Profile builder does a good job, including creating structural steel with parametrics. It very powerful. The tutorials they published get into some of whats possible.
Hi ivanjones,
Thanks for replying. I tried it, and it’s great, but it’s also time-consuming for my work. I think it might be better to go with REVIT. However, I would really love it if there were a way to do this within SketchUp. Thank you so much for your help!
Modeling reinforcement detailing in SU is not for the faint of heart.
For the smaller/simple confined masonry structures I work on, it is feasible. I would not describe my workflow as rapid, but as with all things SU, there is a lot of flexibility in how you can visualize and present reinforcement details.
Hi nmason,
Could you please let me know your workflow? If you’ve previously made a video or have a YouTube channel, please let me know the details.
Thank you so much for your reply.
Sorry, I don’t have any videos or a YouTube channel. I mostly use native tools and dynamic components. I invested the time up-front to create a range of dynamic component rebar columns and rebar beams (with the ability to modify rebar size, stirrup size, length/height, spacing, etc) that are typical in my work. I don’t have that much complexity or variability in my structural elements, but I do like to model out all the rebar to aid in material estimation and to give clarity of rebar location in my section views. I agree that Profile Builder is a powerful and applicable plugin that can be used for rebar modeling.
Hi rtches,
Thank you for your reply. I’ve tried it, and it’s great. However, in my work, I need to complete many different beams, columns, foundations, and other elements within a single project. Time is a major factor in my projects, but I still haven’t found a way to save it effectively. The videos you made are very helpful, not only for reinforcement bars. Thank you so much for your help!
Have you considered the possibility of doing that with Tekla Structural Designer?
The detail drawings you obtain with it are wonderful. You can export them to Ifc but including in SketchUp is not possible (lots of edges and small lengths)
Hi rtches,
I have watched videos about Tekla Structural Designer, Tekla Structures, and Tekla TEDS, but they are quite expensive. Nevertheless, they are excellent software. Recently, I’ve been learning Prota Structure, which can generate comprehensive reinforcement details very quickly. However, I still prefer to work within SketchUp, though unfortunately, I haven’t found a way to achieve this there.
You could make DCs as simple or complex as you want (including adding laps or splices). I prefer to draw a stand-alone detail for that sort of thing rather than draw every splice in my model.
