Solids for modelling concrete beams and columns

SketchUp Pro
1

This post was wrongly placed in the wrong grouping. I am correcting by linking it to there.
Continuing the discussion from Creating a solid volume by push pull:

Here is a link to the .skp file :

The knife cut from engineering tool box also leaves the cut portion ungrouped. Wish the plugin developer could include an option to leave it gouped after the cut.

2

I have placed an example of what I am trying to do and saved it to open in the view. The vertical solid is the Trim cutter and the horizontal solid is the one that is cut.

3

Dave, I realize that I had not updated the file that I shared earlier. I have overwritten the file at the link with the one where I have the details. Request to have a look, please. I just tried it with the 2023 version trial that I downloaded. It does the same thing. So I suppose a workaround is what is needed.

4

The solid algorithm in some cases has its issues… the algorithm could use an update imho.

I guess you’re having problems with the column in the intersection next to the car porch. The vertical trim element has one side exactly in the same plane as the faces of the horizontal beam you’re trying to cut. That can break the solid operation sometimes.

As a workaround;

  • make the column temporary a bit wider and do the trim
  • move the beam slightly so its side-face is not in the same plan as the trim object
  • model this part using non-solid tools

I work with solids all the time - all my architectural models are made with solids. But, sometimes I just switch back to other modelling techniques to get the job done. In this case, for rectangular beams, you could easily just model the boxes and extrude them.

5

I tried the column widen option you suggested.
beam moved so that there is enough overlap across the column faces. these solids were made by grouped area and push pulled.
it did not work.
I don’t see any issue with the Trim what it is doing. It is the resulting grouping of the solids that is formed. I am asking if there is a workaround to it.
Some of the operations on solids create a grouping, like the difference group formed during an Intersect.
I have also raised this as an update request. Hopefully, I may see a reply.

6

If SketchUp has trouble with solids, it might (partly) execute the solid operation but the end result many times is a non-solid and is missing faces.

Its a known problem for many years and I’m afraid its not (high) on the to-do list of the SketchUp team.

There are a few plugins that maybe do a better job like Eneroth Solid Tools (Pro Only) and BoolTools 2 - mind.sight.studios - Better than SketchUp's Solid Tools (15$)