• Revit

Structural engineers co-author structural models in Revit

When architects, structural engineers, MEP engineers, and civil engineers all collaborate on a building project, they must share information about the design, so that all teams are working with the same assumptions. Learn better ways to collaborate to be more efficient with BIM as a structural engineer.


Course overview

When architects, structural engineers, MEP engineers, and civil engineers all collaborate on a building project, they must share information about the design, so that all teams are working with the same assumptions. Learn better ways to collaborate to be more efficient with BIM as a structural engineer.

Course downloads

These downloadable resources will be used to complete modules in this course:

Course outline

25 min.

Coordinating with Architectural Model

In this Initial Setup lesson, we’re going to present a workflow in which we are structural engineers, and we shall be receiving a building design from the architects and a proposed system routing from the MEP engineers. We will use information from these models to begin our structural design.

In this Initial Setup lesson, we’re going to present a workflow in which we are structural engineers, and we shall be receiving a building design from the architects and a proposed system routing from the MEP engineers. We will use information from these models to begin our structural design.

This content takes approximately 25 minutes to complete. By the end, you should be able to: 

  • Start a project from a template.
  • Link the architectural model to acquire its coordinate system.
  • Copy and monitor levels and grids from the architectural model.
  • Set up elevation views and 3D views to better coordinate with the mechanical services design.

Before you start

  • Please make sure you have the Revit software loaded.
  • If you have technical difficulties, please reach out to product support.


25 min.

Create the Super-structure

Learn how to select which walls and floors are to be considered part of the structural frame, from the architect’s model, and copy them over to the structural model. You will then learn how to add the building core, beams, columns, and braces.

Learn how to select which walls and floors are to be considered part of the structural frame, from the architect’s model, and copy them over to the structural model. You will then learn how to add the building core, beams, columns, and braces.

This content takes approximately 25 minutes to complete. By the end, you should be able to:

  • Copy the elevator core and floor slabs.
  • Cut holes in the floor slabs to accommodate the elevator mechanism and a services riser shaft.
  • Add a slab edge to the ground floor concrete slab to thicken its perimeter.
  • Add beams and columns.
  • Add braces.

Before you start

  • Please make sure you have the Revit software loaded.
  • If you have technical difficulties, please reach out to product support


25 min.

Create the Sub-structure

Learn how to get model building foundations ready for structural analysis by starting with the bearing walls in the foundation. Next, add isolated foundation pads with and without piers. Complete the sub-structure model with strip foundations underneath the bearing walls.

Learn how to get model building foundations ready for structural analysis by starting with the bearing walls in the foundation. Next, add isolated foundation pads with and without piers. Complete the sub-structure model with strip foundations underneath the bearing walls.

This content takes approximately 25 minutes to complete. By the end, you should be able to:

  • Add bearing walls.
  • Assign materials to the model objects so that they have a consistent concrete specification.
  • Place a series of individual rectangular pads under the bearing wall in the lower level of the building.
  • Place a series of rectangular pads with a pier that will connect to the steel columns in the section of the building.
  • Although not required for analysis, join separate foundation objects so that they merge together geometrically.
  • Add strip foundations demonstrating an automatic layout as well as how to adjust individual foundations.
  • Add an additional foundation slab to see how it automatically merges with the strip foundations.

Before you start

  • Please make sure you have the Revit software loaded.
  • If you have technical difficulties, please reach out to product support