Standard Method of Detailing Structural Concrete. A Manual For Best Practice

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RAM Concept
Jim Trenerry
MIEAust CPEng
2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.
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Goals of this presentation

Highlight RAM Concepts capabilities
Discuss version 2 enhancements / Version 3
Suggestions for learning the program
Discussion of features that many clients have overlooked
Modelling notes
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Capabilities
Analysis and design of concrete floors
reinforced
post-tensioned
hybrid mix of RC and PT
Suspended floors
flat plates
flat slabs
beam and one-way slabs
two-way beam and slab
ribbed slabs / waffle slabs
any mix of the above
steps: soffit and/or surface
Rafts
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RAM Concept: Version 2

Span segments
Generation
Width
Manual width
Middle Strip discussion
Support Width
Trimming
Orthotropic Behavior
No-torsion beams
Pour strips
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Minimum Rebar
Punching Shear
Stud shear reinforcement
Transfer (raft / t-slabs) punching
Lateral Self-Equilibrium Loadings
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3.0 July release
Reinforcement detailing
Wood Armer
3.10 / 4.0
EC2 Code
Tendon Detailing
Tendon Design
Save Results
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The RAM Concept design process could be

considered to comprise 5 stages
Defining the concrete form (**)
Defining tendons (if used) (***)
Drawing loads (*)
Defining design strips (*****)
Interpreting results (****)
The (**) rating is meant to indicate relative degree of difficulty, or relative time you would
expect to spend on the stage.
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RAM Concept manual

The manual contains a large amount of information.
Ideally, you should read it all. We recommend that you at least read the following
chapters (and do the tutorials) before beginning your first design.
Ch 1 : Introduction
Ch 2 : Looking at the Workspace
Ch 3 : Understanding Layers
Ch 4 Using Plans and Perspectives
Ch 5 Drawing and Editing Objects
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RAM Concept manual

Ch 16 Defining the Structure
Ch 22 Defining Design Strips.
Ch 35 General Tips.
Ch 36 Frequently Asked Questions.
Ch 37 Errors and Warnings.
Ch 38 : RC Slab Tutorial or Ch 40 : PT Flat Plate Tutorial (AS3600); preferably both
Ch 50 : AS3600-2001 Design
Ch 53 Estimating deflections.
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RAM Concept manual

The tutorials introduce you to the philosophy of the program and quickly
give you experience in using many of the tools. The descriptions are
not exhaustive, and you should reference the actual tool description
in the appropriate chapter for further information.
It is highly recommended that the tutorials are redone for Version 2. The
completed tutorial files are available from the program directory, so
you dont have to start from scratch. For example, you could open
the AS3600 tutorial, delete the design strips, and then start with the
design strips input.
Even though design strips are discussed in the tutorials, you should read
Chapter 22 Defining Design Strips. Every user must understand how
design strips work and this will help in implementing them properly.
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RAM Concept manual

RAM Concept does not replace the code. It implements some, but not all,
of AS3600. Chapter 50 AS3600-2001 Design describes what code
rules are used and how the authors interpret and implement the
rules. Using the program does not absolve you of knowing your
building code.
Specifically, RAM Concept does not consider the following:
Rule 9.1.2 (detailing bars for 25% of the negative moment)
Rule 9.1.3 (general detailing)
Development lengths
Online manual and PDF
The online manual can be accessed through:

Help > Contents
The PDF can be accessed through:

Start > RAM Concept > RAM Concept Manual
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Tips for modelling the concrete form

