Release Date: December 5, 2016
Version: RAM Concept CONNECT Edition V6 Update 2
Version Number: 06.02.00.14
Download Instructions:
Current and past RAM Concept releases can be downloaded from Bentley Cloud Services at: http://connect.bentley.com.
After signing in to the CONNECTION Center, select Software Downloads under My Support. Once on the Software Fulfillment page, RAM Concept installers can be located by performing a search on "RAM Concept", or by selecting Brand -> RAM. Note that although there are multiple listings for RAM Concept (RAM Concept, RAM Concept Post Tension Module, etc.), each of these takes the user to the same list of installers, as all features of RAM Concept require only one installation.
Special Installation Instructions:
The installation of RAM Concept CONNECT Edition V6 Update 2 will automatically uninstall previous CONNECT Edition versions (6.0.0 and 6.1.0). V8i releases (version 5.2.0 and earlier) will not be automatically uninstalled and can remain side-by-side with RAM Concept CONNECT Edition V6 Update 2. If using the RAM Concept integration with RAM Structural System, both products must be either the x86 or x64 version. For example, the use of RAM Concept x86 within RAM Structural System x64 is not supported.
Recommendations:
RAM Concept CONNECT Edition V6 Update 2 is recommended for all projects, except those that are nearing final design.
New Features
In addition to minor error corrections and enhancements, RAM Concept CONNECT Edition V6 Update 2 has the new features discussed below.
Table of Contents in Report
The RAM Concept report now has a table of contents, located directly after the cover page.
Publish to IFC and i-model
RAM Concept models can now be published to i-model and IFC formats using the publish commands under the File menu. Models published to i-model can be viewed on an Android device, iPad, iPhone, or Windows mobile device by using Bentley’s Structural Navigator CONNECT Edition Update 1.
Corrections to ISM Model During Import
A setting has been added to the ISM import process called “Recompute nodes for support members”. Turning this setting on has the effect of multi-story columns and walls in the ISM repository being transferred into RAM Concept, whereas these elements were occasionally missed in previous versions of RAM Concept. This has relevance to RAM Concept’s interoperability with Revit, where columns are sometimes modeled as spanning over multiple stories. More details on this enhancement are available here.
Modal Mass Participation Included in Frequencies Report
The Mode Data table in the Vibrations layer now includes the modal mass and modal mass fraction for each mode of vibration.
Graphics Acceleration
Control over the graphics acceleration has been added under Help > User Settings.
Error Corrections
This release of RAM Concept contains numerous corrections to defects, many of which are small or occur very infrequently. For clarity, only the more significant fixes are discussed below.
RAM Structural System Results Cleared During Import of .rss File
Note: This error correction is incorrectly listed in the pdf release notes delivered with the product. This defect has not yet been corrected.
When importing a RAM Structural System model into RAM Concept using the command Sync RAM Structural System > New from RAM Structural System, the analysis and design results in the imported RAM Structural System model (.rss extension) were deleted. As a result, when opening the model in RAM Manager, the user would see the stoplights for each of the modules colored red, even if they were previously green, and the analysis would then need to be run again.
Clarifications in RAM Concept Manual
Several revisions or additions were made to the RAM Concept manual. They are itemized below:
- Section 60.6.12 - Stress limit for initial service check
- Section 63.5.7 - Effect of duct width on tendon elevation
- Chapter 55, Reinforcement Notes – Development length assumptions
- Chapter 68, Punching Shear Design Notes - Correction to signs in punching shear equation
Stiffness Matrix for Load-History Steps not Available for Vibration Analysis
The stiffness matrix used for vibration analysis can be chosen using the setting Calc Options > Vibrations > Stiffness Matrix. When attempting to run the vibration analysis using a Load History stiffness matrix, an error appeared indicating that the load history results were not calculated and that the global stiffness matrix would be used instead.
Target Installation Directory When Installing over Existing Version
When installing over a previous version of RAM Concept, the program was installed into the default directory, rather than the directory in which the previous version existed. RAM Concept CONNECT Edition V6 Update 2 respects the existing installation directory.
Element Layer Wall Visible Objects - Outline Only Option
All wall elements were displayed even when the “Outline Only” option was checked in Visible Objects. This caused snapping problems when modeling span segments on Layers - Design Strips.
AS 3600-2009 rule 8.2.7.4
For AS 3600-2009 rule 8.2.7.4, the cracking load is calculated for flexure using all strength load combinations and for situations that result in cracking in a compression zone Vuc set to zero. In some cases, this “cracked” condition could incorrectly be remembered after the load condition that created it was removed and reanalyzed. Thus, the Vuc for these conditions could incorrectly and conservatively be set to zero. This defect has been corrected such that the “cracked” calculations are reset at the beginning of every design or analysis calculation regardless of any loading changes.
Cross Sections with Multiple User Reinforcement Layers and 'Top and Bottom' Face Setting
This defect occurred where there was more than one layer of user reinforcement in a cross section, the bottom layer(s) were designated as "top and bottom" face, there was torsion on the cross section, and a torsion design setting of "beam" was used. Some of this user reinforcement could have been removed for the torsion longitudinal calculations and not have been restored for later calculations. The resulting behavior was correct or conservative design with potentially many failed status checks. The audit design information was inconsistent with the original design data, and the audit status reported "OK" (which was correct, for the additional reinforcement designed during the audit).
Deleting Load Combos - Wrong Load Combo Reported as Deleted
When deleting a Load Combo in the Criteria > Load Combos dialog, the progress dialog that followed indicated that the load combo 'All Dead LC’ was being deleted, regardless of which load combo was selected and deleted. This was only a reporting error and the correct Load Combo was deleted.
Publishing or Previewing Report that Included Vibrations Frequencies Table
Previewing a report or exporting a report to pdf that included the Vibration Frequencies table sometimes produced an error message that read "Internal Error has Occurred. Please Contact Support."
Exporting to Locked pdf File
When exporting to pdf, no warning was given if the target file was locked.
Self-Intersecting Boundary Error
The error described in the following wiki has been fixed:
File Compatibility Warning:
RAM Concept CONNECT Edition V6 Update 2 can read all previous file formats, but writes files in a format that cannot be read by previous versions.