RAM Structural System

CONNECT Edition Update 6 – Release 15.06

RAM Frame Drift Control

Last Updated: October 17, 2017
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RAM Structural System 2 RAM Frame Drift Control

 Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................ 4
1.1 Results ..........................................................................................................................................................................................4
Chapter 2: Using the RAM Frame Drift Control Module .............................................................6
2.1 Creating Virtual Load Cases ................................................................................................................................................6
2.2 Drift Control Analysis ............................................................................................................................................................ 6
2.2.1 Load Pairs ........................................................................................................................................................7
2.2.2 View/Update ..................................................................................................................................................7
2.2.3 Output Reports ...............................................................................................................................................7
2.2.4 Exiting Drift Control Module ...................................................................................................................8
Chapter 3: Technical Notes on Virtual Work Theory ..................................................................9
3.1 Example Problem ................................................................................................................................................................. 10
Chapter 4: References ............................................................................................................. 12

RAM Structural System 3 RAM Frame Drift Control

 Introduction
1
The RAM Frame Drift Control module provides a great functionality to study and control the drift behavior of
buildings. Drift, related to the axial, shear, flexural, torsional and beam-connection behavior of each member of a
building structure, is an important design consideration. The total drift at a point can be considered as the sum
of all governing displacement components from each member such as joint , axial, shear, flexure, torsion and
beam-connections related displacements. To this end, RAM Frame Drift Control module helps users identify
which member contributes the most to the drift at a point. The break-down of a member contribution to the drift
constitutes displacement components such as joint, axial, shear, flexure, torsion and beam-connection and this
information helps the user identify what sectional properties of a member to change to arrive at an optimized
size. The joint displacement represents the deformation in the rigid-end zones (panel-zones).
The module is based on the well-known Castigliano’s Energy Theorem where a fictitious or “virtual” load is
applied in the direction of the drift under investigation. A special acknowledgement is given here to Dr. Finley A.
Charney, President, Advanced Structural Concepts Inc., for his prior work in this area, particularly the virtual
work based concepts as implemented it in the computer programs DISPAR and PANELS, published by Advanced
Structural Concepts, Inc., Golden, Colorado.
Energy methods, such as Castigliano’s, help determine the deflection of a structure at a given point due to an
external load by “pairing” it with what is commonly called a “virtual load”. The loads are referred to as
“fictitious” or “virtual” interchangeably only because they do not represent any “real-world” load cases. The
module helps users quantify the contribution of each frame member to the flexibility of the building under
investigation. This information can then be used to modify the sizes and topology of the frames to arrive at a
building design optimized for drift considerations.
The steps required in using the module are explained in detail in Chapter 2. The chapter describes how to set up
nodal and story load cases that are required to calculate the so-called displacement participation factors that
help quantify the contribution of a member to the building flexibility. The chapter also discusses the graphical
and report outputs for the module. Chapter 3 covers the theoretical basis for the Drift Control module.

1.1 Results
The Process – Results command allows the user to visually observe, through normalized color-coding, the
contribution of each member to overall building flexibility. These quantities are called “ Displacement
Participation Factors ” [DPF] or alternatively PF, for short. The following DPF are available for color-coded
display:
Total Displacement This represents the total member contribution (which is the sum of axial, shear,
Participation Factor flexure, torsion, joint and beam connection displacements) and is the default
used in the module whenever Drift Control analysis is carried out.

RAM Structural System 4 RAM Frame Drift Control

Introduction
Results

Total Displacement/ The total DPF divided by the member volume gives critical information for a
Volume Participation minimum weight (or volume) design. Information on Total DPF per volume
Factor helps identify members whose size can be modified to arrive at the most weight/
volume optimized design. Total DPF/Volume is also called the Sensitivity Index
(SI). SI can also be viewed as a measure of the participation of each member per
unit volume.
Axial Displacement This represents the contribution of members through axial deflection.
Participation Factor
Shear Displacement This represents the contribution of members through major and minor shear
Participation Factor deflection.
Flexural Displacement This represents the contribution of members through major and minor flexural
Participation Factor deflection.
Joint Displacement This represents the contribution of members through deflections in the rigid end
Participation Factor zone. In centerline analysis, the joint DPFs are all zero.
Beam Connection This represents the contribution of connections assigned to beams.
Displacement
Participation Factor
Member Volume This represents the volume of the member under consideration.

