Release Date: October 2025

 

This document contains essential information regarding changes to the RAM Structural System. It is important that all users are aware of these changes.

 

Release notes are also published to the Bentley Knowledge Base under RAM Structural System 2025 (25.00.02) Release Notes.

 

Installation Instructions:

The CONNECTION Client provides notification of the newest version and can be used to update the installation. Otherwise, this version can be found on Bentley Software Downloads by logging into CONNECT Center and clicking Software Downloads. Search for “RAM Structural System” and select the latest version.

 

To share iTwins from RAM Structural System also install the latest iTwin Analytical Synchronizer which is free to all Bentley subscribers. Starting with the 2025 version, the ISM RAM Structural System Plug-in is now included in the iTwin Analytical Synchronizer installation, allowing the plug-in to be updated independently from the main program.

 

Important Notices:

This version is a minor bug fix release and does not require model conversion.

 

Security Risk Advisory:

Bentley is committed to continuously investigating and rectifying security vulnerabilities affecting its products and services. There are no security related changes in this update.  

 

Error Corrections:

This version corrects some significant errors, described below. We know errors are disruptive, we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

 

General & 3D Viewer

3D VIEW CRASH WITH HORIZONTAL BRACES: Models with Concrete or Other material horizontal braces would crash in the 3D view and any module built on the 3D view.

Effect: Crash, lateral beams could be used in place of horizontal braces or use steel material.

 

 

Frame – Steel & Seismic Provisions

FRAME CUSTOM COMBOS LOST: In RAM Frame Steel Mode when using the AISC 360-22 or CAN/CSA S16-19 codes and Custom Combinations the input combinations would not be saved and the program might crash.

Effect: Only generated combinations could be used with those codes in the prior version.

 

CODE CHECK - NO DESIGN CRASH: Steel members assigned the "No Design" size caused the RAM Frame - Steel provisions member check to crash.

Effect: Although all other sized members were correctly designed, members with a "No Design" size caused the program to crash. Assignment of a size averted the crash.

 

SINGLE ANGLE DESIGN CRASH: Single angles under compression and designed according to AISC 341 crashed for some members.

Effect: Although code checks for single angles were correctly performed, extraction of slenderness results resulted in a program crash.

 

AXIAL LOAD - DYNAMIC LOAD COMBOS: For members designed according to AISC 341-16 and 341-22, the axial loads determined from combinations that included dynamic load cases were excessive.

Effect: While determining the applied axial load from combinations involving dynamic load cases using AISC 341-16 and 341-22, rather than replacing the dynamic case term in the combination with the Ecl term, the program added Ecl to the dynamic term, resulting in overly conservative axial loads. Members that would have otherwise passed the code check may have failed. Combinations involving seismic load cases were unaffected and were correctly checked.

 

SUMMARY REPORTS MISSING FRAMES: The Joint and Member Code Check reports would not include all the frames even when selected.

Effect: Reporting error, printing each frame number individually or using the detailed report worked.

 

 

Concrete Beam & Column

CONCRETE COLUMN FROZEN REINFORCEMENT CLEARED: When converting models from prior versions, 2024 or earlier, frozen concrete column reinforcement was cleared and re-optimized based on the assigned bar patterns in version 2025.

Effect: Final user specified reinforcement had to be reassigned.

 

CONCRETE IMF DEFAULT FACTORS: The default load factors in RAM Concrete Beam or Column Frame Type criteria were incorrect. The new defaults are 1.2 D, 1.0 L, and 02 Snow consistent with ACI 318-14.

Effect: Required user to specify custom load factors in previous versions.

 

OBSCURE ERROR FOR UNBRACED COLUMNS: Concrete Columns with no bracing at the top failed to properly calculate the K factor from the nomograph and produced a misleading error message.

Effect: Error could be avoided by assigning the column effective length (K factor) or by bracing the top.

 

 

Concrete Wall

REQUIRED BOUNDARY ELEMENT LENGTH PLOT: In the concrete wall - view/update dialog, the dimension for boundary element required length was incorrect. Values for deflection (du) were used rather than the Required Boundary Length in the plotted graphics.

Effect: the design was not affected, but the graphic was not reliable for evaluating boundary element length.

 

 

Foundation

FOUNDATION SUMMARY REPORTING OF FAILURES: The spread footing summary report was missing the asterisk '*' symbols used to highlight failing foundations.

Effect: Reporting format, failure was still evident by the design color or the full report.

 

PILE FOOTING SUMMARY: The pile design summary report was not working, presenting the detailed report instead.

Effect: Report error only.

 

 

Frame Elevation DXF

FRAME DXF: The program would crash generating the frame elevation DXF drawings.

Effect: Crash, elevation drawings would have to be manually created.