STAAD Advanced Concrete Design is a brand new offering that will vastly improve the process and reduce the time needed to get concrete designs to site, for engineers who are using STAAD.Pro as the analysis workhorse in their design process.

This new tool will take the model and analysis results to produce full constuction production drawings and schedules. 

With STAAD Advanced Concrete Design packs, one can now take a STAAD.Pro model and generate designs, drawings and schedules for concrete components of structures to one of a varitey of design codes.

You can design and detail the following:-

• Beams
• Columns
• Shear Walls
• Foundations
• Pile caps
• Staircases

There are four regional versions of STAAD Advanced Concrete Design and a global version that covers all supported design codes.

Check the design of columns with an interactive interaction surface tool.

Design codes supported.

• IS 456
• Eurocode EN 1992
• ACI 318(M) - 11
• BS8110-1997
• CP65

Note that the current license of 'STAAD RCDC' is for designing concrete structures to the Indian design code and thus will be upgraded to the 'STAAD Advanced Concrete Design - Indian'

Find out the top 10 reasons why you should be adding STAAD Advanced Concrete to your portfolio:-

(Please visit the site to view this video)

Meshing and Segmentation in RAM Frame or Concrete

General

Lateral walls, 2-way decks and semi-rigid diaphragms are all composed of shell elements in Ram Frame Analysis and Ram Concrete. The subdivision of these elements into smaller pieces is commonly referred to as meshing. In Ram Frame, the size of the mesh is controlled by the “Maximum distance between nodes” parameter in Ram Frame – Criteria – General (also under Criteria - Diaphragm).

Furthermore, when a lateral beam has an internal node at a column or brace end, the member is segmented in the finite element model and represented by two segments. These finite element segments are denoted by the use of i’ and j’ in the member force results. The first segment ends are i and j’ and the second segment ends are i’ and j. Therefore, i’ and j’ are always the ends at the internal node.

Common Meshing and Segmentation Issues

When two-way deck, semirigid diaphragms or lateral walls are present in the model, Ram Frame will go through a meshing process when you start the analysis. You can also start the meshing process by using the View - Meshed floors, View - Meshed walls or Generate Analytical Model tools.

Occasionally, errors or warnings occur during this process. Some examples are below:

Triangular or Very Distorted Quad Shell Elements Found

This particular warning became more pronounced in version 15.04 as presented in the warning above. Prior versions listed such warnings in the meshing log only. A distorted mesh does not generally cause the program to malfunction, but the mesh of the deck (and walls) should be reviewed in these cases. Adjustments in the mesh size or other parameters set under Criteria - Diaphragm can sometimes resolve it. 

Deck Layout

Typically, these errors are related to the deck polygons (or occasionally the surface loads). Excessive overlapping polygons and subtle overlaps between polygons can cause problems for the program algorithms. Also, deck polygons that do not align with beam and wall center lines or do not extend to the slab edge will cause problems.

To diagnose these types of issues, in a copy of the model apply a deck to the entire floor. That will delete the existing polygons and should resolve the meshing issue. Then, carefully go back and remodel the partial polygons. Enter Ram Frame and generate the analytical model after each modification to make sure the problem has not returned.

Sloped Framing

When modeling decks on sloped framing, a separate deck polygon is required for each plane or surface of the framing. It is imperative that sloped two-way or semi-rigid diaphragms lie in the plane of the supporting framing. The plane of the diaphragm is defined by three points which are selected based on the way the deck polygon was modeled. If you have sloping framing, the column offsets must be very precise. Where there are multiple planes, there must be a separate deck polygon that corresponds to each plane. If the deck polygons on sloped framing don't match the slopes in the framing there will also be a rift in the 3D view as described here. 

Any deviation in the plane of the deck and the plane of the framing can also lead to multiple close nodes or meshing problems when the deck is semi-rigid or two-way.

Invalid Element Orientation.

In some cases the semi-rigid diaphragm will mesh successfully but, on close examination, the nodes of the diaphragm will deviate vertically from the nodes of the frames or walls which will lead to a model instability.

Perimeter Beams (framing) vs. Slab Edges for Diaphragm Exterior Boundary

When a structure has a complete perimeter of beams or walls the user can simplify the meshing of the diaphragm by terminating at the perimeter beam center line. This is controlled by the Criteria - Diaphragms - Diaphragm Boundary setting by using the second option. "Use Beams for Exterior Boundary". This is recommended for semi-rigid diaphragms with small slab edge overhangs in particular. 

On the other hand, if the model is a free form, 2-way deck without a continuous perimeter then it's important to only use the first option, "Use Slab Edges for Exterior Boundary".

We have seen cases where a large slab might be clipped back to an interior elevator core only when the beams options is used. This generates a warning in the meshing dialog but that can be overlooked.

