Grasshopper is an interesting tool to use. It allows to program graphically and in quite readable manner. For prototype, we re-created the Sázava footbridge parametrically in Grasshopper.
Prototyping and proofs of concepts play a vital role in our process to find out, which structural types or parametric modelling techniques are viable for structural design. When lesson is leaned, next step is to apply the techniques on real projects.
We have prototyped models in Excel with VBA macros, tried OpenAPI in SCIA Engineer with C# program and recently we have also tried also modelling in Grasshopper plugin for Rhino.
Prototype: Using OpenAPI in SCIA Engineer
01.02.2019
OpenAPI in SCIA Engineer is a set of libraries and example in C# that we used to create models of SuDuVo bridges, with complex shape and combination of beam and slab members.
Prototype: DWG to 3D model converter
10.09.2018
Based on the Table Input and VBA macros in Excel we developed proof of concept, which reads DXF (DWG) drawings. In this case the DXF contains multiple storeys drawn separately in the 2D environment.
Table input in SCIA Engineer is a tool that allows modelling parametrically in Excel and then import such structure in the SCIA Engineer to finalize and analyze the model.