Release Date: February 16, 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.
A new version of the RAM – Revit link program, Version 4.00, was simultaneously released with version V14.04.05. The information on that release is reproduced here for your convenience: The main purpose for this patch version [V14.04.05] of the RAM Structural System is to make available some changes to the RAM DataAccess modules to enable enhancements in the RAM – Revit link program. The RAM – Revit Link V4.00 provides a more robust and seamless link between the two programs. It includes several powerful features, including the ability to handle multi-level continuous columns and walls, and a more straight-forward way of handling cantilevered beams. Several significant errors have been corrected, most notably some that were encountered when linking with Revit 2012. Download the new link to take advantage of the enhanced capabilities.
This version includes some refinements to some program features.
In RAM Frame, some refinement was made to the way the loads are applied to braced frames under Pseudo-flexible diaphragms when the "Relative Stiffness" option was chosen for distribution of loads on pseudo-flexible diaphragms, better accounting for the contributions of member stiffnesses. This enhancement does not change the total load applied to the frame, it merely refines the way the loads are distributed between the nodes on the frame. It will have little, if any, impact on designs.
Previously the coupling beam design report Single selection mode brought up the coupling beam design reports for the entire wall design group (the Single command selected a single wall group). This has been modified so that the Single selection mode only brings up the design report for a single coupling beam (the Single command selects a single coupling beam).
Previously the program would not design a SidePlate connection if the beam did not precisely align with the column axis. This has been modified to allow the connection when the column is rotated up to 15 degrees with respect to the beam.
Some program errors have been identified in V14.04.0x and corrected for Version 14.04.06. The errors, when they occurred, were generally quite obvious, involving user interface and reports. Error that potentially could have produced unconservative results are marked with an asterisk. Some corrections were also made to some RAM DataAccess functions; these changes did not impact the RAM Structural System but may have affected third-party programs written to use these functions. We apologize for any inconvenience these may have caused.
ECCENTRIC WIND LOAD CASES (IBC 2003, 2006 AND 2009)*: When a structure was determined to be Flexible as defined by the wind load requirements of ASCE 7, the eccentricities used to determine the location of the application of the wind loads may have been incorrect.
Effect: Wrong eccentricities were used for IBC 2003, 2006 and 2009 wind load cases if the structure was determined to be Flexible in either the X- or Y-direction. Note that the error did not occur if a Center of Rigidity load case was created by the user and included in the analysis.
WALL GROUP FORCES*: If the option in the diaphragm criteria to include the gravity members in the analysis for two way slabs was selected, the program reported incorrect wall group forces.
Effect: Incorrect wall group forces were reported if gravity walls and columns were included in the analysis. This error only affected the reporting of Wall Group Forces and did not affect other analysis and design results.
PSEUDO-FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM WITH TWO-WAY DECKS*: If a model included a diaphragm with two-way deck and the diaphragm was assigned as a pseudo-flexible, then the program skipped meshing the diaphragm.
Effect: The diaphragm was not meshed and hence, two-way load distribution was not carried out on the diaphragm.
CRASH: Invoking the Member Code Check command resulted in a crash for all codes except the AISC 360 codes.
Effect: Although checks for individual members could be obtained using View-Update, the Standard Provisions code checks for all members could only be performed for the AISC 360 design codes. For all other codes, a Code Check resulted in a crash.
CONCRETE COLUMN IMF DESIGN*: For the intermediate moment frame provisions of ACI 318, the program was not doubling the shear demand for load combinations containing seismic loads, as required by Chapter 21, Section 21.3.3 ('08 code).
Effect: For situations in which case b) of 21.3.3 produced the controlling shear force, the resulting design did not multiply the seismic term by 2. Hence, the resulting design shear would be unconservative. Case b) tends to control when columns are short/stocky or have heavy vertical reinforcing.
SHEAR WALL BOUNDARY ELEMENT DESIGN: In rare situations, the shear wall boundary element design reported a limit neutral axis depth of zero for all load combinations (on Boundary Element View/Update tab) for ACI design code.
Effect: Section cuts may have been incorrectly flagged as a having failed the boundary element design checks, since the limit neutral axis depth was always zero in this situation.