Create a complex wall by adding sweeps, reveals, and making modifications to the layers in a wall's structure.
This video demonstrates the following:
When you want to go beyond a simple section detail and model the built conditions of a wall, modify the wall regions and profiles. The regions of a wall layer can be split, moved, and assigned different materials. Regions can also be merged to allow adjacent regions to be combined. Use sweeps to add profile shapes to the wall. Use reveals to remove profile shapes from the wall. Used together, section and profile tools allow you to create a more detailed wall for use in your project.
In this example, we'll modify the vertical structure of the wall to create more detail. We begin by selecting the wall, and clicking Edit Type. Then, we click Edit next to the Structure parameter. Edit the structure of the wall to modify the vertical structure. For the Modify Vertical Structure tools to be accessible, you must have the preview pane open in the Edit Assembly dialog and the view set to Section: Modify Type Attributes.
Now, we'll use the Split Region tool to divide portions of the brick wall layer where it will be replaced by a CMU material. In the preview pane, we'll use the mouse wheel to zoom and the scroll bars to view the portion of the wall we're working on. Temporary dimensions help you position the splits. Use the Modify tool and select the split line if it needs to be repositioned. Use the flip arrow to change the temporary dimension to read from either the top of the wall or the bottom of the wall. When a region is split, the thickness of the layer becomes variable, which allow you to move the interior edges of the region independently.
Now that we've created split regions, we'll add a layer for the alternate material we'll use in the split regions, in this case CMU. The layer thickness is assigned 0 by default. Highlight the layer in the grid, and click Assign Layers. Then, click in the split region in the preview pane to assign the material to a region.
Click Modify to adjust the boundaries of the layers within the wall. For example, you can adjust the boundaries of the CMU block regions of the wall. In a separate step we'll use a reveal on the CMU regions to set them back from the face of the wall. You can also unlock the top (or bottom) edges of adjacent layers in the wall so the extension distance of these layers can be adjusted independently of the top and bottom wall constraints.
Use Merge Regions to combine adjacent regions or layers of the wall. Place the cursor near the boundary between the layers you want to merge, and you'll see a symbol displayed near the cursor that indicates which material will be used when the layers are merged.
Select Sweeps or Reveals to further modify the vertical structure of the wall. In this example, to add a sweep for a precast concrete sill, we click Sweep, specify a profile shape, and define a material. Reveals do not use a material, because they are used as a void to remove portions of the wall. Use the distance setting to position the reveal along the wall. Then, use the offset value and side setting to position it within the wall.
Finally, make adjustments to the wall to adjust the top extension, as needed.
Making modifications to the vertical structure of walls in your project gives them a more detailed appearance, making it easier to represent and document your project.