When quantifying steel structures through BIM, accurately calculating the weight of the main structure requires identifying the length of the steel profiles.
Critical Rule: For this calculation, it is important to rely on the geometrical length (e.g., cut length in Revit), rather than relying on the axis length.
Figure 07 - Illustration of different length parameters of a steel beam.
Structural authoring software typically generates analytical elements for structural analysis. However, to ensure accurate steel material quantification, it's crucial to utilize the geometric dimensions of these elements to avoid duplicate quantities.
Best Practice: A preference is shown for length calculations (Length × Unit Weight) over volume measurements.