CSI Etabs Model

AEC | BOLT Building Design Suite enables the user to export the finite model of the building to CSI Etabs software and import back the analysis results of gravity loads and lateral loads easily.

You must previously installed the EtabsLink Plugin. See pages AEC|BOLT Building Design Suite App For CSI ETABS v17 for installation, AEC|BOLT ETABS App for general information, and CSI ETABS page for further details.

Creating Finite Element Model

Before creating the finite element model we must generate the segments of shear walls

• Go to Analysis → CSI Etabs → Wall Segment Definitions

• Click Generate Wall Segments

• Go to AEC|BOLT → Global FE Model → Mesh Settings

• Enter mesh refinement in X&Y as 150

• Click Generate Grid Mesh

• Go to Global FE Model

• Set Run Mesh? as True

• Update the project

Here is global finite model of the building;

Creating Etabs Model

• Open Etabs

• Open an empty project

• Go to → Tools → AECBOLT Link

• Click YES to the warning shown above

A pop up window of AEC | BOLT Building Platform will open

• Log in with your AEC | BOLT BIM Cloud account (if not already logged in)

• Open the project to be exported

• Click Finite View to see the finite element model

• Click Pull to export the finite model to Etabs

Etabs model of the project is created as shown above.

• Analyze the project

• Click Push to import the analysis results to AEC | BOLT Building Design Suite.