There are two types of Slab Action, One-way and Two-way. To assign a One-way deck to the layout, select the One-Way option, specify the orientation, select the Framing System (Composite, Noncomposite or Concrete) and select the Deck Type from the table of decks. To assign a Two-way deck to the layout, select the Two-Way option, select the Framing System (Noncomposite or Concrete) and select the Deck from the table of decks/slabs (Composite decks cannot be specified as Two-way decks).

See Drop Caps , which are a special form of Two-way decks.

For One-way decks the orientation of the deck (i.e., the direction that it spans) is used to determine the direction that loads on the deck are to be distributed to the supporting members. The orientation is also used by the RAM Steel Beam module in determining composite section properties and shear stud values and placement. The deck orientation angle is shown by evenly spaced parallel lines running in the direction of the deck span along the length of the deck graphic. For Two-way decks the Orientation is irrelevant and need not be specified.

Decks may be assigned over the whole floor or in sections of the floor. The Add option is used to create a polygon that defines the boundary of the deck assignment. This is done by clicking on SnapTo points and/or using the Keyboard Mode Coordinate Entry command to explicitly enter the coordinates (see Keyboard Mode Coordinate Entry ) to define the vertices of the deck polygon. Multiple deck polygons can be defined. Decks should be assigned beyond the slab edge boundary; the program will automatically "clip" the deck assignment so that it is bordered by the slab edge. If a deck fails to reach the slab edge boundary, errors will occur in the Design modules that will preclude the completion of a design. An exception is that for One-way decks the program will assume a generic noncomposite deck occurs between an edge beam or wall and the slab edge if no deck is modeled in that area.

Deck assignments are depicted on the screen by a hatching pattern while in Deck Assign mode. They can also be displayed by toggling the Show Decks option of the Options > Set Show Options command; there is an option to either show the decks clipped to the slab edge or unclipped to the slab edge.

The slab edge boundary should be input before decks are assigned. If the slab boundary is not completely defined, RAM Modeler will not display the decks. The DataCheck command can be used to obtain a report that lists any breaks in the slab edge and where those breaks are located.

Any beam or segment of beam that extends beyond the boundary of the slab edge is not assigned any deck properties or surface loads for that segment. In the RAM Steel Beam Design module such beams will automatically be designed as noncomposite unless the segment is only the cantilever portion of the beam.

RAM Frame considers any lateral frame member that falls outside the slab edge to be disconnected from the diaphragm in a Rigid Diaphragm analysis.