reinforcement, both in 2D and 3D. So we are working on AutoCAD and Revit. And the third one, which is connected really good, which, with today's class, is the parametric modeling of linear structures, where we are supporting the BIM in infrastructure concept.

Our philosophy is to provide the solutions that are really fit to your current workflows. So if you are using different solutions, if you are using different softwares, then we are very open. Our philosophy is to being open to your custom workflows. And we know that it's really important for you to put you in the driver's seat. So we develop the solutions, but you are actually deciding-- but you decide how you want to do it and how you want to implement it in your daily work.

Here are some of the reference customers. Definitely, you will recognize some of the names. However, I would like to stress that this is mostly for the Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler. Our clients are-- the list of the clients is much, much bigger when we take a look at the FE solutions as well.

And the small introduction of the SOFiSTiK Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler-- so this is my fourth class already at the Autodesk University. So of course, I will not start from the very beginning. But I would like to stress that it's really important for me to tell you what is the concept behind. So SOFiSTiK Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler is an Autodesk extension. So this is the plugin that is working on Revit. And Revit is, here, the platform, of course.

We are focused on the axis-based infrastructure. And we are using this concept for the modeling and also for drawings. And what is really important is that we provide the tools, which are fully parametric. So it's very dynamic, so everything can be adjusted and prepared according to your requirements. And we support via a variety of structures. And it's not-- even though we have the "bridge" in the name, and today's presentation is about bridges mostly, you can work with the SOFiSTiK Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler on very different projects. So it can be the bridge, it can be a tunnel, it can be a cantilever wall, up to you, up to your concept and idea of the design.

So here I will show some of the reference projects. So the first one is from the FCP. Is the new bridge from Dobersdorf. And here we can see the hollow cast bridge with the rebars in it already. The second one is the pedestrian bridge from Dr. Schütz Ingenieure. And here we can see that really, really nice geometry and really interesting design, something that you don't see every day.

Another example is the subway line, or the subway station, where the bridge modeler was used also for the linear structures, and the Revit was used as a platform for the structural and detailing purposes. Next one is the railway bridge with an underpass. And here we can see that, in one project, we can use the bridge modeler in two ways. So we can use the bridge modeler for the bridge design, and we can use the same tools for the creation of an underpass, of course, with the different profiles and very different parameterization methods. But it's one solution for the different purposes.

And the last one is from Schüssler Plan, where the bridge modeler was used for the creation of the different models to see which one fits the best. And then the best concept was selected for the further detailing and documentation.

So let's now take a look at the general workflow and how it basically works. So of course, we are talking about the linear structures, infrastructure models. And the backbone of all of infrastructure models is an axis. So we create an axis or we import it from [INAUDIBLE] from the different curves and so on. We have a lot of functionalities, how can we create an axis. Then we start building on it.

We create the superstructure based on one profile or multiple profiles or multiple components. And we continue the detailing of the superstructure. Later on, you can place some 3D elements. In the 3D. I mean, the families that are already 3D. So we don't have to create them. We can place them in the model space and parameterize them and control the position and the dimensions of them, such as the pier and abutment and so on. Additionally, we can add the bridge equipment, such as railing, or parapets, curbs, and so on.

When we have the 3D model already prepared, then we can create some drawings. So of course, everything is based on the model. And some of the information are based directly on the axis. So we are reaching back to the axis to take some of the information, for example, for the position of the cross-sections, for the longitudinal sections, and so on. So there is really a lot of really nice functionalities that are dedicated for the infrastructure design and detailing creation of drawings and sheets.

And the last step is the IFC export. Of course, we want to document our design. We want to share the data. And here, Revit helps us with the creation of the IFC models.

And when we are taking a look at the SOFiSTiK Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler, we can recognize two spaces. The first space is the model one. So we are dealing with the components and the data structure. So we have the physical objects. So we have an axis, and we are building on it the deck, the girders, barriers, and so on. And on the right-hand side, we can see so-called an infrabrowser, where we can see all of the data that we have included in our project. And we can see that the hierarchical representation of all of the information. For example, there is an axis. Then the secondary axis is based on it. The superstructure is based on an axis and so on.

The second space is for the documentation. We have also the variety of different functionalities. And based on the axis information and on the model information, we are able to create the dedicated sections, longitudinal sections, also plan views, with some of the axis information, and also create really advanced and really nice dimensions that are working with the curved edges and faces.

So let's now go, after this brief introduction, as a general workflow, let's go now to the modeling of the linear structures, which is the main topic for today. So linear elements-- so the concept behind is to create a path. And we are using an axis information to create such a path, where the profiles will be distributed and parametrized. Later on, we get all of these 2D profiles together, and we can generate the 3D form.