Example of a diaphragm that is properly meshed to the exterior slab edges

Example of a diaphragm that is excessively clipped to a small set of walls that define a "perimeter"

Regardless, always use the control View - Meshed Floors to visually inspect the resulting floor mesh before running the analysis. 

Brace Incidence

Other meshing and segmentation issues stem from subtle discrepancies in member end coordinates. 

Common error messages during the analysis as “invalid distance between nodes”,  or "Less than 2 nodes found for beam..." 

Another symptom can be junk results for member forces (with alphanumeric values lie -#1.J) which will cause a crash in the steel post processing modes.

When members are modeled accurately, there is a single node at the intersection of the member ends. If there is a slight misalignment, there will be two nodes that are close together. These misalignments are most common in imported models or models with where the end of a brace misses the beam/column joint. A good way to identify if there are close nodes is to view the node numbers graphically in plan and elevation. If you have two numbers that appear to be on top of each other as shown below, then you know there are two nodes very close to one another. Then go to Ram Modeler and review the member end coordinates using the Layout – Show, or the Integrity - Align commands.

Wall Openings

A similar issue can occur with wall openings. If there is a thin sliver of wall between the edge of an opening and the edge of a wall, this will produce a poor mesh. Look for poor wall meshes by using Ram Frame – View – Meshed Walls. Modify the size of the opening in elevation mode in Ram Modeler so the opening aligns with the wall edge.

Other Recommendations

Generally, the finer the mesh is, the more accurate the deformations are. However, using a very fine mesh increases analysis time. To determine an adequate mesh size, systematically decrease the maximum distance between nodes until you see an acceptable level of convergence in the displacements.

When you have one way decking, the slab edge is offset from the perimeter beam/wall loop. If there are lateral beams/walls on the perimeter, there will be a poor mesh in the area between the edge of the slab and the lateral beam/wall if the slab edge offset is small. To avoid this, use the “Use Beams for Exterior Boundary” option in Ram Frame – Criteria – Diaphragm.

Avoid using sloped semirigid diaphragms. If the roof has a subtle slope, conservatively model the roof flat at the highest elevation.

Tips for Correcting Problems

In the Modeler under the integrity menu are two powerful commands, Align Columns and Align walls. These tools allow you to reposition walls or columns on some or all levels so that they align through the height of the structure. The objects can be aligned to one another, or to a grid intersection or any user provided coordinate.

This is similar to moving grids. When the supports are moved all of the supported framing is also adjusted or stretched. Since this can have unexpected effects, it's always best to back up the file before using these adjustments.

Another tip is to use the Layout - Slab - Deck Assign - Change Polygon option so that you can stretch the corners of the deck polygons. The edge of deck polygons should typically align with beams or walls. Deck changes should not occur mid-bay except when using 2-way decks. At the edges of the structure it is fine for the decks to extend you to the slab edge vertices or even beyond, but in cases where the slope is complicated, it may be simpler to stop the deck at the perimeter framing. In these cases the program will assume a like type deck on the overhanging portion of the slab edge.

See Also

RAMSS Semirigid Diaphragms

[[RAMSS Two Way Decks]]

RAMSS Polygon Intersection Errors

Can I design concrete beams in STAAD.Pro as per the ACI code for minor axis moment My ?

STAAD.Pro always designs concrete beams for major axis moment MZ. However you follow the procedure listed next to get a reinforcement design corresponding to the minor axis moment.

You may apply a beta 90 to these beam members where you have significant minor axis moments. You would also have to reverse the YD and ZD values so that the geometry matches that of your actual structure. Subsequently you may analyze the model and design the beams. The software would still design for MZ However this design would actually correspond to the minor axis moment for this beam in your actual structure. Just ensure that if there are any loads in your model that were originally specified in terms of the local axes for these members, those are changed too. If the loads are specified with respect to the global axes, which is usually the case, you do not need to worry about changing any loads.

