Automating a Complex Revit Bridge Model with Grasshopper, Dynamo, and Informed Design

This session will outline a workflow for creating a Revit model of a steel composite cable stay bridge by using a combo of Grasshopper, Dynamo, and Informed Design for Inventor software. Modeling a bridge structure poses challenges due to its complex geometry, which adheres to a vertical, horizontal, and super-elevated roadway profile. Consequently, the steel girders, beams, and connection details must align with this 3D roadway profile, complicating the creation and placement of Revit families. For this challenge, COWI used Grasshopper and Dynamo to automate the creation of steel geometry, parameters, and insertion points, ensuring accurate orientation for family placement. Additionally, Informed Design was used to transform various iterations of intricate steel connections into families, which were then positioned using a Dynamo workflow. The integration of visual programming and Informed Design has been vital in efficiently producing complex bridge structures with a focus on automation.