Release Date: October 23 November 5, 2012
This document contains important information regarding changes to the RAM Structural System. It is important that all users are aware of these changes. Please distribute these release notes and make them available to all users of the RAM Structural System.
In the Seismic Provisions module in RAM Frame the program performs the SCBF analysis requirements of calculating the required column strength per AISC 341-10 F2.3 (based on expected strength of the braces). The Seismic Provisions Member Code Check report has been reorganized to clarify the results of these calculations.
Some program errors have been identified and corrected for Version 14.05.02. Corrections made to graphics, reports, Modeler functions, program crashes, etc that were considered minor are not listed here. The noteworthy error corrections are listed here in order to notify you that they have been corrected or to assist you in determining the impact of those errors on previous designs. These errors were generally obscure and uncommon, affecting only a very small percentage of models, or had no impact on the results. The errors, when they occurred, were generally quite obvious. However, if there is any question, it may be advisable to reanalyze previous models to determine the impact, if any. In each case the error only occurred for the precise conditions indicated. Those errors that may have resulted in unconservative designs are shown with an asterisk. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
CONCRETE CODE: The default Concrete Code settings did not always save.
Effect: New models would have ACI 318-02 as the concrete code rather than what the user specified as a default. This could be changed within the Concrete program.
OFFSET BEAMS*: Offset beams supported by raised or lowered members (members not at the story height) would sometimes produce incorrect design results.
Effect: Design results for the beams could be wrong.
VIBRATION CHECK: The "AISC/CISC Design Guide #11" and “SCI Publication P354” commands under the Vibration menu crashed for floor layouts with offset members.
Effect: The "AISC/CISC Design Guide #11" and “SCI Publication P354” vibration checks could not be performed for floor layouts with offset beams.
SMARTBEAM MOMENT CHECK*: Smartbeams designed according to the LRFD 3rd Edition with negatively applied loads and for which the controlling moment was negative, occasionally passed design checks when they should have failed.
Effect: For all Smartbeam design checks where the applied loads were positive, the beam designs were correct. For Smartbeams designed according to LRFD 3rd Edition which have negatively applied loads and for which the controlling moment was negative, some designs which should have failed passed the applied moment to moment capacity ratio limit check.
ASCE 7 STABILITY COEFFICIENT REPORT*: The program was only using the P applied at the level, not the sum of P at the level and the levels above.
Effect: Unconservative values for the stability coefficients were reported. Note: this feature is no longer available for members supporting two-way slabs if the option to use springs for gravity members is selected.
NBC 2005 SEISMIC LOAD CASE*: The program applied zero seismic forces when the following conditions occurred: A Canada NBC 2005 Seismic load case was created with the "Generate Additional Load Cases for Analysis with TO Members” option selected and then a User-defined or Virtual load case was subsequently created. Creating a User-defined load case or a Virtual load case nullified some of the parameters set previously for the NBC 2005 seismic load case.
Effect: In an obscure condition, no seismic loads were applied for the NBC 2005 load case.
WALL GROUP ASSIGNMENT*: If a new wall group assignment was made after an analysis was run, the reported wall group forces were not up to date; they were still based on the old wall group assignments.
Effect: The reported wall group forces were not based on the new wall group assignments. The error was corrected when an Analyze was subsequently performed.
BEAM QUARTER POINT DEFLECTIONS: If a beam had a cantilever end and if beam quarter point deflections were displayed on screen (net or gross deflections), the values were shown at wrong locations along the beam.
Effect: This was only a display error, the values were correct.
CONNECTION ASSIGNMENT TO CONCRETE AND OTHER MATERIAL BEAMS: The program did not allow assignment of Spring and Custom connection types to beams with Concrete and Other material type.
Effect: Spring or Custom connections could not be assigned to Concrete and Other type beams.
INCORRECT MODELING FOR TWO-WAY DECK SYSTEM*: If the following conditions were met, the program inserted unnecessary springs at the location of gravity members (columns and walls) under two-way decks even though the "Include Gravity Member" option was selected: The model included a one-way deck in a diaphragm and this diaphragm was specified as semi-rigid, the model also included two-way deck, and the "Include gravity members" option was selected.
