RAM Concept

RAM Concept

Structural analysis and design of conventionally reinforced, prestressed, and post-tensioned concrete floors, mats, and rafts.

Three-dimensional view of two-way distributed tendon system in RAM Concept showing line and point loads applied to slab.

Overview

RAM Concept is a software application for the structural analysis and design of conventionally reinforced and post-tensioned concrete floors, mats, and rafts. RAM Concept contains an advanced feature set that allows for the design of a wide variety of floor systems including post-tensioned, reinforced concrete and hybrid systems, elevated slabs and mat/raft foundations, one-way slabs, two-way slabs, beams, and joist systems. Here's an overview of RAM Concept's key capabilities:

• Complete modeling of the floor as physical objects: slabs, beams, walls, columns, openings, penetrations, etc., with the option to trace over a CAD background.
• Option to create design objects (such as design spans and strips, and studded shear reinforcement) either manually or by intelligent program automation.
• Organization of user interface by layers, much like a CAD program. This allows easy access to the large amount of information in the model.
• Placement of reinforcement either manually or by automatic program selection, with the option to 'freeze' program reinforcement.
• Tendon placement tools that allow the post-tensioning or prestressing in even large, complicated floors to be quickly established and refined.
• 3D finite element analysis of the structure, with rationalization into resultants for easy processing of results by the designer.
• Exhaustive design capabilities including consideration of short and long term states, service and strength criteria, punching shear design, vibration due to walking, and advanced deflection calculations using load history.
• 2D and 3D plots of virtually any possible response quantity.
• Creation of CAD file from reinforcing or post-tensioning plans in RAM Concept.
• Integrate RAM Concept models with RAM Structural System, STAAD.Pro, or STAAD(X) to analyze and design the remainder of the structure for full gravity load takedown and systematic lateral loads.

Historically,thevastmajorityofconcretefloorshavebeenanalyzedbyapproximatingaregionofaslabasaframe(ordesignstrip),andthenanalyzingtheframe/stripusingvariationsofconventionalframeormomentdistributionanalysistechniques.Therearetwolimitationstothisapproach.First,inirregularstructures,theapproximationoftherealstructureintoaframemodelcouldbegrosslyinaccurateanddesigningwiththeanalysisresultsmightnotevensatisfyequilibriumrequirementsintherealstructure.Thesecondlimitationisthateveninregularstructureswithregularloadings,theframeanalysisapproximatestheslab/columninteractionandprovidesnoinformationregardingthedistributionofforcesacrossthedesignstrip.

RAMConceptenablestheengineertodesignpost-tensionedandreinforcedconcreteslabsbyusingafiniteelementmodeloftheentireslab.Conceptcanpredicttheelasticbehaviorofaslabmuchmoreaccuratelythanframemodels.Inaddition,thefiniteelementmethodguaranteesthattheanalysissatisfiesallequilibrium.

