RAM Structural System V8i SELECTseries 5 Release 14.05.01

Release Date: September 5, 2012

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.

New Features and Enhancements

For details on these new features and enhancements, refer to the manual .pdf files available from the Help menu in each module or from the Manuals folder on your hard drive.

Modeler

Several enhancements were added to the Modeler.

• Overlapping Braces:
  The Modeler no longer allows braces to be added such that they are at the exact same location as an existing brace. The DataCheck has also been enhanced to report an error if that condition occurs.
• Overlapping Columns:
  The Modeler no longer allows columns to be sloped such that they are at the exact same location as an existing sloping column. The DataCheck has also been enhanced to report an error if that condition occurs.
• Comma used as System Decimal Separator:
  Comma as the decimal separator is now supported.

Error Corrections

Some program errors have been identified in V14.05 and corrected for Version 14.05.01. Corrections made to graphics, reports, Modeler functions, program crashes, etc that were considered minor are not listed here. 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. These 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 apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Manager

MODEL CORRUPTION: In the rare case where models have exactly 111 columns (or multiples thereof) at the time the model is read, the columns were corrupted. This happened for models converted up to v14.05 and models created in v14.05. (Note – this can also happen in the Modeler)
Effect: The model is not usable. Models that were converted will need to be re-converted. Models that were created in v14.05 will need to be sent to TSG to be fixed.

Modeler

SNOW LOAD PROPERTIES: Snow load properties were converted from Drift to Constant if Drift Magnitude was negative.
Effect: Couldn't use a negative 2nd drift magnitude. Also, it was easy to miss the change, so could end up with a constant snow load when a drift was intended.

ASSIGN SIZE/WESTOK - The Assign Size command in Modeler for Westok Cell Beams didn't work properly if the Westok Cell Beam table contained any blank lines (which the default Westok Cell Beam table did).
Effect: No sizes showed in the list, so it was impossible to assign a size in Modeler.

Steel Beam

BEAM POINT LOAD*: If there were multiple columns coming to a location on a beam then the program may have applied incorrect point load at that location. Note that this could only occur if one or more of those columns was a sloping column.
Effect: The magnitude of applied load may have been bigger or smaller compared to actual resulting in either over-conservative or under-conservative beam design.

Design Colors: Smartbeams, Westok Cellular Beams, and Joists for which no design could be found did not show up as grey when the Design Colors command was selected.
Effect: Although beam designs were correct, Smartbeams, Westok Cellular Beams and Joists for which no design could be found did not show the correct interaction color.

Steel Column

COLUMN UNBRACED LENGTH*: If the column above and below are oriented perpendicular to each other and column below was unbraced in any one direction then the reported unbraced lengths for these columns may have been incorrect.
Effect: The incorrect unbraced length may have resulted in un-conservative column design.

RAM Frame – Analysis

DIALOGS UNDER THE LOADS MENU:  Clicking OK to exit a dialog box under the Loads menu when no data in that dialog changed incorrectly invalidated the analyzed state of the model.
Effect: User would have to re-run analysis unnecessarily.

RAM Frame – Steel Standard Provisions

COLUMN REPORT: For the AISC 360 codes, the Calculated Parameters section of the Column Member Code Check report showed an incorrect phi-Pn value when the controlling interaction equation for the column was "Eq (H1-1b) Per H1.3".
Effect: Although the column member code check was correct, the report showed an incorrect column capacity when the controlling interaction equation was "Eq (H1-1b) Per H1.3". The reported Pu/phi-Pn ratio was correct.

UNBRACED LENGTH: After performing a Member Code Check followed by a change in member size, successive member code checks after a re-analysis in RAM Frame Analysis resulted in incorrect (conservative) column unbraced lengths.
Effect: Although the initial Member Code Checks were correct, subsequent code checks performed after investigations in member sizes resulted in incorrect unbraced column lengths. Some previously passing columns failed as a result of the incorrect unbraced lengths.

ISM

Several errors were corrected in the commands to create new ISM repositories or to import from or to ISM repositories. These errors ranged from user interface errors to errors in creating or updating data. This version’s implementation of the ISM capabilities is much more robust than previous versions.