1. If using an American code for code check, is there any parameter to define the material factor or is it already included?
2. LOCATION FOR DESIGN FOR SHEAR AT START OF MEMBER 2 IS BEYOND THE MIDPOINT OF MEMBER
3. Is Dowel Reinforcement a Term Used by American Engineers
4. My input file contains 2 load cases - case 1 and 2. For member 43, case 2 produces a larger value of shear force along local Y axis than case 1
5. Why is it that the concrete column interaction diagram is not plotted in the output although track 2 was specified?
6. "Vu" which is reported in the shear design output does not match the shear force Fy from the member end force output
7. What do These Expressions Mean "LONG. REINF.", "TRANS. REINF.", "TOP", "BOTT."
8. Why is concrete design on an element output report reinforcement in terms of "SQ.MM/MM"
9. A Floor Slab has been Modeled using 4-Noded Plate Elements. Why are the Moments as well as Reinforcement Appearing on the Top and not the Bottom of the Plates
10. How to Compute the Capacity of the Existing Concrete Section
11. Can I change the strength reduction factors in the program
12. How do I Specify 2 Rows of Reinforcement in the Top or the Bottom of the Beam
13. Bar Size Can Not Be Matched to Meet All Requirements
14. How do I interpret the element design results per the ACI code
15. As part of the concrete column design output STAAD.Pro plots the Pn and Mn
16. I am trying to define a Slab Design brief from within the RC Designer. The Main Reinforcement tab refers to directions like X and Y
17. I am designing a concrete column in STAAD.Pro but STAAD is only designing for the first load case
18. EC2 code is not available in the batch mode of concrete design
19. [[Can I design concrete beams in STAAD.Pro as per the ACI code against minor axis moment My ?]]

See Also

Product TechNotes and FAQs

Structural Product TechNotes And FAQs

External Links

Bentley Technical Support KnowledgeBase

Bentley LEARN Server

Comments or Corrections?

Bentley's Technical Support Group requests that you please confine any comments you have on this Wiki entry to this "Comments or Corrections?" section. THANK YOU!

Warning message in output file: This structure is disjointed, accompanied by several instability warnings.

The error message, "this structure is disjointed..." is caused by multiple structures in the model. Multiple structures exist when one portion of the model does not have any way of transferring forces to another portion. It is possible to create a model that visually appears to be a single structure, but upon closer inspection it is revealed that the model contains two or more unconnected structures. Instability warnings may also appear in the output file, due to the fact that the structure appears to be properly supported when, in fact, it is not.

What do we mean by member connectivity? What determines whether two members are connected so that one can transfer loading to another? Consider two lines that intersect in 3D space, with the starting point of one line lying on the longitudinal axis of the other line. The fact that the end of one member lies on the axis of another is not sufficient to ensure connectivity. Connectivity is ensured only when intersecting members are divided into segments that meet at a single, common node. ("Common node" means a single node number. Two separate node numbers, both having the same X,Y,Z coordinates is called a duplicate node situation. You can test for duplicate nodes in the model by pulling down the Tools menu and selecting the Check Duplicate command, then select the Nodes command from the Check Duplicate sub-menu).

Issues Found in version 15.04.00 are noted here. Click below for

All RAM Structural System Defects fixed in version 15.04.00

See Also

RAM Structural System Release Notes

Problem Description

Nodal load moment values (Mxx, Myy and Mzz) do not display in Ram Frame using View - Nodal loads. Only the force components FX, FY and FZ are shown. For nodal loads that are moments only, nothing is displayed. 

Reason

Missing functionality.

Solution

We are working on a fix for this issue. Meanwhile the loads can still be seen in Ram Modeler - Elevation view and the effects of the loads can be seen in the member forces, reactions and deflections within Ram Frame. So long as a small FX, FY or FZ component is included in the load definition, the load labels can also be shown in Ram Frame using View - Nodal loads. 

Problem Description

(This issue has been addressed in the STAAD.Pro version 20.07.11.90)

Warning message saying 'Warning, Design code license is not activated. Please activate the license in order to use the code' when trying to add a design parameter or design command for many other codes like ACI, AITC, EN 1993-1-1:2005, Aluminum etc.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Go to Design page inside Modeling Mode.
2. Select Steel and choose EN 1993-1-1:2005 as Current Code
3. Click on Define Parameters
4. Select any parameter and click on Add

The same issue has been observed for some other country codes as well.

Workaround

While adding the first design parameter, select the last defined command from the tree structure. Click on the Define Parameters or Commands button as appropriate and check the box 'After Current' before clicking on the Add button. The design parameter/command can then be added. Subsequently all other design parameters or design commands can be added as usual without any errors.

In case you still get the same error message, please open up the input command file ( can be accessed from the top menu Edit > Edit Input Command File ) and add a couple of design related commands that you would normally define to start the design for concrete/steel. Once you are done, save and close the editor. Subsequently you would be able to add as many design parameters you need to using the graphic user interface and carry out the design. A couple of samples, one for concrete and another one for steel, are shown below for reference. The commands in bold are the ones added using the editor

Sample command for concrete design as per ACI code

...
PDELTA 20 ANALYSIS
START CONCRETE DESIGN
CODE ACI
...

Sample command for steel design as per AISC 360-10 code
...
PDELTA 20 ANALYSIS
PARAMETER 1
CODE AISC UNIFIED 2010
...

Solution

This issue has been addressed in the STAAD.Pro version 20.07.11.90

See Also

Problem Description :
When a user launches STAAD.Pro, the program chashes

Solution :
User had to uninstall STAAD.Pro. Uninstall all the installed versions of the Visual C++ Redistributable in the machine and then reinstall all of these and it took care of the porblem.

