Unique Features of Autodesk Revit® Structure

The default or Architectural templates in Revit are sometimes used as a starting point for structural drawings. However Structural templates in Revit contain unique features that comply with standards for structural drawings.

Starting a new project using Revit’s default Structural template, the first obvious difference is in the View Range settings of the Plan views. While architectural drawings assume a 4’-0” AFF cut plane and looking down at the finish floor level, structural drawings use a 1’-0” AFF cut plane and look through the finish floor level to around 6’-0” below. This shows the actual framing of the floor level, not the finish level.

The default Structural views in Revit include Analytical plans and 3D view. The Analytical views are used with the analysis tools for Structure located on the Analyze tab. Settings for the model are located on the flyout of the Analytical Model panel. These settings include Symbolic Representation Settings, Load Cases, Load Combinations, Analytical Model Settings, and Boundary Conditions Settings.

Structural family tools are located on the now-independent Structure tab that is included with Revit (i.e., there is no separate Revit package required). Visibility of this and other tabs is controlled by the Options button of the File tab. A separate tab is dedicated to additional Steel tools for fabrication. Preloaded Families listed in the Project Browser are mainly structural families.

While technically it is possible to start a structural drawing using an architectural template, it makes more sense to use the structural template that is already set correctly for structural plans.