Restraint
Columns and walls will restrain the floor against (post-tensioning
induced) axial deformations unless
Columns are modelled with rollers (see following slide)
It is unlikely that columns above will restrain the floor, and so a roller
above will generally be appropriate
Walls are NOT designated as shear walls
Restraint forces will generally reduce the P/A and hence increase
the service reinforcement. It usually increases strength
reinforcement too.
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Columns
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Orthotropic properties
The orthotropic properties in Concept allow you to model details such
as half joints and pour strips. This is done by setting the K factors for
axial or bending stiffness.
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Half joints
A half joint is modelled by setting KMs and KFr (or KMr and KFs) to
very low values.
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Half joints
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Pour strips: restraint can be modified

with slab behaviour properties
Concept has always calculated the restraint effects

of shear walls and columns, the restraint
calculations have not taken into effect the benefits
of the pour strip's time delay.
When the pour strip's axial stiffness is low, there is
more precompression (P/A) in the slab which is a
better solution for service design.
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Pour strip with defined slab behaviour property
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Walls
It is recommended that intersecting walls are drawn such
that one wall terminates at the centreline of the other (see
following slide)
Walls above behave similarly to beams (see following
slide). If in doubt as to their effect, dont draw them.
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Drawing Walls
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Effect of wall modelled above
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Effect of wall modelled above

plot of moment about x-axis
Mx = -152 kNm / m
Mx = -166 kNm / m
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Compressible property
Column and wall properties include compressible. This is useful
when there are two or more supports very near each other.
Elastic reaction effects sometimes produce unreasonable
reactions for incompressible supports. The following slides show
how compressible supports can share the load.
The authors generally recommend that compressible supports
are used. The only disadvantage is that deflection plots show
non-zero values at supports.
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Column inside wall large

elastic reaction effect
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Fixed end effect

large column reaction /
tension in wall
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Make more realistic with compressible supports
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Incompressible
Compressible
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Post-tensioning
you can specify flat or round duct tendons
tendon forces can be:
assumed as constant, or
calculated based on friction and wedge draw-in losses, and assumed
long-term losses
This is done by drawing live-ends. Tendon extensions will then be
calculated and can be shown on plan
Note: initial service calculations (often known as transfer) will use a

factored tendon force
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Tendon low point location
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Design strips
As previously mentioned, design strips (generally) require the most time
and consideration of all the program stages.
The authors recommend that design strips are drawn to reflect the intent
of AS3600:
Flat slabs and plates should have column and middle strips of
appropriate widths
Beam design strip widths should be similar to those in rule 8.8.2
If in doubt, draw a middle strip between beam strips
There should usually be one design strip segment per nominal span,
and sometimes more.
If there is a lot of repetition in the floor, there should be no need to cover
it with design strips. Judgement should save you time.
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Please read this chapter in manual !

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Design strips
Difficult floor but the client just

has to be more logical.
The image shows some design
strips that are useless - they cause
the shear problems because they
are so wide and cross so many
steps.
In the attachment I have changed
latitude. Longitude needs some
work. There are many satisfactory
arrangements, and many more bad
arrangements that could be drawn.
The client need to give this a lot
more thought.
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Design strips
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Design strips explanation in chapter
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Default span properties tab 1
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Dont
reduce
integrated
M and V
due to
sign
change
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Myy : moment at face

of column can
change sign which
affects integral
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Potential impact of no reduction of M
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Span width
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Span width
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Span width
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Span width
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Span width
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Span width
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Column strip width
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Column strip width
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Column strip width
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Column strip width
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Manual strips : ovular building
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Automatic spans (latitude)
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Automatic strips (no good!)
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Manual strips
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Auto spans (longitude)
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Auto strips (longitude)
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Manual strips
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Cross section trimming

Many users report unexpected shear bars. This is usually a shear core
issue.
To understand this, consider the shear design of a T-beam section:
generally, you would use only the web. The same logic is applied to
other cross-sections.
You can view a perspective of design strip cross sections. This is very
useful for identifying shear core issues and viewing the section
geometry used in the calculation. See section 21.9.4.
The Auditor reveals what concrete is used in shear calculations (see
Chapter 28).
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Design Strips shear core
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User defined reinforcement
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User defined reinforcement
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Miscellaneous tips
We have created a template (for the purpose of starting a file) that may or may not
suit your needs. You can create your own template with additional plans, materials
and settings that you can use when you start a new file. See section 2.4 of the
manual.
Many tools can be expanded to reveal additional capabilities. See section 2.5.
The Utility tool can save you a lot of time when you need to move and stretch many
objects or control points. See section 5.9.
You can remove trivial results such as small reactions. See section 7.3.
The Left Wall and Right Wall tools can be very useful. See section 15.6.
You can view the percentage of load that is balanced by the post-tensioning within
design strips. See section 26.2.6.
Live load reduction is described in Chapter 42.
The Auditor unlocks the black-box of calculations. See Chapter 28.
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Miscellaneous tips
You can refine the mesh
locally.
See section 16.2.
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Miscellaneous tips (continued)

