How to create a dome roof?

asked 2015-07-16 09:01:02 -0500

Yan
1181 ●3 ●14 https://www.linkedin.c...

updated 2017-05-03 19:53:02 -0500

__AmirRoth__

4436 ●5 ●17 http://bleedinggreenna...

I would like to create a dome roof in OpenStudio, just like half of an egg shell ...

It seems that EnergyPlus, OpenStudio cannot accept the curves, and it's necessary to break the dome into many triangles or other plane shapes.

I watched the YouTube video of Creating Complex Geometry for an OpenStudio model and am thinking about creating a dome in Sketchup and then transfer to OpenStudio model. However, I don't understand how to transfer the complex geometry (such as a sphere) into OpenStudio model in the video. I tried to use "Experimental Workflow" - "Merge Sketchup Groups to OSM in background". It works for shapes without curves but doesn't work for cylinder ...

Anyone knows how to transfer complex sketchup groups to OSM? Or any good advice for creating dome roof?

Thank you so much.

Yan

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Another question: the dome is actually totally glass. After creating the "mesh" geometry for dome, a huge number of glasses need to be created. I tried to use "Set Window to Wall Ratio" among OpenStudio User Scripts, also tried a few measures of setting window to wall ratio, but failed. Maybe they are just for vertical surfaces, not for any sloped surfaces?

I am now thinking about using "Offset" in sketchup, but can only create one window at a time, is there any way to do multiple offsets for multiple surfaces? Thanks.

Yan ( 2015-07-16 10:10:16 -0500 )edit

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answered 2015-07-16 10:18:22 -0500

David Goldwasser

20295 ●94 ●14 http://www.openstudio.net/

updated 2015-07-16 14:15:42 -0500

Lots of examples you can download from SketchUp 3d warehouse like this one. You can use scale tool to make it an egg. There are also plugins, or ways to hand make it.

To get it into OpenStudio you could just explode it, cut, and then paste into place into an empty space.

If you use the experimental workflow make sure you follow these steps. Also kepe in mind that EnergyPlus wants sub-surfaces to be rectangles or triangles. If you have a hexagon, you will have to split it into two triangles. (Just noticed one of the domes in the link above uses triangles. If you choose that you can use the offset tool to make the windows). Don't get too complex too many surfaces in one zone creates slow simulations.

image description

Draw your custom geometry.
Put it on a group
Choose "Setup Layers for Background merge"
Move group onto desired layer using entity info window.
Choose "Merge SketchUp Groups to OSM in background". This will prompt for an OSM file. You can use existing file or make a new one. It doesn't have to be your currently open model.

image description Results should look like this

Also re curves. in SketchUp, while they looked curved in the first image, this is what they look like when you select the surfaces. SketchUp softens when rendering them (the softening can be disabled) image description

I think I have an unlisted video to the experimental workflow. I'll update this if I can find that.
update: found the experimental workflow video.

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Thanks! @David Goldwasser, it is a good method!!!! I plan to use offset to create windows, there are many surfaces, should I do it one by one or is there a way to do multiple offsets at a time?

Yan ( 2015-07-16 10:27:54 -0500 )edit

There is a multi-surface offset plugin on this post in the sketchucation forum. You will have to register/login on the site to download it, but the plugin and registering are free.