Midas Link for Revit Structure
Introduction
Getting Started
Send Model to midas Gen
Update Model from midas Gen
Applicable data for midas Link for Revit Structure
What is Updated from midas Gen to Revit Structure
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Usage Note
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midas
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Midas Link for Revit Structure
Introduction
Using Midas Link for Revit Structure, direct data transfer between midas Gen and Revit Structure is available
for Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflow. Midas Link for Revit Structure enables us to directly transfer a
Revit model data to midas Gen, and delivery back to the Revit model file. It is provided as an Add-In module in
Revit Structure and midas Gen text file (*.mgt) is used for the roundtrip.
Midas Link for Revit Structure supports the following workflows:
(1) Send the Revit Structure analytical model to midas Gen.
(2) Import the MGT file of the Revit model in midas Gen.
(3) Export the midas model file to the MGT file.
(4) Update the Revit Structure model from midas Gen
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Getting Started
The following exercise leads you through a sample scenario providing detailed instructions for each step in the
process.
Step 1: Prepare a Model
1. Using the structural template, build a simple structure that
has 4 beams, 4 columns, 4 boundary conditions, 1 Hosted
Point Load, and 1 Hosted Line Load, as shown.
2. Create a load combination; create a load combination usage
called MIDAS_STEEL; set the load combination to this usage.
3. Check for inconsistency by clicking Tools menu > Analytical
Model > Analytical / Physical Model Consistency Checks.
Make any adjustments if necessary.
Step 2: Send Model to midas Gen
1. Click Tools menu > External Tools > Send Model to midas Gen
2. Click OK to send the project using the default.
The following table shows the Revit components that are sent to midas Gen.
It also shows the corresponding MIDAS commands used in the MGT file.
Revit Structure
midas Gen MGT
Level
STORY
Grid
GRIDLINE
Wall
ELEMENT (WALL), NODE
Frame Element (beam, brace)
ELEMENT (BEAM) - multiple if split, NODE, FRAME-RLS
Column
ELEMENT (BEAM) - multiple if split, NODE, FRAME-RLS
Load Case
STLDCASE
Material
MATERIAL
Section
SECTION
Wall Thickness
THICKNESS
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Step 3: Analyze and Revise Model in midas Gen
1. Start a new project in midas Gen, and import the MGT file of the Revit model. Note any warnings and
errors in the message window.
2. Import the MGT file again, it should import without error and display the structure.
3. Perform a structural analysis in order to be sure that the model is complete.
4. Add a horizontal brace to the model in section 1.
5. Reduce the size of the columns from W10x49 (section 8) to W10x33 (section 9).
6. Export the model using the same name as the imported MGT file.
Step 4: Update Model from midas Gen
1. In Revit Structure, click Tools menu > External Tools > Update Model from midas Gen
2. Verify that the paths in the dialog point to the right files, and click Update. The summary should report 1
added element and 4 section changes, and the structure should now look like the following illustration.
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Send Model to midas Gen
1. In order to send the Revit Structure analytical model to midas Gen, click Add Ins > External Tools >
Send Model to MIDAS/Gen.
2. Click the first Browse button to select a path for the Revit model file. The paths for the MIDAS model
and the log file will default to the same name. If necessary, modify these paths by clicking the
corresponding Browse buttons.
(2)
Mesh size for
slab and walls
can be adjusted.
Part of a model
can be imported to
midas Gen.
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
3. Under the midas Gen Information group, select the units for length and force to be used in
midas Gen.
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4. Section DB File
SectionMap.smap file is a section transfer list file from Revit Structure to midas Gen. The user
can directly add or modify SectionMap.smap file to specify section shapes and size imported in
midas Gen.
Section transfer data are written in the following formats:
Revit Family Name: Family Name used in Revit Structure
Revit Type Name: Element type name used in Revit Structure
Gen Code Name: Section DB code which will be used in midas Gen
Section Shape: Section shape name which will be used in midas Gen (ex. H, L, C, T, P)
Gen Section Name: Section name in the specified section DB code
If an unidentified section exists in a Revit model, the following dialog box is displayed to specify
the section shape and size imported in midas Gen. When Code is selected in the following
dialog box, only SB (Solid Box) can be selected for Shape.
If Apply the current setting to SDB file option is checked on, the setting will be saved in
SectionMap.smap so that the user do not need to specify them again.
