Surfaces and areas for concrete, insulation and facing layers

You can use Surfaces and areas for concrete, insulation and facing layers to define, modify and delete areas with special properties. The tools that are actually available to you depend on the wall type and the other wall parameters. After you have pressed ESC, you can undo and redo the individual modifications without quitting the tool.

You can use some of these tools to modify either side of the wall. As the wall is displayed in elevation view, you can use Side of design identifier and Side opposite design identifier to switch between the two wall sides. The selected tool is applied to the wall side currently selected.

Start by specifying whether surfaces, concrete areas, insulation areas or areas for facing layers are to be created or modified. Select the corresponding tool on the left side of the context toolbar.
The icons and the name of the context toolbar change depending on the selected option.

Surface areas

Click Surface areas to change the surface in a part of the area. Wall elements created with Wall Element Design can only be modified in this manner if you have defined in the Configurations that surfaces are created as fixtures. The Surfaces dialog box opens. Select a surface defined in the surface catalog and specify the part of the element(s) you want to change using the polyline entry tools. The selected surface replaces the default surface in the area specified.
If the surface is used for element labels in plan display, the Text for special surfaces defined in the element's attributes is shown instead of the text for the surface defined in the surface catalog.
Click Modify surface areas to change the surfaces created manually in parts of the area. When working with wall panels, you can change the entire surface of one or more elements. Select the surfaces you want to change. The Surfaces dialog box opens. Select a surface defined in the surface catalog.
Click Surfaces at reveals/fronts to define the surface at reveal edges and fronts. The Surfaces dialog box opens. Select a surface defined in the surface catalog and specify whether the surface is to be applied to the entire layer thickness or whether it is to be defined based on the front or rear edge of the opening. When you select one of the last two options, specify the Offset to the selected edge and the Depth of the area. Then enter a line to define the start and end points of the surface at the front.
Click Delete surface areas to delete the surfaces created manually in parts of the area. Select the parts you want to delete.
Note: You cannot use this tool to delete the surfaces generated or modified during element creation.

Concrete areas

Click Concrete areas. The Concrete Areas dialog box opens. Select a concrete grade defined in the concrete grade catalog. Specify whether the concrete area is to be applied to the Overall layer depth or to the Free depth specified. Existing concrete strips are always taken into account, regardless of the setting you choose. Specify the outline of the area using the polyline entry tools.
Note: This tool can only create concrete areas within the existing layer geometry. Therefore, the program will not create a concrete strip for the layer even if the depth you enter is greater than the layer thickness.
If you want to transfer the concrete areas of wall panels to production, it is essential that you select the 3D polyhedron option for the creation of the data structure in the NC generator, driver catalog.
Click Modify concrete areas to change the concrete areas created manually. Select the areas, choose a concrete grade specified in the concrete grade catalog and/or specify the Depth of the concrete area.
Click Delete concrete areas to delete the concrete areas created manually. Select the areas you want to delete.

Insulation areas

Click Insulation areas. The Insulation Areas dialog box opens. Select an insulation material defined in the insulation material catalog. Specify whether the insulation area is to be applied to the Overall layer depth or to the Free depth entered or whether the basic insulation is to be Deleted in the area specified.
Depending on the insulation selected, you can only enter the value for the free depth in accordance with the thickness defined in the catalog. If you select the insulation material after you have entered the free depth, the value for the free depth may be reduced to the fixed value or to the lower limit value specified for the thickness in the catalog.
If the value for the free depth is less than the layer thickness, the thickness of an existing in-situ concrete layer may increase. Conversely, the thickness of an existing in-situ concrete layer may decrease if the value for the free depth exceeds the layer thickness. In this case, the thickness of the insulating layer exceeds that of the basic insulation. If the value specified for the free depth is so large that the insulation area even extends into the invisible leaf, the concrete will still not be displaced by the insulation.
If you have chosen an insulation material for which the Define dimensions option has been selected in the catalog, you can design the insulation in the same way as the basic insulation by selecting the Create insulating boards option. Define the placement parameters.
Finally, specify the outline of the area using the polyline entry tools.
Click Modify insulation areas to change the insulation areas created manually. Select the relevant areas, choose an insulation material defined in the insulation material catalog, specify the Depth of the area with insulation and/or define or change the manner in which the insulation is designed by specifying the placement parameters.
Note: You cannot use this tool to modify the basic insulation generated during element creation.
Click Delete insulation areas to delete the insulation areas created manually. Select the areas you want to delete.
Note: You cannot use this tool to delete the basic insulation generated during element creation.
Click Switch starting point to change the starting point for the placement of basic insulation or insulation in the areas created manually. The starting points appear as soon as you select this tool. The default starting point is always at the bottom left of the min-max box defined by the placing area. In this context, left always defines the bottom left corner of a layer in relation to the design identifier.
Click the basic insulation or an insulation area created manually to define the new starting point. Starting at this point, the program then places the insulating boards in all directions. Press ESC to finish defining the starting point for the selected insulation.

Areas for facing layers

Click Areas for facing layers. The Facing Layers dialog box opens. Select a placement pattern defined in the placement pattern catalog. Select the Create tiles, ... option to create the selected placement pattern and specify the placement parameters.
Finally, specify the part of the element(s) you want to change using the polyline entry tools. The selected placement pattern replaces the facing layer in the selected area. This facing layer was defined during element creation.
Click Modify areas in facing layers to change the facing layers created manually. Select the relevant areas, choose a placement pattern defined in the placement pattern catalog and/or create or modify the selected placement pattern by specifying the placement parameters.
Note: You cannot use this tool to modify the facing layer defined during element creation.
Click Delete areas in facing layers to delete the facing layers created manually. Select the areas you want to delete.
Note: You cannot use this tool to delete the facing layer defined during element creation.
Click Switch starting point to change the starting point for the placement of the placement pattern defined during element creation or the placement pattern in the areas created manually. The starting points appear as soon as you select this tool. The default starting point is always at the bottom left of the min-max box defined by the placing area. In this context, left always defines the bottom left corner of a layer in relation to the design identifier. As the facing layer of a concrete wall is on the side opposite the design identifier, the starting point of the placement pattern is displayed at bottom right.
Click the relevant placement pattern and define the new starting point. Starting at this point, the program then places the tiles in all directions. Press ESC to finish defining the starting point for the selected placement pattern.