Note : This issue has only been observed in a particualr user machine running STAAD.Pro  version 20.07.08.20 and Windows 7 Enterprise Service Pack1. This is a very rare occurence and in case anyone runs into such issues, the steps listed in the following wiki should be tried out first ( specially if the crash is observed for a specific model )

This page contains items related to miscellaneous topics about STAAD.Pro 

1. Section Wizard Tutorial
2. [[Turning off Labels]]
3. [[STAAD.Pro crashes during opening]]

Problem: I am trying to launch STAAD.Pro and the software is crashing

Solution :
The first thing to ensure is that the software is installed as an administrator as that is when the registry entries are entered correctly.
If you have done that already, try right clicking on the shortcut for STAAD.Pro and choosing the Run As Administrator option and see if that makes a difference. If you are able to launch the software as administrator but not as a user, it may be a permission related issue with the user account and your system administrator should be able to assist you with that.

If the crash happens for all user accounts, try the following
1. Get out of STAAD.Pro.
2. Go to Start menu ->click Run-> type REGEDIT and click Ok. The Registry Editor window will appear.
3. Delete the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Bentley Systems\StaadPro\20.07.11\Toolbar
4. Close the registry editor and re-launch STAAD.Pro.

In older versions of the software, the key could be
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Bentley Systems\StaadPro\20.07.10\Toolbar
HKEY_CURRENT_USER  ->Software->Research Engineers->StaadPro-> 2007

Problem Description :
When a user launches STAAD.Pro, the startup page comes up. User clicks on Open Project and browses to a .std file and as soon as he clicks on Open, the software crashes.

Solution :
User had to reformat the hard drive and reinstall all software from scratch and it took care of the porblem.

Note : This issue has only been observed in a particualr user machine running STAAD.Pro  version 20.07.08.20 and Windows 7 Enterprise Service Pack1. This is a very rare occurence and in case anyone runs into such issues, the steps listed in the following wiki should be tried out first

https://communities.bentley.com/products/structural/structural_analysis___design/w/structural_analysis_and_design__wiki/35070.staad-pro-crashes-during-startup

Problem

I am installing Ram Concept in a 64 bit machine; while installing it is checking for "Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable (X64)" , I am getting the following message. Cancelling it puts it in a loop.

Solution

Please download the 32 bit of the software and install it .

Software Download Instructions

Once done, uninstall it and then install the 64 bit version of RAM Concept.

See Also

Structural Products Licensing [FAQ]

How products that use the Bentley IEG License Service are licensed

Structural Product TechNotes And FAQs

Overview

RAM SBeam is a powerful and versatile program for the design of steel beams. Using one of several design codes, RAM SBeam can select the optimum beam size or check the adequacy of existing construction. The program provides rapid evaluation and comparison between various beams under various load conditions. RAM SBeam has a user interface unparalleled for simplicity and ease of use, while providing a very powerful design capability. This results in substantial time savings for the Engineer and a more economical design for the client

Enhancements in RAM SBeam V5.0

• Cellular and Castellated Smartbeams, produced by CMC Steel Products, can now be designed and analyzed.
• The Eurocode has been updated to EN 1993-1-1:2005 (Eurocode 3 – Design of Steel Structures) and EN 1994-1-1:2004 (Eurocode 4 – Design of Composite Steel and Concrete Structures).
• For the AISC ASD and LRFD specifications there is now an option to reduce the composite Ieff by multiplying by 0.75, as recommended in the AISC 360 Commentary
• The ability to launch RAM SBeam from the RAM Structural System has been enhanced to include the ability to launch RAM SBeam with CMC Smartbeam data. The link has also been enhance to include a more complete set of design and criteria information.

Features of RAM SBeam include:

• Composite Beam Design and Investigation
• Non-composite Beam Design and Investigation
• Cantilevers
• Braced or Unbraced Compression Flange
• ASD, LRFD, Canadian, British or Eurocode design
• English, SI, and Metric Units
• Rolled and Built-up Shapes
• Foreign and Domestic Steel Tables
• Web Opening Design 

 

• Beam Self-weight Automatically Included
• Load Diagrams
• Shear, Moment, and Deflection Diagrams
• User Control of Design Criteria and Parameters
• Can be run as a stand-alone program, or it can be launched from the RAM Structural System or from RAM Elements

RAM SBeam and the RAM Structural System

RAM Elements V8i (CONNECT Enabled) v13.5.0 Release Notes – Updated May 2017

Enhancements:

1. RAM Elements now includes Bentley CONNECT Advisor v10.0.2.10 which is a CONNECT service enabling Bentley users to have real time access to LEARN content, recommendations for more productive workflows and the ability to embed an Expert Engineer to their CONNECTED project.
2. Update to ISM 6.0.