And also, using this 3D form, we can put some parameters in it, some attributes. We can assign the material to it and so on. So actually, we go from the single path, like a-- as a double-curved line of the curve. And to the profiles, we go to the actual physical model in the 3D, in the 3D space.

And how can we do it using the SOFiSTiK Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler? Really simple-- we have already an axis in the model, so we go to the superstructure tool. We select an axis. We select the corresponding profile, like this hollow-- like this hollow core, hollow cast girder. This bridge type we will see quite often today.

Then we can, of course, assign the variable for the height. We decide the start and the end of this component. We can assign the material, for example, concrete, C40. And we hit OK. After the short calculation and the placement of the corresponding families, we can see that we have already the physical model in our project. And we can also see that it's really nicely parameterized with the variable height.

However, this functionality was already presented during the Autodesk University in 2018. And as I said, we started building on it, and we want to make new enhancements. We want to increase the functionalities of the software. And we want to continue on developments based on the profiles. So we start with the simple profile. That is basically the formwork.

Then we can go to the quantification. And here you can see that the points represent the-- the points are representing the edges, and the lines are representing the faces. And then later on, we can get the values of the lengths of the edges and, of course, the area of the faces of the created components.

This was also introduced during the Autodesk University 2021. I will give you the reference to this class at the end of the presentation. And of course, I encourage you to take a look at it and also the other materials. Let's go to the other layers, where, based on the information, which is already embedded in the profile family, and using all of these parameterization methods that we have used, we can also define the position of the tendons for the Tendon. Modeler.

So Tendon Modeler is the functionality that was released this year. And we'll also take a deeper look at these different features and different cases where we can use it and as well at the Rebar Modeler, the functionality which was released last year. And we are also using the profile families for the creation of the rebar shapes. And then using this information, we will be creating the corresponding rebar sets, which are also nicely tailored for the infrastructure design.

So let's start with the Rebar Modeler. The basic concept is that we create the rebar shapes inside the 2D profile family. And then we load this profile family into the project. And then we can operate on it. We can create the rebar sets. We can select any curve or any edge along which this rebar set should be distributed. And then we are making also the collection of all of these rebar sets into the rebar system, where we can control the constraints and all of the parameterization between the rebar sets and also the references. And we can basically manage all of this data inside one rebar system.

Of course, what is really important in here, that we have the total control of the orientation and also the angles of this profile and, as well, of the rebar shapes. So for example, if we want to orient our structure or our rebar sets perpendicular to an axis, we can do it. However, the quite common practice is that all of the rebar sets or all of the rebars in the set are oriented vertically in the Z global-- in the Z global direction. So this is something that you can decide. And also, we have some really nice features for the skewed structures.

So let's take a look at the workflow and some examples, how can we define the rebars in the Rebar Modeler? So firstly, we start with the rebar shape. We are in the profile family. And here we see that, actually, in the corner of the deck of this bridge, one stirrup is missing. So we will use the formwork edges, or simply the profile, as the reference for our shape.

We have to name it somehow. So the shape 001 was already taken, so we just tell that it's a new shape, and it's fine. Right now, we can also define start and end of sets. So basically, we want to modify this rebar shape because the general geometry is taken from the constraints or for the references we have taken in the first step. And later on, we can, of course, modify it and adjust it.

And here, we can see that we have one profile with multiple rebar shapes in it. Later on, we have this profile in the project already, so we go to the Rebar Modeler, we select an axis as the path, and we start creating the rebar sets. We have the first rebar set, which is transverse. We select the corresponding rebar shape. And we of course, have to define where it starts, where it ends, which rebar type should be taken into account, the layout for the spacing, and so on.

And all of this information, we can also preview in the 3D model representation. And we can see how it will be placed or how these rebars will be placed in the model between these two placements. And, yeah, just like that we have already the first rebar set that was created using the rebar shape that we have modeled before, in the first step.

And later on, we will be working further on this system, and we will be adding even more rebar sets. And each rebar set will have its own rebar shape, of course. And right now we'll be just taking a look how we can build this whole system all together so we can basically reinforce the whole structure.

Here I have fast-forwarded a little bit the video because this is the manual work that you have to do. But as you can see, all of these rebar sets already take the settings from the previous rebar set, so from the shape 001. And we just hit OK, and we generate the whole system. Now we can isolate it. And we can see that it fits really nicely in our bridge structure.