The currently selected load pair can be changed through the “load pair” drop-down box. The quantities of
interest can also be changed

RAM Structural System 5 RAM Frame Drift Control

 Using the RAM Frame Drift Control Module
2
This chapter explains the basics of the Drift Control module. This includes how to set up nodal and story load
cases and how to pair them as load pairs and carry out a Drift Control analysis. The chapter also discusses the
graphical and report outputs for the module.

2.1 Creating Virtual Load Cases

A virtual work or optimization operation requires the application of fictitious load(s) in the direction of the
displacement under investigation. Such fictitious loads are grouped in the RAM Structural System as “Virtual
Load” Cases. Both nodal loads and story loads are available in the Virtual Load cases. The nodal virtual load cases
are defined in the Modeler while the story virtual load cases are defined in RAM Frame Analysis – Load Cases
Mode.
The nodal virtual load cases are created just like any other nodal load case as described in the RAM Modeler
manual.
Virtual story loads are created in RAM Frame using the Loads – Load Cases command while in Analysis – Load
Cases Mode. Virtual loads have their own type: “Virtual Load”. The loads are entered by specifying their
magnitude, their direction and point of application.
The magnitude of the virtual load is not an absolute number. A load of any magnitude is theoretically possible.
The only practical requirement is that the load be of a magnitude that produces reasonable (not very high or
very low) participation factors (PF). The participation factor of an element is defined as the measure of a
member’s contribution to the quantity under investigation, such as roof displacement. A good rule of thumb is to
pick the magnitude as somewhere between 20 to 50% of the estimated seismic or wind load base shear in the
building.
The direction of the virtual load should be in the direction of the drift under investigation. For example, for
studying the behavior of the building in the global X-direction, both the “virtual” and “real” (wind, seismic or
other) load case should be oriented along the global X-Axis. For studying the rotational characteristics of a
building, the user should enter a small virtual load at a large eccentricity. This will essentially produce virtually a
twisting moment that can be paired with the real load that is producing rotations in the building.
After both the real and virtual load cases are created and defined, they should be included in the list of load cases
that are to be analyzed using the Process – Analyze command in Analysis – Load Cases Mode.

RAM Structural System 6 RAM Frame Drift Control

Using the RAM Frame Drift Control Module
Drift Control Analysis

2.2 Drift Control Analysis

Once the analysis of the building is completed, the user needs to go to the Drift Control Mode, by selecting
“ Drift Control ” from the Mode menu. It is in this module that the load pairs are defined and the actual Drift
Control analysis carried out.

2.2.1 Load Pairs

In the Drift Control Module, the “Virtual” Load cases created and analyzed in RAM Frame are “paired” with a
corresponding “real” load cases. The “pairing” of loads is an important feature of energy methods and care
should be taken in identifying what virtual and real load cases to pair. For example, for studying Drift Control in
the global X-direction, a virtual load case applied in the X-direction should be paired with a real load case in the
same direction. These load pairs could be “single” load pairs or “multiple” load-pairs. While single pairing is
what is commonly used, multiple pairing may be necessary to study drifts in a none-orthogonal direction. The
load pairs are defined using the Loads - Load Pairs command in the Drift Control Module, which lists both the
analyzed virtual and real load cases. Pairing is done by specifying the virtual and real components of the pair and
the factor that multiplies them. The factor is usually taken as 1.0.
Once load pairs are defined, the user needs to select the “ Process-Analyze ” command to perform the Drift
Control analysis. The module then evaluates the participation factors (PF) of each member and color-codes the
elements according to their contribution to the flexibility of the building.
For example, if the user is interested in reducing the roof story drift due to an earthquake load, an earthquake
load case is selected as the “real-load” component of a load pair. The “virtual” component of the load pair will
then be a virtual load that has lateral forces only at the roof level even though the real displacement is caused by
a distributed earthquake load. The structure is then displayed with the PF that elements are experiencing from
the stresses induced by the earthquake load case.

2.2.2 View/Update
The Process - View/Update command lets the user pick a particular member and view the different
components of its participation factor (such as flexural, shear, joint , axial and connections for beams). For
example doing a View/Update on a beam will display the beam properties (size, Fy etc) and also its axial, joint,
shear, flexural and beam connection displacement participation factors that contribute to the total drift of the
building.
The user can also modify the member size and material properties in this dialog box. Once sizes and material
properties are changed, the Drift Control Module automatically recalculates the member PFs based on the new
data. However, note that the elastic stiffness analysis results remain the same until a re-analysis is invoked from
the “Analysis” mode.

