Release Date: December 2018
Version: RAM Concept CONNECT Edition V7
Version Number: 07.00.00.11
Download Instructions
Current and past RAM Concept releases can be downloaded from Bentley Cloud Services at: http://connect.bentley.com
After signing into CONNECTION Center, select Software Downloads under My Support, towards the bottom of the page. Once on the Software Fulfillment page, RAM Concept installers can be located by performing a search on "RAM Concept", or by selecting Brand -> RAM.
Note: Although there are multiple listings for RAM Concept (RAM Concept, RAM Concept Post Tension Module, etc.), each of these takes the user to the same list of installers, as all features of RAM Concept require only one installation.
Special Notices
The installation of RAM Concept will automatically uninstall previous CONNECT Edition versions (6.0.0 through 6.5.0).
The Technology Preview of the PT Optimization feature extends to this version. Please click here for more information about this feature.
New Features
RAM Concept CONNECT Edition V7 has the new features discussed below.
CONNECT Licensing
This version of RAM Concept incorporates CONNECT Licensing, which is Bentley's new process for product activation and usage tracking. CONNECT Licensing improves our licensing capabilities with features such as:
- License alert notifications when you are approaching a custom usage threshold
- Replacing site activation keys with user validation, enhancing security around your Bentley licenses and subscriptions
With traditional SELECT Licensing, product activation has been through an activation key that an Organization distributed to all users. With CONNECT Licensing, product activation is managed by user sign in through the CONNECTION Client, which is installed on each machine that uses Bentley applications. This offers a more secure and manageable system as it offers usage alerts, notifying your users when they are about to reach a certain usage limit set by the Administrator. If you do not have a Bentley CONNECT sign-in, please refer to the Administrator's Resource Center and/or contact your administrator for assistance in the registration and sign-in process.
For more information on using and managing CONNECT Licensing, please refer to the CONNECT Licensing Wiki or select Help > Licensing > CONNECT Licensing Information while working in RAM Concept.
Load History Deflection Plot Enhancements
Plots representing fa/fcr (ratio of axial stress to cracking stress) and I/Ig (ratio of modified element stiffness to gross element stiffness) are now available on the Load History Layer. The fa/fcr results can be plotted with or without the effect of shrinkage restraint to better study the contribution of the input shrinkage restraint % to the load history deflections
Load History Calculation Performance
A change was made to the load history calculation process that will decrease total calculation time in most models.
CONNECT Advisor Update
The CONNECT Advisor has been updated with a unified interface to provide easier access to RAM Concept help content.
Error Corrections
RAM Concept CONNECT Edition V7 has the error corrections discussed below.
Crash with Structural Synchronizer 10.3.0.18
A crash occurred when attempting to create an ISM file using RAM Concept v6.5.0 and Structural Synchronizer v10.3.0.18.
ACI 318 Ductility Checks
ACI 318 ductility checks were previously based on the resultant tension force location. The program now uses the maximum tensile reinforcement depth to match ACI 318-14 7.3.3.1, 8.3.3.1, and 9.3.3.1. The change affects all ACI 318 design codes.
ACI 318-14 Effective Flange Width for Beams
The effective flange width calculation has been modified to reflect the changes from previous versions of ACI 318 that are noted in ACI 318-14 R6.3.2.1. The change affects ACI 318-14 only.
File Compatibility Warning
RAM Concept CONNECT Edition V7 can read all previous file formats, but writes files in a format that cannot be read by previous versions.
Security Release Notes
Not applicable to this release.