Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Define isolated foundations and their interaction with Revit elements, and work with pad foundations.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
7 min.
Transcript
00:04
Isolated foundations have several uses depending on the family that is loaded.
00:09
Some examples of isolated foundations are shown below.
00:13
We have pad foundations,
00:15
pile caps are nested, piling,
00:17
concrete piling,
00:18
sheet piling and sequent piled walls.
00:22
In order to model sheet piling and piled wall systems efficiently,
00:25
you can use dynamo to automatically place the elements along a selected path.
00:30
If a structural column is placed over an isolated foundation,
00:34
the isolated foundation would attach to the column base.
00:38
The level of the isolated foundation will
00:40
then be controlled by the structural column.
00:43
If the column is moved,
00:44
then the isolated foundation would automatically
00:46
move with the structural column.
00:49
We'll begin by opening up the top of foundation structural plan
00:53
in the project browser. Go ahead and double click on top of foundation.
00:58
We'll begin by placing some isolated pad
01:00
foundations in the central area of our model
01:04
to start the isolated foundation command.
01:07
We'll go ahead and select the structure ribbon
01:10
and on the structure ribbon, you'll note here, we have our foundation panel
01:14
on the foundation panel, we have isolated foundation.
01:20
Let's go ahead and select isolated foundation
01:24
on the context ribbon. You'll note here that we can load additional families.
01:28
If required,
01:29
we can model an in place family.
01:32
We can place isolated foundations at grid intersections.
01:36
And additionally, we can place isolated foundations at structural columns
01:43
in the properties pallet.
01:44
In the type selector,
01:45
we have various different types of rectangular footing that we can place down.
01:50
We'll begin by selecting 100 and six by 38 by 48.
01:56
If we now take our cursor into the model, the first thing you'll notice here,
01:59
we can press the space bar to orientate the foundation.
02:04
If I move over a grid intersection
02:06
again, here, you'll notice that we can orientate the foundation
02:10
to the grid.
02:12
We'll now go ahead and place our foundation at this grid intersection.
02:19
We'll now move to the grid C two and again, left,
02:22
click to place another foundation down at the grid intersection.
02:26
And finally, here we'll select grid B two
02:29
and again, add an isolated foundation.
02:34
Let's now take a look at the
02:35
placement of isolated foundations at grid intersections.
02:40
So we're now going to place six
02:41
isolated foundations at these grid intersections here
02:45
in the property's pallet in the type selector.
02:48
We'll go ahead here and select 42 inch by 42 inch by 38 inch
02:55
on the context ribbon. Let's go ahead here and select at grids
02:60
will then make a selection of the grids. In this case, I'm using a crossing window
03:05
and you can now see the six isolated foundations previewed
03:10
to finalize the placement of these foundations.
03:13
We can select the finish button on the context ribbon.
03:17
Next, we'll place some more isolated foundations along grid A
03:22
in the properties pallet in the type selector.
03:25
Let's select 106 by 38 by 48.
03:30
To place these foundations. We can hover over grid A
03:34
and then we can press the space bar which will then orientate the foundation
03:39
in line with grid. A
03:41
notice that each time you press the space bar,
03:43
it will either orientate 90 degrees 45 or actually on grid A.
03:50
So let's now place these foundations down.
03:54
We'll do the same thing here
03:57
and the same thing here.
04:01
We also require an isolated foundation that's placed off grid
04:06
to do this. We'll go back to our properties palette in the type selector
04:10
and again, select 42 inch by 42 inch by 38 inch.
04:16
We'll now move approximately into this location and place our isolated foundation
04:24
to release the command.
04:25
We'll go ahead and select the modifier button on the context ribbon.
04:30
If we now select our isolated foundation,
04:32
we'll see here that we have temporary dimensions,
04:35
tying the foundation back to other structural elements.
04:39
We can change these temporary dimensions by moving
04:42
our cursor over the move witness line grip
04:45
and in dragging that to a more suitable location.
04:49
Here, you'll notice that I've moved the witness line to grid B
04:52
again. Here, I'll go to this grip and drag the witness line
04:56
to grid 2.1
04:59
we can then use the temporary dimensions to set the offset from grid.
05:03
So here I'm going to set this dimension to 5 ft
05:08
and we'll do the same here. This one will be 5 ft as well.
05:12
And then we'll make these temporary dimensions
05:14
permanent by selecting this icon here.
05:18
And we can then move our dimensions into a more suitable location
05:22
to document the position of this isolated foundation.
05:27
Finally,
05:28
let's change the base level of a column
05:30
and see the effect on our isolated foundations
05:33
to do this. We'll switch back to the 3d working view.
05:38
We'll zoom up on these three columns here.
05:41
We'll have the control key down and select these three columns
05:46
in the properties paddock.
05:47
You'll notice we have a base offset
05:50
in this example here we'll set this to negative 1 ft
05:55
and notice.
05:55
Now we get a warning dialog box informing us that we have attached
05:59
foundations that would also be moved to the bottom of the column.
06:04
We can go ahead here and select, OK.
06:06
And you'll now notice that the foundations have automatically
06:10
moved to the bottom of that column location.
Video transcript
00:04
Isolated foundations have several uses depending on the family that is loaded.
00:09
Some examples of isolated foundations are shown below.
00:13
We have pad foundations,
00:15
pile caps are nested, piling,
00:17
concrete piling,
00:18
sheet piling and sequent piled walls.
