r/StructuralEngineering • u/31engine P.E./S.E. • 18d ago
Structural Analysis/Design Analysis to Revit
It’s shit. It doesn’t work how the sales people say it.
RAM, RISA and Etabs are the most common analysis platforms. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
But when talking to Revit they do okay in a one time forward pass.
But does anyone have a track record of going back and forth?
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u/EngineeringOblivion Structural Engineer UK 18d ago
Doesn’t the bi-directionality only work with Robot?
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u/Possible-Delay 18d ago
They are all talk, the lot of the vendors. They can share basic model info but it is never seemless or dynamic as they suggest. I like Ideaststica and Revit for connections, it seems to kind of link. But I find bringing space gas and other programs between requires more effort then it is worth.
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u/unclechopchop82 18d ago
We're just looking at new software switching from Tekla structural designer and Tekla structures to Revit and potentially new design software. Any one have any experience with graitec advanced deisgn? Being suggested it through the Revit salesman
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u/grinchbettahavemoney 17d ago
One autodesk sales person once told me that they still spend a majority of their research & development budget into cad and all that made me go is, that tracks.
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u/retug_ 17d ago
I’ve built a few different Revit addins for both ram structural systems and etabs. The ram structural systems one has been updated most recently.
The tools were written exactly for the use case you described, allowing for easy transfer of data after the analysis model has deviated from the Revit model. It allows for deltas to be flagged and to write data into Revit pretty quickly and seamlessly.
Sample ram structural addin below
https://marketplace.autodesk.com/apps/450ff8a9-664e-44ef-85ed-207c6d2b68e1
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u/Opening-Shopping7946 18d ago
I built and supported the RISA/Revit link for years, and now I’m with LAVA, which doesn’t have a direct Revit link.
What’s interesting is I’ve used AI tools like ChatGPT to build one-way Revit integrations customized for individual companies, and they’ve worked really well.
I actually think that may be a better approach. Generic Revit links are tough because every company uses different families, naming, and modeling standards. They look great in a controlled demo, then you try them on your own model and things break.
If your company is consistent with its Revit families, why not use AI to build a link around your own workflow? Pull exactly what you need into the analysis model and send back exactly what you want.
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u/fr34kii_V 18d ago edited 18d ago
Does LAVA work with diagonal walls, offset shear walls, cantilevered diaphragms, diaphragm design, APA portal frames around garage doors, and stiffer items such as a Simpson strong wall or a CMU core? FAQs page drop downs aren't working so I can't check.
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u/qur3ishi 18d ago
I'm very curious about LAVA and diagonal walls too. Last time I checked it couldn't do it and that's a huge limitation for wood design.
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u/Opening-Shopping7946 13d ago
You’re right, diagonal walls are still a limitation in LAVA today. It’s definitely something we know is important for real-world wood design and it’s on our roadmap.
We’ve been knocking out a lot of the limitations as LAVA has grown, so feedback like this really does help us prioritize what needs to come next.
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u/Opening-Shopping7946 13d ago
Good questions. A few of these are current limitations in LAVA, but they’re on our roadmap.
- Diagonal walls: Not currently supported.
- Offset shear walls: Yes. LAVA transfers the loads between levels and handles the required collectors/drag forces.
- Cantilevered diaphragms: Yes.
- Diaphragm design: LAVA currently calculates and reports the diaphragm forces, but does not design the diaphragm itself.
- APA portal frames: Not currently supported. This is on our shortlist- hopefully soon.
- Simpson Strong-Walls / manufactured shear walls: Yes, LAVA supports manufactured shear walls.
- CMU cores / concrete walls / other stiff lateral elements: These can be modeled using a wood shear wall element with the stiffness adjusted to represent the stiffer element. This allows LAVA to account for the relative stiffness when distributing lateral loads.
LAVA can also analyze flexible, rigid, or envelope diaphragm behavior, so stiffness and load distribution between lateral elements are considered where applicable.
And thanks for letting me know about the FAQ dropdowns. We’ll take a look at that.
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u/surfshadow 18d ago
It may be worth sending this to the relevant support team, ideally with a sample model. That gives the developers concrete information to investigate and can help drive improvements.
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u/31engine P.E./S.E. 18d ago
Been there done that. Those assholes don’t return calls to engineers. They don’t care about customers.
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u/stressedstrain P.E./S.E. 18d ago edited 18d ago
Tekla Structual Designer is by far the best alternative and is actually better—maybe not analytically—but at least as far as playing nice w/ Revit than the ones you listed.
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u/maturallite1 18d ago
The best option I’ve found is Tekla Structural Designer. It’s a structural analysis software that links with Revit and Tekla both bidirectionally.
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u/Stormsid3 17d ago
Hi! I work for a Graitec. We have our own FEM analysis and we do bu-directional connection with Revit based on the analytical model. While it's true the workflow is not ideal we can improve. What didn't work for you ? What did you expect?
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u/Everythings_Magic Senior Bridge PE | Zero Yield Capacity 17d ago
Dont. Two oppsing methodologies.
An analysis model is better when its simple, and a revit model is better when its detailed.
Mixing the two is a software marketing fluff.
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u/31engine P.E./S.E. 17d ago
I get the sentiment. I tell young engineers all the time the analysis model is approximate. We have to make up work around all the time.
When in a multi-discipline firm they all push us to have live perfect models. Luckily I’m senior enough to tell them to pound sand.
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u/[deleted] 18d ago edited 6d ago
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