Key Features

• Flexible Structural Modeling
   - Elevated floors and mat foundations
   - One-way and two-way slabs, pan joists, waffle slabs, beams, and girders
   - Orthotropic or isotropic slab properties
   - Drop caps, drop panels and random thickenings of any shape at any location
   - Openings of any shape at any location
   - Wall, column, point spring and line spring supports
   - Accurate modeling of irregular structures
   - Zero-tension area (soil) springs
   - Imported CAD drawing as snapping background
   - Automated meshing, with intelligent resolution of geometric misalignments and tolerance problems
• Tendon Modeling
   - Banded, distributed, and arbitrarily placed tendons
   - Friction losses including consideration of horizontal curves
   - Analysis includes 3D hyperstatic (secondary) effects
   - Placement of jacks with consideration of anchor losses
• Loading Analysis
   - X, Y, and Z-direction point, line, and area force loads
   - Mx and My point, line, and area moment loads
   - Line loads (force and moment) can vary linearly from end to end
   - Area loads (force and moment) can vary linearly in two directions
   - Self-weight and tendon loadings calculated automatically
   - Self-equilibrium loadings available for integrating floor-system analysis with
     building frame analysis from any source
   - Frequency analysis and vibration response due to walking
• Pattern Loading
   - Loads can be filtered through arbitrary-shaped patterns with on-pattern and off-pattern factors
   - Patterns loading effects automatically enveloped together
• Live Load Reduction
   - ASCE 7, Eurocode 1, NBC of Canada, AS/NZS 1170.1, BS 6399-1, IBC, IS 875, UBC
   - Arbitrary loading patterns may be specified
   - Tributary/influence areas may be specified or calculated by the program
• Load Combinations
   - Automatically generated load combinations for each design code
   - Optional user-specified load combinations (no limit)
   - Two load factors per loading, allowing easy enveloping of max and min forces
   - Zero-tension area spring results for mat/raft foundations
• Span and Cross Section Design
   - Automated layout of design spans
   - Post-tensioned, reinforced, and hybrid concrete design
   - Strength design (bending and shear)
   - Initial service design (transfer of prestressing forces)
   - Service design
   - Ductility design
   - Cracked section analysis
   - Long-term deflections considering cracking, creep, and shrinkage
   - Support for design according to ACI 318, EC2, AS 3600, BS 8110-1997, IS 456, CAN/CSA A23.3-04
• Punching Shear Design
   - Automated generation of critical section considering actual (not simplified) geometries
   - Design for columns above or below the slab
   - Consideration of biaxial moments
   - Design of studded shear reinforcement (SSR)
• Report Generation
   - Fully customizable professional reports
   - Reports are complete ready-to-submit calculations
   - Reports can be printed to any page size or orientation
   - Audit of cross sections or punching checks for review of all steps in the design process
• Graphics and Visualization
   - Interactive, rendered three-dimensional views of concrete geometry, reinforcing bars, tendons, and shear reinforcing
   - Two or three-dimensional color coded plot of any analysis quantity
   - View color-coded difference between two plots to easily compare two analysis or design states
   - Plot any demand or capacity diagram along design spans
   - Animation of plots
• Integration Features
   - RAM Concept can be run as a module within RAM Structural System, and results included in the *.rss file
   - Import of structure and loadings from RAM Structural System
   - Export of geometry to RAM Structural System
   - Import of structure and loadings from STAAD
   - Import and Export of CAD drawings
   - Compliance with Integrated Structural Modeling (ISM) format, for interoperability with other Bentley products
• Other Features
   - Multiple and mixed unit systems (US, SI, and MKS)
   - Strip Wizard for 2D modeling
   - Industry leading technical support

Case Studies

RAM Concept has been used on projects of all sizes around the world. Below is a list of some notable structures on which the software played a key role in the structural design.

Shard at London Bridge Quarter, London, United Kingdom

http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/RAM+Concept/Case+Studies.htm

Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort, Singapore

http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/RAM+Concept/Case+Studies.htm

Manchester Hilton, United Kingdom

http://ftp2.bentley.com/dist/collateral/Web/BEAwards07/Posters/Building_272.pdf

K2 Business Park, Russia

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/bemagazine/vol6issue4/index.php?startid=29#/30

Videos

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2-F6-5oPe0&feature=youtu.be]

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv-LuqjVSIs&feature=related]

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmHwOknhpc8]

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1T4oUN3aAg&feature=related]

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU60wpCTEIY]

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2p_mzJfTbk&feature=related] 

Images

RAM Concept's organization of criteria, input, and results through the layer system shown below allows a wealth of information to be organized cleanly for ease of navigation and user interaction.

Tree structure interface for navigating different input and results windows in RAM Concept. The results within each rule set (service, strength, ductility, etc.) can be investigated in detail.

RAM Concept allows the assignment of a priority value to any slab, beam, or opening in the model. This allows the engineer a simple but powerful means of reconciling overlapping elements within the floor.

Modeling plan layer with user assigned priority value for each element in the floor.

Resulting physical model once meshing has been done. Note the greater thickness of the beam framing from the left side of the column takes priority as it has a larger priority value.

One, two, and three-dimensional plots of virtually any demand, capacity, or response quantity can be drawn on screen.

Plot of flexural capacity and demand envelopes along design spans.

Three-dimensional color-coded plot of first mode of vibration.
 

News and Events

RAM Concept in STRUCTURE Magazine

The January 2012 issue of STRUCTURE magazine features an article on the retrofit of a concrete-framed building in the State of Maine in which CFRP was used for slab strengthening. RAM Concept was used in evaluating the effects of proposed slab openings within the building. Click the following link to read the article: http://www.structuremag.org/Archives/2012-1/F-MaineHealth-Brenner-Jan12.pdf.

Practical Deflection Prediction of Concrete Slabs

RAM Concept Development Manager Jonathan Hirsch presented Practical Deflection Prediction of Concrete Slabs at the American Concrete Institute's Fall Convention on October 18, 2012, in Cincinnati, Ohio. A webcast of the presentation is available at http://www.concrete.org/education/Webcasts/Past-Webcasts.html. Click on the link entitled "Andy Scanlon Symposium, Part 4".

Additional Resources