Read Chapter 27 Plotting Results. Many users are unaware of the power of
the plot capabilities. You can plot many results including (strip based)
moments (actual and demand), crack widths and reinforcement, to name
just a few.
You can add plans. See section 26.3.3.
Some clients prefer to plot the reinforcement on new plans rather than use
the template plans that show bar call-outs.
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Miscellaneous tips
Deflection
Deflection considerations are often critical in a design.
Chapter 53 Estimating Deflections describes the methods used.
The opening note directs you to the most important sections.
It is recommended that you understand which plots consider cracking, and
which do not.
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Deflection
The manual discusses a methodology for determining the long term
deflection when Live Load is not permanent (and that is the case for most
floors) but it could be updated in view of the LT plot we now have (rather
than discuss manual ECR calcs).
Deflection Example:
Assumptions:
creep factor is 3
25% of Live Load is permanent and the other 75% is transient.
100% of live load has been previously applied and so maximum cracking
has occurred
The long term deflection uses:
effect of maximum cracking
25% of live load modified with creep effect
75% of live load with no creep effect
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Deflection
1) The live load creep factor is 1.5. Dead load creep factor is 3.
2) A cracking factor is calculated, similar to section 53.6.2 in manual.

3) However, rather than Calculating weighted ECR, the user can use the LT
Deflection Plot from the Max Service Rule Set to observe elastic deflection.
This is done by using the plot icon to change the plotted value.
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In the image LT deflection with 100% of LL is 45 mm.

The elastic deflection is 8.3 mm. [The ECR plot is shown for information only.]
Since the creep factor FOR THIS RULE SET CALC is 3:
the cracking factor is 45 / 8.3 / 3 = 1.8.
In other words, the long term deflection multiplier is 45/8.3 = 5.4 (high)
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Create a new LOAD Combination, as shown in the image below, with

load factor for DL and Balance of 5.4 (creep * cracking factor = 3 * 1.8).
load factor for LL of 2.70 (live creep * cracking factor = 1.5 * 1.8).
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Open the new

deflection plan and
observe Max
deflection is 36 mm
rather than 45 (a 20%
reduction).
Note: slab is 300 thick
(7.2 kPa) and LL is 5
kPa.

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2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Goals of this presentation

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

RAM Concept: Version 2

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

RAM Concept: Version 2

Lateral Self-Equilibrium Loadings

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

RAM Concept: Version 3

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

The RAM Concept design process could be

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

RAM Concept manual

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

RAM Concept manual

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

RAM Concept manual

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

RAM Concept manual

Rule 9.1.2 (detailing bars for 25% of the negative moment)

Rule 9.1.3 (general detailing)

Online manual and PDF

The online manual can be accessed through:

The PDF can be accessed through:

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Tips for modelling the concrete form

Walls are NOT designated as shear walls

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Pour strips: restraint can be modified

Concept has always calculated the restraint effects

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Pour strip with defined slab behaviour property

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Tips for modelling the concrete form

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Effect of wall modelled above

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Effect of wall modelled above

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Tips for modelling the concrete form

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Column inside wall large

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Fixed end effect

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Make more realistic with compressible supports

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Note: initial service calculations (often known as transfer) will use a

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Tendon low point location

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

Please read this chapter in manual !

Difficult floor but the client just

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.

2006 Bentley Systems, Inc.