Specific Element Intersections and Junctions

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For Wall-Wall junctions, it is not enough that they collide: their reference lines must also intersect. The element (or skin) with the higher-priority Building Material will cut the one of a lower priority.

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Junction Order for Equal-Priority Walls

If two Walls of the same priority meet (their reference lines intersect), use Junction Order to control the element level junction.

Set Junction Order in the Model Panel of Wall Settings.

Beam-Beam Intersections

Requires Geometry Collision or Reference Line intersection.

For maximum flexibility in Beam-Beam intersections, make sure their reference lines intersect. In this case, the Beams do not actually have to collide. The Beams will auto-stretch into each other along their reference lines.

You can also intersect beams by simply colliding them, even if the reference lines do not intersect. In this case, however, the Beams will stop each other; the Beams will not auto-stretch further along their reference lines. The element (or skin) with the higher-priority Building Material will cut the one of a lower priority.

If two Beams of the same priority meet (their reference lines intersect), then use Junction Order to control the junction.

Three-Way Junctions

When 3 or more Walls or Beams meet in a junction, the junction is considered a group of several two-way connections. The order of their connection depends on their Junction Order.

Set Junction Order in the Model Panel or Info Box of Wall or Beam Settings.

Wall-Beam; Wall-Column; Column-Slab; Column-Beam, Wall-Slab

Requires Geometry Collision.

The element (or skin) with the higher-priority Building Material will cut the one of a lower priority.

Exception for Wrapped Column intersections with Composite Walls:

When placing a “Wrapped” Column that intersects a composite Wall, the Column will break through the core skins of the composite Wall regardless of skin priorities.

Wrapping Wall skins will be added to the column veneer in 3D. However, they will not be calculated in listings.

Related topics:

Column Display

Wall-Slab Intersection: Slab Finishes and Opening Thresholds

A special case pertains, to allow continuous finishes between rooms within an interior openings threshold.

When an Opening (Door or Window) in a Wall is flush with the top of a Slab, then the Slab's finish skins will continue through the Wall regardless of skin intersection priorities (down to the Slab’s core skin). If the Opening is not flush with the Slab, then the regular priority-based connections are in effect.

In the image:

Left: Window and Door are flush with the Slab’s top. Therefore, the Slab's finish skins do not form priority-based junctions with the Wall's skins. Instead, the Slab’s finish skins remain continuous.

Right: Window and Door are not flush (they are elevated above the Slab), so the usual rules for priority-based connections are in effect between the Slab and Wall skins.

Intersections involving Shell, Roof, or Morph

Requires Geometry Collision, and Trim or Merge command.

If your intersection includes a Shell, Roof or Morph, you must use Design > Connect > Merge Elements to ensure correct intersections.

If a Shell or Roof acts as a trimming element (Design > Connect > Trim Elements to Roof/Shell) it will be merged with the trimmed element; you do not need to use the Merge Elements command again to achieve correct intersections.

Once merged, the element (or skin) with the higher-priority Building Material will cut the one of a lower priority.

Related topics:

Trim Elements to Roof or Shell

Merge Elements: Roofs, Shells, Morphs

Intersecting Elements with Identical Priorities

When various, colliding construction elements have the same intersection priority (for example, elements that have the same building material), the following intersection order will prevail:

Morph > Column > Beam > Slab > Wall > Shell > Roof > Mesh