Which types of structural framing systems and materials are most commonly used in the US for residences? For office buildings?
In the US, residential buildings are most commonly constructed using light wood framing, which is advantageous because wood is inexpensive, widely available, and suited to the lower loads of homes. Office buildings are usually framed with structural steel or reinforced concrete, which provide greater strength, heavier loads, and better multi-story construction. Factors such as cost, labor availability, required building height, structural capacity, and construction speed determine what materials are used for structural framing systems.
Why do different teams of designers and subcontractors link and share their models during the design process?
During the design and construction process, different teams of designers and subcontractors link and share their Revit models so they can coordinate their work, catch conflicts early, and ensure that all building systems fit together before anything is built. Linking models allows different teams to work in parallel while still seeing each other’s updates. This is important to help identify clashes such as walls misaligned with grids. However, linking can introduce challenges such as how models may become misaligned if coordinates are not managed carefully.
What strategies can design teams use to find and avoid clashes prior to the start of construction?
Beyond sharing models digitally and running clash detection tools, teams can conduct meetings where architects, structural engineers, and subcontractors review critical areas together. Teams should also align design standards, such as consistent grid layouts and elevation benchmarks, which prevents conflicts later. One could always also do a physical mockup test construction in a particular area.