Resolved Issues:

1. A display glitch prevented nodes from being shown on the screen after the Windows 10 Update version 1703 “Creators Update”. This has now been resolved.
   
   
2. The Context Sensitive Help was not working for some spreadsheets in RAM Elements when pressing F1 in the keyboard. This has now been corrected and new help files have been generated.
   
   
3. The “aw” parameter used in the computation of the buckling critical stress (Fcr) was being erroneously calculated for built-up sections. It was always calculated for rolled sections. This has now been corrected in AISC 360-05 and 10.
   
   
4. The magnitude of distributed loads coming from area loads were incorrectly calculated. This has now been rectified.
   
   
5. The interaction ratio of compression members with moments was being calculated per section 4.8.3.3 in all cases. This has been corrected to apply section 4.8.3.2 in both on screen and the reports. Section 4.8.3.3 is also being calculated when appropriate and reported accordingly.
   
   
6. Other several minor fixes.

The following Release Notes are provided as a reference by Bentley's Technical Support Group.

RAM Elements

Latest Major Version

• RAM Elements V13.0 Release Notes
• RAM Elements V13.0.3 Release Notes
• [[RAM Elements V13.2.0 Release Notes]]
• [[RAM Elements V13.3.0 Release Notes]]
• RAM Elements v13.4 Release Notes (full version)
• RAM Elements v13.4.1.208 Release Notes
• RAM Elements v13.5.0.221 Release Notes

Previous Versions

• RAM Advanse V9.6.x Release Notes
• RAM Elements V10.0.1 Release Notes
• RAM Elements V10.0.2 Release Notes
• RAM Elements V10.5 Release Notes
• RAM Elements V11.0 Release Notes
• RAM Elements V12.0 Release Notes
• RAM Elements V12.1 Release Notes
• RAM Elements V12.5 Release Notes
• RAM Elements V12.5.1 Release Notes
• RAM Elements V12.5.2 Release Notes

RAM SBeam CONNECT Edition V6.00.00

Release Notes

Release Date: Available Soon

This document contains important information regarding changes to RAM SBeam. It is important that all users are aware of these changes. Please distribute these release notes and make them available to all users of RAM SBeam.

RAM SBeam V6.00.00 contains some powerful enhancements and some error corrections.

New Features and Enhancements:

Since the release of RAM SBeam v5.01 in November 2011, several enhancements have been made to the beam design capabilities in the RAM Structural System software. Because RAM SBeam v6.0 is a by-product of the RAM Structural System, it ‘inherited’ those enhancements. Details on the enhancements are outlined in the Release Notes for the RAM Structural System, which can be found at communities.bentley.com. A description of a few of the more significant enhancements are included here.

CONNECTION Center

When you sign in to your Bentley account you now have easy access to CONNECTION Center. This personalized portal gives you easy access to Usage reports, site configuration information, downloads, and Learning information on webinars, seminars and events, and includes a transcript listing the Bentley courses that you have completed. Your personal portal also lists your recent projects with a portal into analytics on that project. CONNECTION Center can be accessed by selecting the Sign In command in the upper right corner of the RAM SBeam screen.

If you do not already have a Bentley ID, go to http://www.bentley.com/profile and select the Sign Up Now link.

CONNECTED Projects

All of Bentley’s CONNECT Edition programs, including RAM SBeam, allow models to be associated with a project. Multiple models, from any of the Bentley products, can be associated with a given project. This simplifies the process of keeping track of work done for a project, and will enable analytics to be performed and reported for the project.

A ProjectWise Projects portal enables you and your project teams to see project details required to evaluate team activity and understand project performance.

• View project activity by site, application and user

• Gain insights into the users who are working on your projects and their effort

• Register and manage your CONNECTED Projects

• Access ProjectWise Connection Services including ProjectWise Project Sharing, ProjectWise Project Performance Dashboards and ProjectWise Issue Resolution Administration

   

  When a model is Saved in this version the program will ask for a Project to which the file is to be associated. Projects can be registered (created) from your Personal Portal, or from the Assign Project dialog by selecting the + Register Project command.

   

  Project Share and i-models

  When a model is saved, a Bentley i-model is now created for viewing on mobile devices in products such as Bentley Structural Navigator. These i-models can be uploaded to Project Share, one of the Bentley Cloud Services.

   

  AISC 360-10

  The requirements of AISC 360-10, “Specification for Structural Steel Buildings”, as found in the AISC Steel Construction Manual, 14^th Edition, have been implemented.

   

  CAN/CSA S16-09

  The requirements of CAN/CSA S16-09, “Design of Steel Structures”, have been implemented.

