Voussoir – User Guide

1. Launching the Plugin

1. Open your Revit project.
2. Navigate to the Add-Ins tab on the Revit ribbon.
3. Locate the Voussoir panel.
4. Click one of the available actions:

• Create Vault
• Edit Vault (only enabled if a vault group is selected)
• Export Vault(only enabled if a vault group is selected and the view is 3D)

2. Creating a Barrel Vault

Start Creation

1. Click Create Vault in the Voussoir panel.
2. Select two opposite walls that will define the vault’s span and orientation.

Generate Vault

1. A vault is created using default parameters.
2. The result is a Revit model group composed of individual voussoir and springer family instances included with the plugin.

Wall Dependency:
If the selected walls are moved, rotated, or their dimensions change, the vault will be automatically recalculated based on the updated wall geometry.

Note: Parameter customization happens in the Edit Vault workflow (see Section 3).

3. Editing Vaults

Select Vault(s)

1. Select one or more vault groups in the Revit model.
2. Ensure all selected vaults share the same division type.
3. Click Edit Vault on the Voussoir panel.

Modify Parameters

The Edit panel allows you to customize a wide range of geometric and logical properties. Some parameters are editable, while others are automatically computed or read-only.

3.1  Profile Type

Choose the vault’s profile: Arc, Parabola or Catenary curve

Constraint for Arc:
When the Arc profile is selected, the maximum allowable height is automatically limited to half of the respective span, following geometric rules of circular arches.

3.2 Plan Regularity (Read-Only)

Shows whether the selected walls form an orthogonal or non-orthogonal plan.

• Orthogonal: both division types are available.
• Non-orthogonal: only the number of Divisions is allowed.

3.3 Use Different Heights

A toggle that enables defining two different heights for the vault.
By default, this option is disabled.

When using “Different Heights,” the option Division by Voussoir Dimensions becomes unavailable.

3.4 Voussoir Parameters

The Division Type parameter determines which set of voussoir-related parameters becomes available.

• If Division Type = “By Number of Divisions”, the parameters Longitudinal Divisions and Transversal Divisions are enabled.
• If Division Type = “By Voussoir Dimensions”, the parameters Voussoir Width and Voussoir Length are enabled.

3.5 Springer Parameters

A checkbox allows you to specify whether springers will be calculated and created as part of the vault.

3.6 Totals Panel

At the bottom of the parameters table, the plugin displays the total quantities of the currently selected vault(s), such as:

These totals update only after the user confirms changes by clicking OK or Apply.

3.7 Multi-Vault Editing

When multiple vaults are selected:

• Parameters with identical values across all selected vaults will appear normally.
• Parameters with different values will appear empty until the user sets a new value.

Save Changes

1. Click OK or Apply.
2. The vault will be regenerated according to the updated parameters.

4. Exporting Vaults

Prepare for Export

1. Switch to a 3D view.
2. Select the vault groups you want to export.

Export Process

1. Click Export Vault.
2. Choose an export format: OBJ or STEP
3. Choose the export units
4. Separate files (optional):
   Enable the checkbox Separate Files to generate one file per voussoir and springer.
5. Click Export and select the destination folder.

5. Tips & Best Practices

• Avoid manually modifying generated voussoirs or model groups, always use the Edit tool.
• Do not edit included families. The Voussoir and Springer families installed with the plugin should not be modified, as this may compromise vault generation.
• Avoid using Undo. Because vault creation involves many internal operations, using Ctrl + Z is not recommended. If needed, delete the vault group and recreate it for consistent results.

Disclaimer

This plugin is intended solely for geometric design exploration.
It does not perform structural analysis or validation.
Outputs must not be used for engineering assessment or safety-critical decisions.

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