Table of Contents
Introduction
Welcome to the AutoBRIDGE User Manual!
Welcome to AutoBRIDGE – your indispensable tool for revolutionizing infrastructure modeling within Autodesk Revit! Empowering engineers and designers with unparalleled capabilities, AutoBRIDGE simplifies complex tasks such as corridor creation, instance array generation, girder modeling, and more, with intuitive controls and precise customization options.
Explore the key features that make AutoBRIDGE a must-have tool for infrastructure automation, and learn how to leverage its capabilities to streamline your modeling process and achieve exceptional results.
Before we proceed further, it’s essential to familiarize ourselves with the comprehensive AutoBRIDGE User Manual. This manual serves as your ultimate guide to harnessing the full potential of AutoBRIDGE, providing step-by-step instructions, detailed explanations, and invaluable insights to help you navigate through the intricacies of infrastructure modeling within Autodesk Revit.
Additionally, for more in-depth explanations and visual demonstrations, we offer video tutorials. These videos are available on our websit. Whether you prefer written instructions or visual demonstrations, we have resources available to suit your learning preferences and help you maximize your AutoBRIDGE experience.
About AutoBRIDGE
AutoBRIDGE aims to revolutionize the way engineers and designers create 3D infrastructure elements within the Autodesk Revit add-in.
With a passion for simplifying complex tasks and a commitment to delivering exceptional tools, the AutoBRIDGE team has crafted a solution to address the specific needs and challenges faced by infrastructure professionals. AutoBRIDGE empowers users to streamline their 3D modeling process, enhance BIM collaboration, and achieve outstanding results.
Driven by a vision of advancing 3D modeling of infrastructure design and automation, the AutoBRIDGE team continues to innovate and refine the software, ensuring it remains at the forefront of the industry. By staying responsive to user feedback and evolving alongside the latest advancements in technology, AutoBRIDGE remains a trusted companion for engineers and designers worldwide.
Let’s embark on this exciting journey together and elevate your design experience with AutoBRIDGE!
Key Features
Corridor Creation
Corridor Creation is the first feature of the AutoBRIDGE add-in, it’s designed to expedite the creation of corridors by integrating with Civil 3D alignment data. Users can define alignment, select Revit nested families, set solid and void parameters, and execute corridor creation accurately. More detailed instructions and best practices are provided here.Instance Array
This feature provides users with the capability to efficiently generate arrays of instance elements within Revit, accommodating a variety of family types such as Structural Column, Structural Framing, and Generic. The integration with Civil 3D alignment data is a key aspect of this feature, playing a pivotal role in guaranteeing precise placement of elements.Grider Modeling
Grider modeling enables users to model structural framing elements, specifically bridge girders, using model lines and bridge decks. This feature ensures a straightforward process for attaching girders to the bottom of the deck.Family Manager
The Family Manager feature is designed to enhance efficiency by allowing users to add templates for AutoBRIDGE. This ensures the automatic saving of templates in the add-in, promoting the reuse of nested families across various projects and preventing duplication of work.Variation Parameters Control
This feature provides engineers with precise control over both vertical and horizontal variation parameters. This feature allows for the management of intricate design elements, such as the top of retaining walls or the soffit of bridge decks, using fixed levels, Civil 3D alignment profiles, and 3D polylines. More detailed instructions and best practices are provided here.Superelevation Management
The final feature of the AutoBRIDGE system is the Superelevation Management. This feature allows engineers to control superelevation in road elements efficiently, either by importing information from Civil 3D or any platform or manually inputting superelevation designs using grids.Getting Started
Before diving into the functionalities of AutoBRIDGE, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the basics. This section will guide you through the initial setup process and provide an overview of the system’s interface and navigation.
AutoBRIDGE Setup
- Installing AutoBRIDGE is a straightforward process. Please follow these steps:
- Download the AutoBRIDGE installer package from the official website www.auto-bridge.net.
- Run the installer executable file and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Ensure that you have the necessary permissions to install software on your machine.
- Once the installation is complete, launch Autodesk Revit to proceed with accessing AutoBRIDGE.