   

  Updated Steel Beam and Deck Tables

        Steel design tables have been updated to include the latest sections and properties, and additional tables are available. These now include the large I- and L-shapes, jumbo HSS shapes and A1085 HSS sizes. The SJI Virtual Joist Girders are also available (go to http://communities.bentley.comfor information on Virtual Joist Girders). Several of the deck tables, for composite design, have been updated.

   

  Beam Design View/Update

  The View/Update dialog has been enhanced to show the Demand/Capacity ratios, for both Strength and Deflection.

   

  Eurocode EN 1994-1-1:2004 Transverse Reinforcement

  The Transverse Reinforcement requirements of Eurocode EN 1994-1-1:2004 (and EN 1992-1-1:2004) have been implemented. The Gravity Beam Design report lists the required reinforcement for the beam with various configurations of sheeting fyp, thickness and continuity, allowing the engineer to determine which configuration is most suitable.

   

Eurocode and UK National Annex Design fy

In Criteria – Design, the EurocodeFactors tab has an option to specify that the Design fy rules be used based on either EN 1993-1-1 or EN 1993-1-1 UK NA. Previously the Design fy rules per EN 1993-1-1 were used, the option to use the EN 1993-1-1 UK NA rules is now available.

SCI Publication P405 Modifications to EN 1994-1-1

An option has been added to use the SCI P405 rules for the calculation of minimum shear connection when the Eurocode is selected as the beam design code.

BS 5950-1:2000 Transverse Reinforcement

The Transverse Reinforcement requirements of BS 5950-1:200 were previously implemented but previously the Gravity Beam Design report listed the required reinforcement for the beam based on a reinforcement of fy = 460 N/mm². With the increased use of reinforcement with fy = 500 N/mm², the transverse reinforcement checks performed in that report now uses reinforcement fy = 500 N/mm².

Partition Loads

In the definition of loads, Partition live loads can now be explicitly specified.

C-Beams

Previously in the program, castellated and cellular beams were referred to as SMARTBEAMs. They are no longer marketed or produced under that name. These beams are now called C-Beams^TM and are produced by SteelFab, Inc. The program now includes the option to design C-Beams per the requirements of AISC 360-10.

Composite Beam Design Improvements

In the selection and investigation of studs for composite beam design the program comprehensively investigates the conditions that affect the placement of the studs, including the effects of the deck rib spacing, orientation and location along the beam and the likely location of the studs relative to points of zero and maximum moments. Several refinements have been made in the calculation of the required studs and in the analysis of composite beams with user-specified stud quantities. This includes, for example, better consideration of the likely number of ribs crossing the beam when the deck is perpendicular (or at an angle), and the likely placement of the studs along the member. As a result of these changes you may see slight differences in some of the beams designs as pertaining to the quantity of studs. Note that for the vast majority of beams there will be no changes in the number of studs specified by the program, and where there are differences they will almost always be a slight reduction in the number of studs required.

Some design warning messages have been enhanced and additional design warning messages have been implemented, making it clearer as to the reasons for beam failures.

Error Corrections:

The RAM SBeam software is created by taking the powerful beam design capabilities from the RAM Structural System software. Since the release of RAM SBeam v5.01 in November 2011, several defects have been corrected in the RAM Structural System software. Because RAM SBeam v6.0 is a by-product of the RAM Structural System, it ‘inherited’ those corrections. Details on the corrections are outlined in the Release Notes for the various versions of the RAM Structural System, which can be found at communities.bentley.com. A description of the more significant defect corrections is included here. The errors were rare, but when they occurred were generally quite obvious. However, if there is any question, it may be advisable to reanalyze previous beams to determine the impact, if any. In each case the error only occurred for the precise conditions indicated. Errors that may have resulted in un-conservative designs are shown with an asterisk. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

CANTILEVER BEAMS*: For the AISC360, LRFD 3rd and ASD 9th Edition codes, incorrect Cb values may have been used in the design of cantilevered beams when the user unchecked the option to "Use Cb = 1.0 on all Cantilevers" in the Design Defaults Criteria. The error likewise occurred for the mLT value per BS 5950, the C value per EN 1993, and the Moment Modification Factor per AS 4100.

Effect: The calculated values of Cb, mLT, Moment Modification Factor, and hence the moment capacity of the cantilever section, may have been unconservative. Note that the error did not occur when the option to "Use Cb = 1.0 on all Cantilevers" (or the equivalent option for the other codes), which is the common default, was selected.

CAN S16 COMPOSITE BEAMS WITH THIN FLANGES*: Investigations of thin flanged composite beams with stud diameters exceeding 2.5 times the flange thickness received no warning.

