How is RAM using the nomograph to calculate the K factor for a non-sway column that is braced by the slab? Under the "bracing criteria" if I keep the assignment as "slab braces the column" but I don't have a beam framing directly into the column in that axis, how is (EI/L) calculated for the "beam"? Is a section of the slab used for that calculation?
I have an instance with a girder framing into the column in the N-S direction, but there's not a girder on the column line in the E-W direction, but both of my k values for the major and minor axis are 0.9. I would've thought I would have 0.9 for the N-S direction, and a factor of 1.0 where I'm "pinned" by the slab. Any advice is much appreciated! Thanks.
The user still needs to assign the column K factors in flat slab structures since we don't yet have a reasonable calculation for the "beam" stiffness. See also: https://communities.bentley.com/products/ram-staad/w/structural_analysis_and_design__wiki/3262/ramss-two-way-decks-tn
I am using a one way slab, pan joist system. How is the program determining the k-value? Is it simply assuming the same k value that it's calculating in the other direction? Or is RAM trying to ratio the stiffness from the adjacent joists relative to the column even though the joist doesn't frame directly into the column?
Only the beams directly connected to the column are considered.
That doesn't appear to be the case though? If the column is braced by the slab with no other member on the column line in the E-W direction, how would it be calculating a K value of 0.9 the way it's showing in the column report? I would expect it to go to 1.0? Please let me know if there's something that I'm missing here. If I need to manually assign the k value anywhere that the one way slab meets the column (without a beam) then I will. But I was confused by your link that points specifically to two way decks.
Perhaps the K factor in our case was already manually assigned to be 0,9. I don't know how you would get that from the nomograph unless the beam stiffness considered was quite large.