RAM Structural System CONNECT Edition Version 17.04.01 SES Release Notes
Release Date: August 12, 2022
This document contains important information regarding changes to the RAM Structural System. It is important that all users are aware of these changes. Please distribute these Release Notes and make them available to all users of the RAM Structural System.
This is a minor release, correcting some issues that affected some users of v17.04. The Release Notes for that version contain important information not included here in these abbreviated Release Notes. They can be found at:
Installation Instructions:
If you have enabled the CONNECTION Client you will automatically be notified of the newest version and will be able to update through that service by simply selecting the update command. Otherwise, this version can be found on the Bentley Software Fulfilment web page by logging into CONNECT Center and selecting the Software Downloads icon. Search for “RAM Structural System” and select the latest version.
Important Notices:
Models created in this version are compatible with models created in v17.04; no conversion is necessary. This version automatically converts databases created in previous versions to the new database format. Note that a backup file is created automatically when a database is converted; the name of the database is the same, with “Orig” and the version number appended to the name. The file has an extension of “.zip” and is located in the same directory as the original database.
The previous steel tables and load combination templates supplied with the program will be replaced with new tables and templates of the same name. If you have customized any Master or Design tables or load combination templates supplied with the program without changing the file names, those file names should be renamed from the original RAM table names prior to installation to prevent your changes from being lost.
No changes were made to the Manuals for this version.
Security Risk Advisory:
Not applicable to this release. Every effort is made to ensure that there are no security risks in the software. There are no known security issues, no issues were addressed in this version.
Error Corrections:
Some program errors have been corrected for this version. The noteworthy error corrections are listed here in order to notify you that they have been corrected or to assist you in determining the impact of those errors on previous designs. Some of these errors are significant, but otherwise the errors were generally obscure and uncommon, affecting only a very small percentage of models, or had no impact on the results. The errors, when they occurred, were generally quite obvious. However, if there is any question, it may be advisable to reanalyze previous models to determine the impact, if any. In each case, the error only occurred for the precise conditions indicated. Those errors that may have resulted in un-conservative designs are shown with an asterisk. We know these errors are disruptive, we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
3D Viewer
CRASH WHEN OPENING: If a model included a horizontal brace, the program frequently crashed when opening the 3D Viewer. Crashes also occurred when opening RAM Steel Column, RAM Frame, and RAM Concrete.
Effect: Program crash.
Steel Beam
VIEW/UPDATE CRASH: The program frequently crashed when a View/Update was performed.
Effect: Program crash.
ASSIGN SIZE-FENCE CRASH: The program crashed when beam sizes were assigned using the Fence command.
Effect: Program crash.
EXPORT TO RAM SBEAM CRASH: The program crashed when beams with point loads were exported to RAM SBeam.
Effect: Program crash.
Frame – Steel Seismic Provisions
YIELD-LINK OMF AND IMF JOINT CODE CHECK*: Beam shear was not considered in the Joint Code Checks of OMF or IMF joints with assigned Yield-Link moment connections.
Effect: OMF and IMF joints with assigned Yield-Link moment connections were not designed correctly. SMF joints with assigned Yield-Link moment connections were correctly designed.
Error Advisory:
A correction for the program error noted below was included in v17.04 but is removed in v17.04.01 to address one of the issues listed in the previous section. We apologize for any inconvenience this error may cause, this error will be corrected in a future release.
Steel Beam
BEAM DESIGNS WITH 0.0” SLAB EDGE: When a Slab Edge distance of 0.0” is used to define the slab/deck polygon, there may be discrepancies in the design sizes shown in View/Update, in the Gravity Beam Design report, and with the View – Show Designs command. This is caused by tolerances (or lack thereof) used in the determination of unbraced length; sometimes the deck is determined to provide the lateral support, sometimes the beam is erroneously determined to be unbraced by any deck.
Effect: Discrepancies in beam sizes reported or displayed, due to incorrect (conservative) unbraced lengths used in design. This error does not occur if the Slab Edge distance is something greater than 0.0". Note that Slab Edge distance greater than 0.0" on steel floor framing supporting one-way deck are generally recommended, since that is how the floor is likely to actually be constructed.