I am working on a two story steel building and am experiencing issues with the beam optimization. RAM is currently using a loading combination for some beams, displayed below, that is not the maximum loading so the beams are designed too small. Instead of using 1.2DL + 1.6LL RAM is designing based on 1.4DL for some beams even though it shows 1.2DL +1.6LL as a larger loading. This is only for some beams, not for all. How can we make it so RAM uses the maximum loading combination for all beams for optimization?
Ohh that makes sense. We are 4th year university students and have never learned about composite construction, so I guess we wouldn't have known. So since the pre-composite DC ratio is greater, the beam will need to be designed for the construction loads during the pre-composite phase. Makes sense. Thank you for your help, Seth!