00:22
In order to model sheet piling and piled wall systems efficiently,
00:25
you can use dynamo to automatically place the elements along a selected path.
00:30
If a structural column is placed over an isolated foundation,
00:34
the isolated foundation would attach to the column base.
00:38
The level of the isolated foundation will
00:40
then be controlled by the structural column.
00:43
If the column is moved,
00:44
then the isolated foundation would automatically
00:46
move with the structural column.
00:49
We'll begin by opening up the top of foundation structural plan
00:53
in the project browser. Go ahead and double click on top of foundation.
00:58
We'll begin by placing some isolated pad
01:00
foundations in the central area of our model
01:04
to start the isolated foundation command.
01:07
We'll go ahead and select the structure ribbon
01:10
and on the structure ribbon, you'll note here, we have our foundation panel
01:14
on the foundation panel, we have isolated foundation.
01:20
Let's go ahead and select isolated foundation
01:24
on the context ribbon. You'll note here that we can load additional families.
01:28
If required,
01:29
we can model an in place family.
01:32
We can place isolated foundations at grid intersections.
01:36
And additionally, we can place isolated foundations at structural columns
01:43
in the properties pallet.
01:44
In the type selector,
01:45
we have various different types of rectangular footing that we can place down.
01:50
We'll begin by selecting 100 and six by 38 by 48.
01:56
If we now take our cursor into the model, the first thing you'll notice here,
01:59
we can press the space bar to orientate the foundation.
02:04
If I move over a grid intersection
02:06
again, here, you'll notice that we can orientate the foundation
02:10
to the grid.
02:12
We'll now go ahead and place our foundation at this grid intersection.
02:19
We'll now move to the grid C two and again, left,
02:22
click to place another foundation down at the grid intersection.
02:26
And finally, here we'll select grid B two
02:29
and again, add an isolated foundation.
02:34
Let's now take a look at the
02:35
placement of isolated foundations at grid intersections.
02:40
So we're now going to place six
02:41
isolated foundations at these grid intersections here
02:45
in the property's pallet in the type selector.
02:48
We'll go ahead here and select 42 inch by 42 inch by 38 inch
02:55
on the context ribbon. Let's go ahead here and select at grids
02:60
will then make a selection of the grids. In this case, I'm using a crossing window
03:05
and you can now see the six isolated foundations previewed
03:10
to finalize the placement of these foundations.
03:13
We can select the finish button on the context ribbon.
03:17
Next, we'll place some more isolated foundations along grid A
03:22
in the properties pallet in the type selector.
03:25
Let's select 106 by 38 by 48.
03:30
To place these foundations. We can hover over grid A
03:34
and then we can press the space bar which will then orientate the foundation
03:39
in line with grid. A
03:41
notice that each time you press the space bar,
03:43
it will either orientate 90 degrees 45 or actually on grid A.
03:50
So let's now place these foundations down.
03:54
We'll do the same thing here
03:57
and the same thing here.
04:01
We also require an isolated foundation that's placed off grid
04:06
to do this. We'll go back to our properties palette in the type selector
04:10
and again, select 42 inch by 42 inch by 38 inch.
04:16
We'll now move approximately into this location and place our isolated foundation
04:24
to release the command.
04:25
We'll go ahead and select the modifier button on the context ribbon.
04:30
If we now select our isolated foundation,
04:32
we'll see here that we have temporary dimensions,
04:35
tying the foundation back to other structural elements.
04:39
We can change these temporary dimensions by moving
04:42
our cursor over the move witness line grip
04:45
and in dragging that to a more suitable location.
04:49
Here, you'll notice that I've moved the witness line to grid B
04:52
again. Here, I'll go to this grip and drag the witness line
04:56
to grid 2.1
04:59
we can then use the temporary dimensions to set the offset from grid.
05:03
So here I'm going to set this dimension to 5 ft
05:08
and we'll do the same here. This one will be 5 ft as well.
05:12
And then we'll make these temporary dimensions
05:14
permanent by selecting this icon here.
05:18
And we can then move our dimensions into a more suitable location
05:22
to document the position of this isolated foundation.
05:27
Finally,
05:28
let's change the base level of a column
05:30
and see the effect on our isolated foundations
05:33
to do this. We'll switch back to the 3d working view.
05:38
We'll zoom up on these three columns here.
05:41
We'll have the control key down and select these three columns
05:46
in the properties paddock.
05:47
You'll notice we have a base offset
05:50
in this example here we'll set this to negative 1 ft
05:55
and notice.
05:55
Now we get a warning dialog box informing us that we have attached
05:59
foundations that would also be moved to the bottom of the column.
06:04
We can go ahead here and select, OK.
06:06
And you'll now notice that the foundations have automatically
06:10
moved to the bottom of that column location.
Industry:
Role:
How to buy
Privacy | Do not sell or share my personal information | Cookie preferences | Report noncompliance | Terms of use | Legal | © 2025 Autodesk Inc. All rights reserved
Sign in for the best experience
Save your progress
Get access to courses
Receive personalized recommendations
May we collect and use your data?
Learn more about the Third Party Services we use and our Privacy Statement. May we collect and use your data to tailor your experience?
Explore the benefits of a customized experience by managing your privacy settings for this site or visit our Privacy Statement to learn more about your options.