Effect: For the condition described, the program correctly placed gravity columns and walls under two-way decks when the "include gravity members" option was chosen but it also erroneously inserted vertical springs. The load transfer from upper levels to lower levels through these gravity members was performed, but the springs also carried some of the load. Hence, it was not an accurate representation of the load carrying system for gravity members supporting two-way decks. Note that only gravity load cases were affected by this error; lateral and dynamic load cases were not affected.
FRAME STORY SHEARS FOR DYNAMIC LOAD CASES*: If new frame numbers were assigned and then the analysis was re-run, in some cases the program reported incorrect frame story shears for dynamic load cases.
Effect: Incorrect frame story shears may have been reported. The frame story shears for the other load types such as dead, live, wind and seismic were correct.
CODE CHECK COLORS: Code check colors would not update after an Assign Size or an Update Database was performed in the View Update command. The member display color and interaction text would remain the same color and text as for the original size.
Effect: Display error only, the actual design was correct.
EBF LINK ROTATION: For eccentrically braced frames, the reported link rotation was incorrect when the importance factor was greater than 1.0.
Effect: When the importance factor was greater than 1.0, the reported link rotation for an EBF beam was incorrect. Beams that should have otherwise met the link rotation limit as a result of a greater importance factor may have conservatively been identified as failing as a result of not applying the importance factor. Note that the program now prompts for “Cd/Ie”, not “Cd” in the Codes command; in existing models where Ie is greater than 1.0 that value should be adusted.
BRBF MEMBER CODE CHECK SUMMARY: Section F4.3 was incorrectly reported for BRBF-Chevron beams.
Effect: Although the member code check was correct, the report incorrectly showed Section F4.3 which does not apply to BRBF-Chevron Beams.
SCBF BRACE SLENDERNESS LIMIT: An incorrect slenderness limit of 4 * sqrt (E/Fy) was enforced rather than the requirement of Section F2.5b(1) for SCBF Braces checked using the AISC 341-10 code.
Effect: Member code checks may have failed some SCBF Braces as a result of the incorrect slenderness limit enforced.
RBS AISC 341-10 FACE MOMENT CHECK: When the AISC 358 Provisions option was selected the report incorrectly referenced AISC 341-10 section E3.6g rather than AISC 358-10 equation 5.8-6 for the RBS Face Moment Limit code check.
Effect: Although the member code checks were correct, the report listed the wrong reference.
AISC 358 CHECKS FOR NON-RBS: If the option to include AISC 358 provisional checks was selected but the beam connections were not assigned to be RBS connections, the checks were incorrectly applied to those non-RBS connection types.
Effect: Although the AISC 341 provisional checks were correct, member checks may have failed some of the AISC 358 provisions when the assigned connection type was not RBS. The column, beam and joint check reports incorrectly showed AISC 358 provision results as for an RBS even though the connection type was not RBS.
CODE CHECK COLORS: Code check colors would not update after an Update Database was performed in the View Update command. The member display color would remain the same color as for the original size.
Effect: Display error only, the actual design was correct.
JOINT CODE CHECK: In some cases the program did not correctly display the results of the joint code check at the column nodes. The joint code check legend was incomplete and failed to show the legend item "Detailing Info Only"
Effect: Although joint code checks were correct for all frame types, the joint node display did not reflect the results of the joint code check. In addition, the joint code check legend was incomplete and users could not infer from the legend the joints for which "Detailing Info Only" was the state of the joint check.
STAR SEISMIC SUMMARY REPORT: The Star Seismic Summary report was missing from the Reports menu, and could not be accessed when there were Star Seismic Buckling Restrained Braces in the model.
Effect: Report was not available.
INSTABILITY FOUND DURING ANALYSIS: If a model had a beam offset only at one end and that beam had one or more beams framing into it then the program was reporting an instability error during analysis.
Effect: Program would report instability error and would not analyze the model.
TOLERANCE ERROR: If a model had a wall sitting on an offset beam then the analysis would incorrectly report a tolerance error.
Effect: Concrete analysis may have terminated prematurely.