I have a model with 5 stories of wood on top of a transfer slab with 2 levels of concrete below. The wood portion is laterally supported by wood shear walls and the concrete levels have concrete shear walls. When designing the concrete shear walls below, does ram account for the height at which the applied lateral loads act on the wood levels to increase the global overturning in the system as compared to just applying a lateral load at the transfer slab equal to the sum of the lateral loads on the wood levels above?
Additionally, when I investigate the overturning moments of the concrete shear walls at the base I am finding that the overturning moment (in-plane of the wall) is less than the sum of the applied shear loads multiplied by their respective heights. Why is this?
Oops - Karl beat me to it...
If the upper levels are all in the model and there is a lateral system (wood shear walls), then additional overturning should be accounted for. You can use Process - Results - Applied Story Forces to visually confirm.
To check equilibrium of total overturning moments, you will also need to consider any wall axial forces that may be coupled. See RAM SS Walls FAQ for more on that.
Additionally, if the diaphragm out-of-plane stiffness is considered some of the overturning could be in the columns.
For more on podium slabs in general, see Modeling Podium Slabs