Again, we can take a look from the different angle. And here we are. Yeah, the next step, which is really important, is that everything stay parametrized. Right? So we are using the profiles of the family. So we use the same profile to create the superstructure. And we use this profile to create the rebars. So we can change, as I said previously, everything is this parametric-- it's fully parametric model, and everything stays dynamic. So we make an adjustment in the superstructure components.

So for example, we have changed the height from 3 meters to 2 and 1/2. And we can also do the same adjustments for the whole rebar system, which is based on this profile family. And right now we regenerate the rebar system. We regenerate the superstructure component. And we can see that, of course, everything fits, again, perfectly because all of these elements have the source in the same data, which is the profile family.

Now, the second part is the Tendon Modeler. This is the new feature that was released this year, this summer, with the version 2025. And it's also supported for the version 2024. And here we have the similar concepts that we are working on the profile families, but not only, because the modeling of tendons is focused on the really precise geometry. And so we know that the definition of the tendons can be tricky, it can be really advanced because we are using different curves, offsets, radiuses, boundary conditions, and so on. So we are focusing that we give you the solution that you can use for start to end when you want to define your own tendons in the project.

We also know that you are using different source of the data. And what is really important for us is that we give you the solution or we present you at the moment the solution that tackles the real problems in the prestressed structures. And again, of course, we are supporting the BIM design process. So we want to create the 3D elements based on the Revit technology. And we want to make all of this in as user-friendly way as possible, with the nice dialogues, nice visualizations, and so on.

So let's now take a look at the workflow. So of course, everything is based on the axis. We will be creating our basis geometry. We can take the axis as the first geometry and work with the U and V offsets, so in the horizontal and vertical direction. We can select any curve as the basis geometry for our tendon. For example, if you have already some preliminary design and you have already some curves that you can import in the Revit, you can also use it. Or we can work with the adaptive profile family.

Of course, this is the option that we'll be exploring today together. And we'll be checking how we can create the basis geometry out of adaptive profile families, then put some local modifications and curve zones, styles, and attributes to make it a real beam project. And of course, we will be working with the profile families with the selected points.

So let's take a look at how it works in action. So we have, right now, the profile family with some of the points, which are parameterized. And we will be placing the tendon points at the selected reference points. So we simply select the points. We give the name because somehow we need to recognize it later on. It is SDR before. And for the check, if everything works good, we change the parameterization of this profile. We have changed the height and everything as follows. So the tendon points are connected to reference points.

Right now we are in the project space, so we go to the Tendon Create, and we select an axis for the path. And we create the first tendon. So we have the basis geometry. And we select the adaptive family as the source for this first Z geometry that we'll be working on.

We select the points that we have created, or any other that we want, and we also will parameterize this cross-section exactly how we have parameterized our superstructure because then we will know, OK, that these two, say, entities are following the same principles and the same parameterization. Then we start to give some boundary conditions, like the range, because we want to define where the tendon starts and where it ends. So here we are using the placements as the references for the start and end.

And right now, we also give the style because we want to decide, OK, what kind of representation we would like to have. We want to have the direct shape, 3D solid, and hit OK. Right now, we are taking this point from the profile family. We extrude it along an axis. And in this way, we are getting the first geometry as the linear structure placed along an axis.

Later on, we, of course, can keep on working on it. Exactly as with the Rebar Modeler, we want to work further on the Tendon Modeler and also on our prestressing systems. What we can see that what is missing at the moment are the anchorage zones, or simply the local adjustments of the geometry as the anchorage zones and the blisters. We saw already that the blister geometry was there. But actually, the tendon is not responding to this geometry yet.

So we need to define this deformation at the beginning. So it will be 40 centimeters, the offset. We give the transition length. We can also give the radius that should be also taken into account for this transition. We used also the adaptive generic families for the representation of the anchorages. And after the regenerations, we can see that the geometry of the tendons has been changed at the anchorage zone according to our definition, and it fits perfectly, as the blisters.

There are also some other geometrical requirements that should be taken into account, for example, the radiuses. And right now, we will be creating the second tendon in our tendon cluster. So this is really similar to the rebar system. This is also the collection of the different tendons that share similar features and similar geometries. For example, here they share very similar source, the same adaptive family. We just select a different point.

And for this case, or for this example, we'll be taking the point, which is at the web of this bridge. We have one variable that controls the normalized position in the web. So the values go from 0 to 1. So the 1 is the high point, and the 0 is the low point. And we also have one variable that controls the relative position between the tendons to each other.

