Discover the intricacies of placing vertically loaded beams and girders in Revit Structure. Learn how to select and place various types of girders and beams, including W21x44s and W21x50s, and understand their specific roles in an earthquake-resistant frame.
Key Insights
- The article provides detailed instructions on how to correctly place girders and beams in Revit Structure, using the example of a W21x44 girder and W21x50 beam.
- It also explains the important role these elements play in an earthquake-resistant frame, with W21x44s acting as drag members to the moment frame, and W21x50s bearing more tributary load.
- The article further discusses how to frame out openings, such as stairs and elevators, using 18x35 and 14x22 beams, to create a sturdy and safe structure.
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Hello, and welcome back to Revit Structure. Let’s get started. Since we’ve placed our earthquake-resisting frame beams, let’s now place our vertically-loaded beams and girders.
Our first girder will be a W21×44. So go to Structure > Beam. Open the Type Selector drop-down and find W21×44.
Select it, and let’s begin placing. We’ll place the W21×44 girders along this line because they are acting as drag members for this moment frame.
This means they are transferring load along their length to the frame. Let’s move to the other side and place those as well.
These are girders, and as our parameters indicate, we are placing them at Level 2, with a vertical offset of -5 1/2 inches from the finished floor, since our floor system is 5 1/2 inches deep.
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Now, let’s place the interior girders. These will be W21×50. Again, go to the Type Selector, choose W21×50, and begin placing.
These are slightly heavier because they carry a greater tributary load from both sides, whereas the exterior girders only carry load from one side. Let’s get started. Where a beam is already placed, we’ll work around it.
Place it here. Begin setting along this line. And continue on this final line.
There you have it—you’ve placed your girder system. Now we’ll place our beams along the perimeters and interiors, so we can install our beam systems between them.
These will be a mix of W21×44 and W18×35. First, find the W21×44. Check the parameters.
These are also placed at Level 2, and since they’re not carrying additional beams, they function as joists. Confirm the vertical offset is -5 1/2 inches from the finished floor. Let’s place them.
Start here and continue working down the model. Place them here and here.
Those are set. Now, for the interior beam line, we’ll use W18×35. Find and select it from the Type Selector.
We’re set—let’s begin placing.
Start here. Since we’ve already placed a beam at this location, work across it. Place them here and here.
This is a full beam line, so place members across its entire length. The placement defaults to the midpoint of the column, which is what we want. Follow the grid line down.
Place here, here, and here. Now we’ve set our beams for the beam systems—but we also have openings to frame out. This one is a shaft.
We’ll place a W18×35 here to begin framing. Then, across this opening, we’ll use a W14×22 as a lighter beam.
Go to Edit Type, then click Load.
Select Structural Framing > Steel > W Shape to open the dialog box.
Scroll down to the 14-inch deep beams and find the W14×22. Select it and click OK. Back in the Type Selector, choose W14×22.
Click OK, and place the beam across the face of the stair—from this beam to this beam.
There—we’ve framed the stair. Now let’s go to the elevator. Place a W18×35 across the front of the elevator—from one side to the other.
Next, we’ll frame the elevator shaft using W14×22 members. Again, go to the drop-down and place one beam from this beam to that beam.
And one more—from this beam to that beam. Okay, there you have it.
Zoom out. Exit the command. We’ve now framed the stairs, elevator, interior framing, and exterior framing—and we’re ready to place the beam systems in the next video.
That’s it for this one. We’ll see you there.