Accessing AutoBRIDGE in Revit
- Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed AutoBRIDGE and are ready to streamline your 3D infrastructure modeling process.
- Feel free to reach out if you encounter any issues during installation or if you have further questions about accessing AutoBRIDGE in Revit. Happy modeling!
Add-ons Features
Corridor Creation
Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with the basics, let’s explore the key features and functionalities of AutoBRIDGE. This section will provide you with detailed instructions on how to perform various tasks and utilize the Add-in’s capabilities to their fullest potential.
Civil 3D
This feature enables the creation of a corridor Element in Revit using the alignment data directly from the active Civil 3D Document.
- Open the Civil 3d panel within corridor creation feature, by opening this panel you find exactly 3 tabs:
Alignment Section: (Choose the Document, Alignment, and Profile)
In this step, you are prompted to select the specific document, alignment, and profile for your corridor. This ensures that your corridor is aligned with the relevant design elements. Make sure the Civil 3D document is active before proceeding. Refer to “Figure 1 – alignment tab” for visual guidance.
Family Section: (Select the Revit Nested Family)
- Choose a Revit Nested Family: Select a nested family that fits your corridor design. This could include elements like bridges, decks, walls, tunnels, or other structural components.
- Define Solid and Void: Specify which parts of the selected family should be treated as solid and which should be void.
- Set Variation Parameters: If your design requires variations such as vertical, horizontal, or superelevation adjustments, check the corresponding box in the Variation Parameters section. Refer to Figure 2 – Family Section for visual guidance.
- Chainages Section:
- Input Chainages: Provide the necessary chainages in rows, specifying the distances along the alignment where design changes occur. This ensures accurate placement of corridor elements. Refer to “Figure 3” for visual guidance.
5. Execute Corridor Creation:
- After configuring the parameters, press the Run button to execute the corridor creation process and generate the corridor according to your Refer to Figure 4.
3D PolyLine
- Open the 3D polyline panel within corridor creation feature, by opening this panel you find exactly 3 tabs:
- Alignment Section: (Choose the AutoCAD layer and specify polyline length)
- Choose the AutoCAD layer associated with the 3D polyline.
- Specify the polyline length, ensuring accurate representation in the corridor. Refer to “Figure 5 – alignment tab” for visual guidance.
Family Section: (Select the Revit Nested Family)
- Choose a Revit Nested Family: Select a nested family that fits your corridor design. This could include elements like bridges, decks, walls, tunnels, or other structural components.
- Define Solid and Void: Specify which parts of the selected family should be treated as solid and which should be void.
- Set Variation Parameters: If your design requires variations such as vertical, horizontal, or superelevation adjustments, check the corresponding box in the Variation Parameters section. Refer to Figure 6 – Family Section for visual guidance.
Chainages Section:
- Input Chainages Manually: Provide the necessary chainages in rows, specifying the distances along the alignment where design changes occur. This ensures accurate placement of corridor elements. Refer to Figure 7
- Lines Option: Alternatively, choose the “Lines” option to select a group of model lines. This allows you to define chainages using the points where these model lines intersect with the 3D polyline alignment. Refer to Figure 8
5. Execute Corridor Creation:
- After configuring the parameters, press the Run button to execute the corridor creation process and generate the corridor according to your Refer to Figure 9.
Instance Array Creation
The Instance Array feature in AutoBRIDGE allows users to efficiently generate array of instance elements within Revit, accommodating various family types such as: Structural Column, Structural Framing, and generic elements. This feature integrates seamlessly with Civil 3D alignment data, ensuring precise placement of elements
Civil 3D Integration
This feature enables the creation of an instance array in Revit using the alignment data directly from the active Civil 3D Document.
Follow the detailed steps below to utilize the instance array feature:
- Open the Instance Array Panel:
- Navigate to the AutoBRIDGE tab in Revit.
- Click on the “Instance Array” button to open the panel.
- Alignment Section: (Choose the Document, Alignment, and Profile)
- Choose the document: Select the Civil 3D document containing the alignment data.
- Select Alignment and Profile: Choose the specific alignment and profile for the array. This ensures that your Instance Array is aligned with the relevant design elements. Refer to the guide for visual assistance.