When we change to the local modifiers, we can see that we have the first geometry of this tendon, which is basically a spline. However, we know that exactly at this point, we would like to have the radius of 16. And the length of the arc of this, the length of the arc should be 10. We change the properties. We hit OK. And we can see that we create a new tendon that is following the given definition.

The next step will be the detailing part. So of course, we are working really hard at our models. We are working really hard at the reinforcement, at the tendons, and so on. And then later on, we want to make a documentation, and we want to make the proper drawings. So here, it will be nice time, a nice point to introduce the SOFiSTiK Reinforcement. So this is also an extension on Revit that is taking care of the 3D reinforcements and the creation of the plans, basically, on the sheets.

This solution is already at the market for some time. But lately, as the SOFiSTiK Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler was developed, this application as well, which is focused on the reinforcement, was developed to support really different types of the models, so not only for buildings but also for the infrastructure projects. And we know that we have to tackle some problems like variable length, angles, and different non-standard rebar shapes that are really different from the building industry.

And we have developed some of the specific tools, like for example, an override of the rebar parameters. We'll be also creating the callouts. And then at the end, we will be creating the bending schedule.

So let's take a look how it's working on another bridge example. So here we have the end zone already reinforced with the bridge modeler. And with the SOFiSTiK Reinforcement, we can create the callout, so the detail of this rebar with the variable lengths, and we get really nice table. We can also create the callout of this T-rod.

However, we can notice that, actually, due to the specific dimensions of the bridge or of this cantilever, some of the parameters are not exactly how we want it to be delivered on the construction site. So we can override these parameters, and we can assign these parameters to the corresponding rebar shape and have the new callout placed. At the end of the day, we can create the schedule, where we can see all of the steel rebars that are used for this project, with all of the parameters.

The next part is the project example. And here, we are taking a look at the project that is currently developed by Avidan Engineers. And this is the really similar project to the ones that we have taken a look at. But this is the totally different cross section. I mean the same type, but of course, each bridge is a little bit different. And here, we'll be taking a look at the prestressed concrete girder hollow cast bridge. And we'll be checking the FE analysis also, of course, with the SOFiSTiK software. And then we'll be going to the 3D BIM modeling, and we'll also take a look at the drawings.

So right now, let's take a look what we have-- what Avidan Engineers have prepared for the bridge analysis. And we'll be taking a look at the bridge system. We'll be checking the advance design of the prestressing cables with the text input. And we'll be also taking a look at the construction stages. And of course, SOFiSTiK is giving so much more possibilities and so much more features that definitely this session is not enough. But I really encourage you, if you are in this industry, to take a look at our solution for the calculation to have the nice reference.

And let's take a look at the video and the short presentation of this project. So we can see the two different bridges, left and right, have already created, and then the new one, which will be, of course, prestressed and will be created between them to increase the width of the bridge. Here we can see the PT file, where we have the text input as the definition of the prestressing, and the linear analysis that has been already calculated. Now we can take a look at the new viewer and all of these nice representations of the finite elements and the construction status.

So as you see, the bridge is growing from left and right and is being cast in place and then prestressed, and then the next section and so on, so the construction stage manager can really help you to tackle all of these different stages and to understand really good the behavior of the bridge and the corresponding-- yeah, and the corresponding face.

So a really nice presentation, and we had a quick look at the FE analysis. And right now, let's take a look at the features or at the tools that were used by the SOFiSTiK Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler to create this model in Revit. So first of all, we select the-- sorry, let's go back. So first of all, we created the main body of the structure, so the superstructure, using the, of course, superstructure tool, where we have extruded the profile along an axis.

And then later on, this profile was enriched with the different components. So for example, the cross member functionality was used to create the blister for the tendon anchorages. And let's take a look how it can be done. So we have already placed some of the blisters inside the project. But of course, we can see that, at the bottom part of the bridge, some of the tendons don't have the blisters yet. So we can duplicate them, the family.

This is the 3D family that is being parameterized to fit the project. And we have duplicates. We can duplicate this family and see that, actually, this fits really good in place for exactly where the tendons' anchorages are.

Let's take a look now at the tendons. We'll see the modeling and also the drawings that we're creating for this project. So first of all, let's see that there is a really large number of the different tendons. This is not a problem, of course, for the SOFiSTiK Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler. We can use the infrabrowser to manage the data to select, isolate, and edit the tendons. We can take a look.

That's, of course, the position of the point indicates the-- the position of the point along an axis indicates the first basis geometry of each tendon. And if we have the whole list of the different geometric sources for each tendon used for this project, we can also take a look at the orthogonal section, where we can view all of the tendons, with the relative distances between them. Here, of course, we can also turn off some of the annotations for the better view. And then we can see how the tendons in the cross-section are behaving when we change the station.