Effect: Although beam designs were correct and provisions of Section 17.6.5 were enforced during beam size optimization, investigated user sizes were not warned of flange thickness requirements per Section 17.6.5 of the CAN S16 specification when the stud diameters exceeded 2.5 times the flange thickness.

BS 5950 HIGHER DUCTILITY SHEAR CONNECTORS*: Amendment 1 to BS 5950 allows the use of a lower minimum percent composite if the shear connectors qualify as "Higher ductility". In addition to other requirements, these only occur when the profiled deck is perpendicular to the beam; however the program erroneously allowed the lower percent if it met all of the other requirements for “Higher ductility” even if the deck was parallel or was a flat formed slab.

Effect: When the deck was parallel or flat slab the program specified too few studs if the minimum percent composite requirements controlled the design.

BS5950:2000 CLASS 3 AND CLASS 4 COMPOSITE BEAMS*: The program only allows Class 1 and Class 2 beams to be designed as composite beams (the methodology necessary for Class 3 and Class 4 sections has not been implemented). There was an error in the program in the classification of the web, resulting in Class 3 and Class 4 webs being classified as Class 2, and the beam being designed as a composite beam as if it was a Class 2 section.

Effect: Beams with Class 3 or Class 4 webs were designed as composite beams as if they were Class 2 sections, rather than being rejected as composite beams and designed as noncomposite beams.

EUROCODE SECTION CLASSIFICATION*: For noncomposite design and for precomposite design of composite beams the sections were always classified as Class 1.

Effect: Moment capacity of beams was always based on that for Class 1 beams.

SHEAR AT POINT LOAD*: When the Shear at a point load location is governed by the shear slightly left of the point load, that left Shear value was not captured.

Effect: Some codes require calculation of Shear corresponding to the Moment at a given location. At point load locations, the Shear slightly left of the point load, if greater than the Shear slightly right of that point load location, was not captured as the max Shear at location of that point load. A lesser Shear value was then associated with the Moment at that location.

SMARTBEAM DEFLECTION*: When a Smartbeam is forced to be noncomposite because an adequate number of studs will not fit on the beam the program bases the design on the noncomposite section properties. However, the program was erroneously using a Dead Load deflection value of 0.0 when calculating the Net Total Deflection.

Result: The check for Net Total Deflection used an incorrect deflection value. Note that an enhancement has been made to the design warnings for this: Design warnings are now given for Smartbeams [now called C-Beams] that are forced to be noncomposite because the required number of studs will not fit on the beam.

BUILT-UP SHAPES*: Some errors in the design of built-up shapes were correct. Note that these errors only potentially occurred if customized steel tables were created and used; these errors did not occur if the tables supplied with the program were used. They include the following:

AISC 360 - COMPRESSION FLANGE YIELDING*: For Singly symmetric I-sections the compression flange yielding capacity determined in Section F4 for qualifying sections was incorrectly determined.

Effect: Where the governing capacity for sections evaluated under Section F4 was the Compression Flange Yielding limit, the reported capacity was incorrectly determined as FyZx rather than RpcFySxc per Equation F4-1. Note that this error only affected built-up sections where the top flange and bottom flange had different dimensions; it did not affect the design of the standard rolled I-shapes.

AISC 360 BUILT-UP CHANNELS WITH NONCOMPACT OR SLENDER WEBS*: The design of built-up channels with noncompact or slender webs has not been implemented in the program, but for such members the program was giving design results (erroneously), with incorrect capacities indicated in the design report.

Effect: Built-up channels with non-compact or slender webs were incorrectly designed and reports showed incorrect results. Capacities for such sections are not addressed by the Specification and the program should have indicated a warning message to the user instead. The user is now warned of the condition with a “Cannot Design” warning message, and the capacity is set to 0.0.

AISC 360 ASYMMETRIC BUILT-UP CHANNELS*: The design of asymmetric built-up channels has not been implemented in the program, but for such members the program was giving design results (erroneously), with incorrect capacities indicated in the design report.

Effect: Built-up asymmetric channels were incorrectly designed and reports showed incorrect results. The program should have indicated a warning message to the user instead. The user is now warned of the condition with a “Cannot Design” warning message, and the capacity is set to 0.0.

AISC 360 BUILT-UP BOX SHAPES WITH SLENDER WEBS*: The design of built-up box shapes with slender webs has not been implemented in the program, but for such members the program was giving design results (erroneously), with incorrect capacities indicated in the design report.

Effect: Built-up box shapes with slender webs were incorrectly designed and reports showed incorrect results. The program should have indicated a warning message to the user instead. The user is now warned of the condition with a “Cannot Design” warning message, and the capacity is set to 0.0.

AISC 360 DOUBLY SYMMETRIC BUILT-UP I-SECTION (LTB CAPACITY): The reported AISC 360 LTB capacity for doubly symmetric built up I-sections was incorrect.

