Reinforced Concrete Frame Building (w/ masonry infill)

[RogueDesigner]

Currently living (and want to work) in Colombia, S.A. where Reinforced Concrete Frame Building (w/ masonry infill). Is without comparison the form of structure building, and I am shocked to not be able to find a huge discussion on this in this forum. Can anybody help me?  How do I set up walls for this system and how should I customize my defaults? THANK YOU!!!  

[RogueDesigner]

Thanks everyone (I mean anyone) for your help! I appreciate it in advance!

[rlackore]

Chief Architect isn't well suited to RC structures with restrained masonry, so you will have to make some compromises. However, unless you need to show the RC structure and the infill in 3 dimensions, like your attached image, then I suggest setting up your floor and foundation defaults for the horizontal concrete elements, and your exterior wall types (with exterior cladding and interior finish) for the masonry portions. Show the vertical concrete elements in plan view by using concrete "posts" or by using a CAD object, and adjust your building sections, etc., with CAD objects.

 

But, if you HAVE to show the 3D, it can be done by not including the exterior materials in your wall definitions:

[rlackore]

Another thought. With the new wall definition tools in X17, when you build your wall definitions, assign the "exterior" and "interior" wall layers to unique display layers, like this:

 

Here I assigned the Exterior Layers to Walls, Facade; then is any 3D view simply turn off the Walls, Facade layer and you will see what is underneath, such as the wall framing, or the restrained masonry infill, or whatever.

[HweltonR]

I came across this older discussion and wanted to add something that might get it moving again. In Chief, I’ve had luck modeling the concrete frame first using slabs and posts, then adding the infill as a separate wall type so it doesn’t auto-connect like standard walls. How are you handling openings and structural columns right now? There might be a cleaner workflow depending on how detailed you need the model.

[Joe_Carrick]

I would use a Wall Type with a single Layer (basically invisible.  ie:Air Gap)

Then I would:

• place the Concrete Columns
• break the walls and change sections to masonry as needed.