Help - Automate RC Mark-up

Grasshopper
1

Hi all,

I have recently learnt the basics of RHGH and can code basic stuff, eg spiral staircase with various parameters. I am embarking on a new RHGH project build and need help to get it started.

On daily basis we design reinforced concrete slabs with a 2D finite elements software. The software outputs contour map of a slab showing the amount of required reinforcement. An example is attached. The contour can be in either pdf or dwg. You can see that the majority of the slab require 754mm2 of reinforcement (dark blue), whilst isolated areas require 1278mm2 (cyan). On top of the contour we would mark-up the required reinforcement accordingly by hand, we then give this hand marked up drawing to our RC detailers. A hand marked up drawing example is attached. It is the hand mark-up that is very time consuming.

So, I would to use RHGH to automate this process and my concept for the programme is as follows:

  1. Import a dwg file of the contour map into RH.
  2. User define reinforcement quantities for different colours
  3. Programme adds the required reinforcement bars in the correct locations with the call-outs (for example H12@200mmc/c) and to scale.
  4. Programme needs to recognise slab edges and therefore reinforcement bars cannot stick out beyond edges.

The programme needs to be a stand alone app so my colleagues who do not have any knowledge of RHGH can still use it.

Hope the above is crystal clear :grin:

Thanks and kind regards
Eric

B1.pdf (1.5 MB)
hand markup.pdf (783.6 KB)

2

You mean it has to be a GH application that is very easy to use? :slight_smile:
not an exe file I guess…

could you please attach, in reference to the very same location:
-a DWG contour map exported by the finite element software
-a DWG drawing of the location itself before manual detailing
-the very same DWG after detailing

3

Hi inno

Thanks for your reply.

Apologies, my coding/IT language is not good. I think I meant an exe file, ie a separate file that my colleagues can open for use rather than having to use RHGH.

We have managed to export a contour but in iso-lines (rather than in iso-areas). As you can see from the dwg file, majority of the slab requires 393mm2 or less reinforcement. However the area top centre of the slab requires 945.7mm2. The contour line there defines the area where we want to mark up with more reinforcement.
contour lines001.dxf (2.5 MB)
Slab drawing.dwg (103.1 KB)

4

oh man… I’m sorry then but I wouldn’t even know where to start to do that :slight_smile:
the files you have provided will for sure be useful anyways to whoever will try to work on that!

5

I see. Perhaps forget the exe file. would that make things easier?