RAM Connection CONNECT Edition V13 Update 7 (v13.7.0) Release Notes – Updated February 2022

Features:

1. Hollow structural section connections for AS4100 and NZS3404. Based on the Australian Steel Institute (ASI) Design Guide 25, Design Guide 26 and Design Guide 27. Including: 

    HSS-to-HSS Truss Connections:

• Y-T connections
• K (or N) connections
• KT connections
• X (or cross) connections 

    HSS-to-HSS Moment Connections:

• T connections
• Y connections (for round HSS only)
• X (or cross) connections

Figure 1. Some types of tubular truss connections for AS4100 and NZS3404

2. New truss-gusset-branch connection for CSAS16 and EN1993.

This connection supports I and hollow structural sections (i.e. HSS) as chords, three branches at the top and three at the bottom that can be any allowable section for branches (i.e. angles, double angles, I, channels, HSS, Tees and rods).

 
Figure 2. New truss-gusset-branch connection

3. New cap plate connections for AS4100, NZS3404, CSAS16 and EN1993.

This new connection for column cap joints supports I and hollow structural sections (i.e. HSS) as columns (rectangular hollow sections might be rotated) and I sections for beams.

  

Figure 3. Cap plate connection for for AS4100, NZS3404, CSAS16 and EN1993

4. New Assignment buttons dialog. A new dialog was added to the UI to replace the assignment buttons toolbar that was becoming too large due to the broad number of connections available for several design codes.

This new dialog has some interesting features like:

• Filter options. The assignment buttons can be filtered according to the templates they contain in Basic, Smart and User connections and also according the to joint group and joint type. These filters are automatically defined when selecting a joint to assign a connection in RAM Connection Standalone.
• Assignment button description. The top panel shows all the relevant assignment button info like the button name, the connection type, the joint types to which it can be assigned, the joint group and a clear description. These eliminate the user needs to look for the meaning of some buttons with acronyms due to the long names not fitting the toolbar.
• Connection thumbnail. The dialog incorporates a 3D image for all connections displaying clearly their most important features. These were not possible before due to the size limitations of the toolbar.

Figure 4. New Assignment buttons dialog

5. Some connection enhancements like:

• AISC Flange Plate non-bearing connection for Column Splices. Now it is possible to define a gap between columns which automatically turns the connection in a non-bearing type and also enables the new limit states for the plates to be calculated.

Resolved Issues:

• Incorrect factor for concrete bearing check per IS 456. The equation now shows exactly what to code specifies.
  
  
• Connections created manually in the spreadsheet were causing errors while rendering the report. These blank connections are now ignored when launching the reports.
  
  
• AISC Truss-Gusset-Branch connection has incorrect rupture area for double angle branches. This is fixed now and both brace areas and bolt holes are considered properly.
  
  
• Symbols in load cases created in RAM Structural System were causing errors in RAM Connection. Symbols are now being changed to valid characters to avoid issues.
  
  
• AISC Column-Beam-Brace gusset was considering the weld out-of-plane buckling capacity for OCBF bracing frames which was causing the size of the welds to be larger than required. This is fixed now, and the limit state is only being calculated for SCBF bracing frames.