2.2.3 Output Reports

The module provides features for printing three outputs that are accessed through the “ Reports ” command.

RAM Structural System 7 RAM Frame Drift Control

Using the RAM Frame Drift Control Module
Drift Control Analysis

Reports - Displacement A comprehensive summary of participation factors for each lateral

Participation – Single
Reports - Participation Summary
Reports - Displacement/Volume
Summary
member for each load pair.
A summary of member volume and participation factor/volume for
each lateral member for each load pair.
A summarized output for a single member.

2.2.4 Exiting Drift Control Module

The user may exit the Drift Control Mode through the “ Mode ” drop-down list box right below the tool bar. Once
a “Drift Control” analysis is done, if any sizes are changed it is recommended to re-check the validity of the
design for strength considerations by going to the steel post-processors.

RAM Structural System 8 RAM Frame Drift Control

 Technical Notes on Virtual Work Theory
3
Energy methods such as Virtual Work method have traditionally been used to calculate deflections in
determinate and indeterminate truss structures. The principle of Virtual Work states that the external work
done in a physical domain should be equal to the internal work done.
This principle is further used in such theories as the Castigliano’s theorem that states that the work done by
virtual loads going through real displacements is the same as the internal work done by real loads causing
virtual displacements. This can be expressed as follows:

( )T εir d V
DPF i = ∫ σiv Equation 3-1

where
DPFi = the displacement participation factor for member i
dV = the volume of the member i
σiv = the stresses in member i due to a virtual load

εir = the strains member i due to real loads

The virtual stresses and real strains are computed during analysis in RAM Frame due to real and virtual load
cases, considering element properties and structural configurations.
In its most general form, the contributions to displacements could be expanded through its component stresses
and strains as:

F vir Δreal = ∫Ω∫−h (

h /2 v r v r v r v r v r
)v r
/2 σxx εxx + σ yy ε yy + σzz εzz + σxz εxz + σ yz ε yz + σxy εxy d z d A
Equation 3-2

As can be seen from the above equation, the contribution to the component participation is made of strain
energy due to in-plane, transverse shear and transverse normal stresses and strains.
This breakdown of contribution helps to identify which behavior is dominant and what sectional or material
property needs to be modified to arrive at acceptable and desired response.
The same principles are extended here to a case of civil engineering structures to get a useful quantitative
assessment of contribution of member flexibility to structural responses such as roof displacement (or drift) and
fundamental periods. Furthermore, the methodology also helps evaluate the contribution of each energy
component, i.e., shear, flexure, axial and joint deformation to the structure’s response under consideration
thereby indicating the member properties that need to be modified for an optimized design.
By multiplying the contribution of both a “virtual” load case and a “real” load to each of the energy components
(i.e., shear, flexure, axial and torsion), the contribution of each member in the structure to drift is evaluated. The
elemental contribution (also called DPF - displacement participation factor) to drift (or frequency, as the case
maybe) is further broken down to each of the components such as shear, flexure, axial, joint and torsion
displacements.
• This breakdown of contribution helps to identify which behavior is dominant and what sectional or material
property needs to be modified to arrive at acceptable and desired responses. For instance, to reduce drift or

RAM Structural System 9 RAM Frame Drift Control

Technical Notes on Virtual Work Theory
Example Problem

frequency, members with large participation factors should be made stiffer and contributing members
with very small participation factors could be made smaller. Furthermore, an important piece of
information is the per volume contribution (or participation) of each structural element, which is also referred
to as Sensitivity Index (SI). It is obtained by dividing the element participation factor by its volume. From a
weight optimization point of view, the Sensitivity Index provide valuable information as summarized below:
1. “When adding material to a structure to reduce displacement, the material should be added to the
member (s) with the largest sensitivity index.”
2. “When removing material from a structure to improve economy, the material should be removed from
member (s) with the smallest SI values”. [1]
The reader is referred to References [1] - [3] for further reading on Virtual Work optimization.

