Tutorials

Workflows, in depth.

Longer-form reports on real engineering workflows with Cocodrilo - from BIM to analysis and back. New tutorials land here as they are written.

The Cocodrilo structural model connecting BIM and CAD inputs like Revit, IFC, Tekla and Archicad with analysis outputs like ETABS, SAP2000, Strand7, RFEM, SOFiSTiK and Robot Workflow · August 2026 · 21 min read

From Revit to Analysis (ETABS, SAP2000, St7, and more)

From a Revit model to a structural model, to analysis results, and back again - keeping the BIM data along the whole way.

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More tutorials are on their way - get in touch if there is a workflow you want covered.

FAQ

Parametric engineering, in short.

How do I do structural engineering parametrically?
Build one structural model as data, not drawings: geometry in Rhino, logic in Grasshopper, and the physical properties - sections, materials, supports, loads - attached as parameters. Cocodrilo turns that definition into a complete FE object model you can send to ETABS, SAP2000 or Strand7, and update by changing parameters instead of remodelling.
What is a parametric structural model?
A structural model defined by rules and parameters rather than fixed geometry. Members, sections, materials, supports and loads are data that respond to change - when the architecture moves, the analysis model updates with it instead of being rebuilt.
How do I get a Revit model into ETABS, SAP2000 or Strand7?
Export the Revit model to a .3dm file with the free Cocodrilo Revit exporter - sections, materials and metadata travel along. Make the geometry analysis-ready in Grasshopper with Cocodrilo's projection and intersection tools, then write the structural model straight to the solver. The From Revit to Analysis tutorial walks through the whole workflow.
Do I need Grasshopper experience to use Cocodrilo?
Less than you would expect. Ready-made components cover the standard BIM-to-FEM workflow, and the built-in AI assistant works directly on the structural model - you can ask it to check utilizations, modify members or compare design options in plain language.
Which tools does Cocodrilo exchange with?
It reads Revit (via the 3dm exporter), IFC and native Rhino models, and writes and reads ETABS, SAP2000 and Strand7 - with more solvers on the way. Cocodrilo installs from the Rhino Package Manager on Windows.