Three Autodesk applications operate on a model in the Autodesk AEC Collection.

Revit is the modelling application. The structural discipline takes ownership of structural elements within the federated model and a match stick model is constructed. When the appropriate families are used, the Section Name Keys of the Revit members map into elements in Robot and Advanced Steel and translates them into recognisable elements.

Robot is a Finite Element Analysis (FEM) application. Inputs may even be a recorded seismic event (especially important as buildings must withstand earthquakes like the one that destroyed Christchurch).

For a Revit model to be useful throughout the stable of structural Autodesk BIM products, some criteria must be met in Revit to start with.

In Revit Model:

• All loads defined
• Simplified analytical model
• All supports and boundary conditions should be specified
• Check all elements connected
• Run structural Check