3.1 Example Problem

A simple 2-Dimensional braced-frame structure is used here to demonstrate the use of the Drift Control module
in generating useful information in controlling drift with minimum weight/volume considerations. The following
figure shows problem definitions and loadings on the frame. The frame is subjected to lateral loads of 100 Kips,
75 Kips and 50 Kips at the roof, the second and the first floors, respectively. A virtual load of 100 Kips is applied
at the roof.
The member sizes are given in the following table. As shown in the table, columns and braces contribute most to
the flexibility of the frame, particularly Columns 5 and 6 at first floor and braces 2 and 3 at second and first floor,
respectively, which is an expected behavior. To decrease the roof drift, the column sizes at the first floor and the
braces need to be increased. The breakdown into components suggests that columns of higher axial area are
needed to reduce drift since it is the axial contribution that is very significant. A column with higher Ixx and Iyy
will not necessarily reduce drift as much as expected.
The beams could be made much smaller because they account for less than 5% of the whole deformation. From a
weight optimization point of view, an increase or decrease in brace sizes will produce the most change in drift. In
other words, the braces have the highest sensitivity index. To reduce drift, increasing the brace sizes (i.e., area)
produces an efficient system. This exercise results in maximum stiffness with a minimum volume of material.
On the other hand, if the need arises to allow more drift, then member sizes could be reduced. The tabulated
results indicate that beam and column sizes could be safely reduced without introducing a significant increase in
drift. The only practical limit on the sizes of the beams and columns will be gravity load designs. However, since
the braces have the highest SI (Sensitivity Index), then reducing their sizes even slightly (particularly cross-
sectional area) will result in large increase in drift. This reduction in brace sizes is therefore very much limited,
compared to beams and columns.

RAM Structural System 10 RAM Frame Drift Control

Technical Notes on Virtual Work Theory
Example Problem

Figure 1: A simple Braced-Frame

Table 1: Distribution of Displacement Participation Factors Element-by-Element

Member Size Axial PF Shear PF Flexure PF Joint PF Total PF Total PF /

Volume

Beam 1 W21x166 0.0 0.0970 0.3265 0.1122 0.535 0.00

Beam 2 W21x166 0.0 0.4221 1.4202 0.4881 2.33 0.01

Beam 3 W21x166 0.0 0.661 2.2253 0.7649 3.65 0.02

Col 1 W16x89 1.9311 0.1650 0.8922 0.4398 3.42 0.03

Col 2 W16x89 0.0265 0.1650 0.8922 0.4398 1.52 0.01

Col 3 W16x89 11.5828 0.2572 1.3924 0.7050 13.93 0.13

Col 4 W16x89 2.9996 0.2572 1.3924 0.7050 5.35 0.05

Col 5 W16x89 31.6713 0.5447 4.1813 0.2819 36.67 0.35

Col 6 W16x89 14.7126 0.5447 4.1813 0.2819 19.72 0.19

Brace 1 HSS4X4X1/ 17.5384 0.00 0.00 0.00 17.5384 0.49

2

Brace 2 HSS4X4X1/ 31.5886 0.00 0.00 0.00 31.5886 0.87

2

Brace 3 HSS4X4X1/ 36.1335 0.00 0.00 0.00 36.1335 1.00

2

RAM Structural System 11 RAM Frame Drift Control

 References
4
1. Charney, F.A., “The Use of Displacement Participation Factors in the Optimization of Wind Drift Controlled
Buildings”, Proceedings of the Second Conference on Tall Buildings in Seismic Regions, Council on Tall
Buildings and Urban Habitat, Los Angeles, 1991.
2. Charney, F.A., “Economy of Steel Framed Buildings through Identification of Structural Behavior”,
Proceedings of the National Steel Construction Conference, AISC, Orlando, FL 1993.
3. Velivasakis, E.E., and DeScenza, R., “Design Optimization of Lateral Load Resisting Frameworks”, Proceedings
of the Eights Conference on Electronic Computation, ASCE, Houston, Texas, 1983.

RAM Structural System 12 RAM Frame Drift Control

 Index
D L
drift control load pairs 7 V
analysis 6 viewing 7
Drift Control control module
using 6
R virtual load cases
creating 6
references 12
drift control module virtual work theory
reports
exiting 8 example problem 10
output 7
technical notes on 9
results 4
I
Introduction 4
U
updating 7

RAM Structural System 13 RAM Frame Drift Control