Effect: Where LTB governed the design for compact doubly symmetric built up I-sections, the reported capacity was inconsistent with the requirements of AISC 360 section F2. An incorrect, but conservative, rts value was being used.

RAM Connection CONNECT Edition v11.1.0 Release Notes – Updated May 2017

Enhancements:

IS 800:2007 Indian steel design standard for connection design.

RAM Connection now includes Bentley CONNECT Advisor v10.0.2.10 which is a CONNECT service enabling Bentley users to have real time access to LEARN content, recommendations for more productive workflows and the ability to embed an Expert Engineer to their CONNECTED project.

Small improvements to the design reports for better reading.

Update to Structural Synchronizer (ISM) 6.0.

Resolved Issues:

A miscalculation of the gusset buckling Whitmore capacity when the brace formed a small angle with the beam has been corrected.

The effective length factor “K” was being calculated incorrectly for the Whitmore buckling code check in gusset connections.

The length used to calculate web crippling in Gusset connections used a unitary equivalent length when Design Guide 29 states the actual lengths have to be used. This has now been updated to comply with the aforementioned guide.

The prying effects calculation for Cap Plates, erroneously used the beam flange thickness instead of the cap plate thickness. This has been corrected.

For the calculation of normal stresses in a beam-to-gusset interface, an equation from a different reference was being used. The application has now been updated to use the equation in Design Guide 29.

The beam web thickness check for Single Plate connections with a skew angle, has been eliminated by recommendation of the AISC Solution Center.

For EN 1993 connection design, the software followed a criterion only applicable for tension/compression members for the bolt pitch (or gage). Now it follows BCSA recommendations the same.

The Cap Plate web crippling check followed the same procedure for AISC 360-05 and AISC 360-10. This has now been corrected to follow the correspondent method, since it has changed from the 2005 to the 2010 edition.

A new warning was added for Stiffened Seated connections with HSS columns, in which the length of seat plate exceeds the flat width of the section.

Other several minor fixes.

I need to define ground acceleration using time history loading in orthogonal directions. How can I do that in STAAD.Pro ?

An example file is attached (Please visit the site to view this file)

Please note that in STAAD.Pro, one cannot have multiple time history load cases in the same file but one is allowed to define multiple time history loads as part of the same load case. So one is allowed to define ground accelerations in the form of acceleration time histories in two orthogonal directions as long as these are specified as part of the same load case.

Can I change the support conditions in my model and analyze different loads with different support conditions within a single model?

Yes. One can have different support conditions specified within the same model, each with its own set of load cases followed by PERFORM ANALYSIS and CHANGE commands

Here are a few simple rules that one should follow for such definitions

1. Each set of support condition should be followed by corresponding load cases and PERFORM ANALYSIS and CHANGE commands.
2. Supports should be specified in the same order before and after the CHANGE.
3. The number of degrees of freedom in subsequent support specifications should not increase. For example in the example below, if supports 2 TO 5 FIXED BUT FY KFX 10000 needs to be defined after the CHANGE, one needs to specify 2 TO 5 FIXED BUT FX FY FZ MX MY MZ  ( which basically means unrestrained ) before the CHANGE.

Here is an example file with multiple support specifications

STAAD PLANE EXAMPLE FOR MULTIPLE SUPPORTS
START JOB INFORMATION
ENGINEER DATE 28-Oct-14
END JOB INFORMATION
SET NL 2
UNIT FEET KIP
JOINT COORDINATES
1 0 0 0; 2 0 10 0; 3 0 20 0; 4 15 20 0; 5 15 10 0; 6 15 0 0;
MEMBER INCIDENCES
1 1 2; 2 2 3; 3 3 4; 4 4 5; 5 5 6; 6 1 5; 7 2 6; 8 2 4; 9 3 5; 10 2 5;
MEMBER PROPERTY AMERICAN
1 TO 10 TABLE ST W12X26
UNIT INCHES KIP
DEFINE MATERIAL START
ISOTROPIC MATERIAL1
E 29000
POISSON 0.3
END DEFINE MATERIAL
CONSTANTS
MATERIAL MATERIAL1 ALL
SUPPORTS
1 PINNED
6 PINNED
2 TO 5 FIXED BUT FX FY FZ MX MY MZ
LOAD 1
JOINT LOAD
2 FX 15
3 FX 10
PERFORM ANALYSIS
PRINT SUPPORT REACTIONS
CHANGE
*
SUPPORTS
1 PINNED
6 PINNED
2 TO 5 FIXED BUT FY KFX 10000
LOAD 2
JOINT LOAD
4 FX -10
5 FX -15
PERFORM ANALYSIS
CHANGE
PRINT SUPPORT REACTIONS
*
FINISH

.