Apply the current setting to SDB file
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5. Material DB File
MaterialMap.mmap file is a material transfer list file from Revit Structure to midas Gen. The user can
directly add or modify MaterialMap.mmap to specify material properties imported in midas Gen.
Section transfer data are written in the following formats:
Material Type: Material type used in Revit Structure
Material Name: Material name used in Revit Structure
Standard: Material standard which will be used in midas Gen
Code: Concrete design standard for considering the change of modulus of elasticity. This field is
required only when the Standard is specified as Korean code (KS01).
DB Name: Material DB name which will be used in midas Gen
6. Select a default material DB. If the material data is not specified in the Material DB File, default
material will be applied in midas Gen.
7. Click Send to start writing the MIDAS model.
When the writing is complete, a summary will be presented in a dialog. If the summary indicates
issues, further details are available by clicking View Log File.
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Update Model from midas Gen
1. In order to update the Revit Structure model from midas Gen, click Add Ins > External Tools >
Update Model from MIDAS/Gen.
2. A dialog will pop up. If "Send Model to MIDAS/Gen" has been used during this session, the paths
for the files are automatically set to be the same. If necessary, click Browse to change them.
3. Click Update to start updating the model.
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Applicable data for MIDAS Link for Revit Structure
Category
Material
Section
Member
Features
Concrete
Steel
Pre Cast Concrete
Wood
Glass
Ston
Metal
Concrete
Steel
SRC
Vertical Column
Column
Inclined Column
Straight Beam
Beam
Curved Beam
Inclined Beam
Straight Wall
Curved Wall
Wall
Inclined Wall
Masonry Wall
Wall Opening
Brace
Truss(Top chord, Bottom chord, and Web)
Slab
Foundation
Revit to
midas Gen
v
v
v
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
v
v
N/A
v
v
v
N/A
v
v
N/A
N/A
N/A
v
v
v
v
N/A
Remark
Only solid rectangular section can be
updated from Gen to Revit.
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What is Updated from midas Gen to Revit Structure
Here are the revisions that are detected and updated in the Revit model:
Sections
If assigned section is changed to the other section pre-defined in the model, the corresponding element in
Revit will be updated accordingly.
If assigned section is changed to the other section newly added in midas Gen, the corresponding element
in Revit will be assigned to a default section (arbitrary section which has a same material type in a
model).
Delete Elements
If an element is deleted in midas Gen, the corresponding element in Revit will be deleted accordingly.
Move Elements
If an element is moved in midas Gen, the corresponding frame element or column in Revit will be moved
accordingly.
Add Elements
If a beam element (solid box section only) is newly added, a corresponding element in Revit will be added
accordingly.
Change Beta-Angle
If beta-angle in a beam element is changed, a corresponding element in Revit will be updated accordingly.
Materials
If material data assigned to an element is modified, a corresponding element in Revit will be assigned to a
default material (arbitrary material existed in Revit).
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Usage Note
Send to midas Gen
Before sending a Revit Structure model to MIDAS, it is advisable to check and make adjustment to
the analytical model to ensure consistency. Revit Structure provides such tools under Tools menu
Analytical Model.
An element can only be assigned to a section originating from the Revit model. Sections from midas
Gen databases will not be recognized. This means that any sections that may become necessary
should be preloaded into the Revit project before sending the model to midas Gen.
Always check the export summary to determine if any items were skipped due to problems.
Analyze and Revise in midas Gen
Always check the message window when importing the MGT file to midas Gen.
A common error is that some section names in Revit do not match those in midas Gen. When it
happens, there are three options:
Delete the section from the project browser before sending the model if the offending section
is not used in the project.
Delete the entry of that section in the MGT file after the model has been sent.
Create a new family in Revit with section names that match the midas Gen database if the
section is required in the project.
Though nodes and elements may be added or deleted in midas Gen, you should never renumber
them, because the update mechanism identifies them by their numeric IDs.
When section properties or material properties need to be changed in midas Gen, you should change
their Section ID or Material ID, because the update mechanism identifies them by their numeric IDs.
For this release, only rectangular walls in Revit are exported, and the openings are always ignored. If
this approximation is inadequate for the analysis, adjustment should be made in midas Gen.
Update from midas Gen
After the Revit model is updated, it may be worthwhile to use the Track Changes command to verify
the changes.
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