So on the left-hand side, by the player or by the slider, we can see the station. And here we can see also where are our tendons at the given section. And as well, we can take a look at the 3D preview, where we can see the whole cluster of these tendons. So for each span or for each segment, we have defined a separate segment. We have defined the separate cluster, so the management of this data will be easier.

So we have also isolated the left part of the tendons to create the longitudinal view. So we select the axis for the cut plane. And we select all of the elements that should be projected on the cut plane. And right now, we'll be creating the unfolded longitudinal section with the positions of the tendons that later on can be also annotated. We can get the heights of these tendons and so on.

And right now, let's take a look at some of the drawings. So we can have the longitudinal sections for some local detailing. We can make a straight section and, of course, the cross section-- cross sections, where we can present the tendons and also the anchorages and check for the clashes and so on. We have also the top view of the tendons. And bringing all of these views together, we can create really nice plans.

And right now, let's take a look at the rebars that were designed for these projects as well and the drawings that were, later on, derived from the model. So we can see that we have a lot of different components visible already. So we have the superstructure, we have the blister, we have the tendons and all of this stuff. So use the infrabrowser again and isolate only the rebars.

And right now, we can see that we have the whole rebar system with the transversal rebar sets with the longitudinal sets created for this project, and also a lot of different rebar sets that are collected in one rebar system, which is really handy when you want to make some adjustments or you want to basically control the position, control the parameterization of these rebar sets and control, basically, the spacing even or the rebar type. Doing it one by one by one will be pretty time-consuming. And we know that we want to make our job fast and precise.

So let's take a look now at the cross section that was created in this project. And previously, we've been using the SOFiSTiK Reinforcement application to create the bending detail. But in this case, we can also use the bending detail that was introduced lately in Revit to create really nice callouts and the annotations.

So this is for the main part. And please, let me finish with some of the preview of the cloud developments, maybe preview it's-- yeah, maybe it's too much even because maybe I should call it a prototype. However, we know that there is always the next level of the design. And there is also the next level for us to be reached so we can give you the possibilities for the-- and we can give you the solutions for the better design.

And we are looking for these new opportunities also in the cloud development. So we are exploring the Autodesk Platform Services and the possibilities and new APIs. And recently, we have taken part as well in the APS Hackathon, where we have developed so-called SBIM viewer. SBIM stands for SOFiSTiK Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler. This is only the local project, but I'm really excited to show it to you.

And let's take a look how this prototype looks like. So we are logging in, into the ACC, so we can browse the project and check for the data that we have uploaded together with the SOFiSTiK Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler. So let's take a look at the first project. And we can load the model, so everything in the-- it's a typical viewer. However, these models also have some metadata that was exported with the SOFiSTiK Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler.

So, for example, the first functionality is that we can browse this data. So we can take a look at all of these parameters that normally are not there because these are infrastructure-specific and they have to be exported together with the model. We can also create the infrabrowser in cloud. So we can select, we can browse, we can isolate different components of the bridge. And as well, we can manage this data. And the last feature is the so-called dynamic section, where we can use the axis information to create the section that is following an axis. So we want to create the bounding box out of it, but we want to orient this bounding box exactly perpendicular to our axis, of course, perpendicular to the model, so we can assess the design and check for the precision.

And the same functionalities, of course, we can use in the different type of structures, like, for example, this composite bridge with the steel girders and the concrete deck and some railings on it. So we can, of course, take a look at this little bit more complex data system, where we can, again, create the dynamic section, check for the accuracies or inaccuracies, or check for the clashes. And then we can, of course, browse through the model and check for the components Information.

And as I said before, this is just the prototype. This is something that we have been exploring a while ago. But we are really excited about this new technology. And we would like to also know your feedback about it. Let's get in touch and talk about the future of the infrastructure design.

And at the end, some closing remarks-- so as I promised you before, here are some references from other Autodesk University classes regarding the SOFiSTiK Bridge and Infrastructure Modeler. I suggest you to watch them all, if you have interest, of course, in our solutions. And I suggest you to watch it from the first one to the last one because we are building up on the previous developments. And then you can see where the story is going.

Also, some other useful links-- so I would like to invite you to our website, sofistik.com, where you can see a lot of nice information and nice references about our solution, about the projects that have been done with them, and basically get to know us. So if you would like to get in touch with us, please don't hesitate. Here we see some contact information. And we are looking forward to get in touch with you as well.

Thank you for your attention. And I hope you enjoyed it. See you soon.