Updated July 2011

Enhancements

1. AISC 360-10 Specification for member design.

2. AISC 341-10 Seismic Provisions for member design.

3. Structural Synchronizer V8i (ISM 2.0) compatible:
a. Nodes
b. Restrains
c. Joints
d. Option to ignore loads during sync
e. Enhanced load sync

4. Added support for Brazilian steel sections.

5. Intermediate nodes detection for shell segmentation
If a node is detected in the surface of a shell, RE now does the appropriate meshing to include it in the segmentation and subsequent FE analysis.

6. UK market rectangular, square and circular solid bars were added to the sections database. It’s correct design has also been added per BS 5950-1: 2000

7. New shell meshing for interior nodes

8. Intersections between shells or between shells and members are now captured in the FE mesh for accurate analysis.

Resolved Issues

1. Multiple Unbraced Lengths Fix
The problems RAM Elements had in v11.0.x with the implementation of multiple unbraced lengths for steel members, have now been fixed. Now the feature works like this:

i. The engineer doesn’t type anything in the spreadsheet cell (either directly or with the tool) and thus the value remains the default “0”:
a. RE uses the physical length of the member as Lb and Cb will be automatically calculated based on the physical length of the member.

ii. Just one value is entered in the cell:
a. If the value is less than the member’s physical length, RE uses that value for all pertinent code checks (just like before v11.0) and Cb = 1. Besides printing Cb (as 1) in the design report, RE adds a note at the bottom of the report saying “Cb not calculated for the Lb specified. It is conservatively prescribed as 1”. However if there’s a value in the Cb cell other than zero “0”, then that value is used in all segments and the note is not printed.

b. If the value is equal to the physical length of the member, then it would be exactly the same as i.a above.

c. If the value is larger than the member’s physical length, RE uses that value for all pertinent code checks and Cb = 1. Besides printing Cb (as 1) in the design report, RE adds a note at the bottom of the report saying “Cb not calculated for the Lb specified. It is conservatively prescribed as 1”. However if there’s a value in the Cb cell other than zero “0”, then that value is used in all segments and the note is not printed.

iii. Multiple values are entered in the cell (either directly and separated with semicolon or using the tool):
a. If the sum of the values is less or equal to the physical length of the member, RE calculates the difference for the last segment and Cb is automatically calculated for each segment. The sum is validated for unintended, non-summing entries.
 
b. If the sum of the values is larger than the physical length of the member, RE does NOT allow it. In other words, one single unbraced length for the member, could be larger or smaller than the distance from node to node, but multiple unbraced lengths, must match the member’s physical length.

Note: Old models (prior to v11.0) opened in v12.0 will have whatever values they has respected. These will fall under option ii above. The engineer must keep in mind that the final results may still vary because before, Cb was calculated with the physical length (which now only applies to option i above) and now with Cb = 1.

Similar/analog behavior should be extrapolated to L33, L22 and Ltorsion.

2. New analysis engine RAM FE v8.0 with features and small fixes like:
a. A rare crash for models with iterative analysis
b. Out-of-plane shell edge loading added

3. Member and shells integrity warnings when members and shells are not properly defined.

4. Ignored load warnings during analysis when loads are not defined properly.

5. 3D graphical enhancements for built-up sections.

6. 3D rendering of generic (GEN) members corrected.