RAM Concrete Beam is a powerful tool that allows engineers to quickly design and layout reinforcement for gravity and lateral concrete beams. The Concrete Beam module uses the structural model and data created in RAM Modeler along with the lateral forces from RAM Frame and the gravity forces from RAM Concrete Analysis. Beam lines (as assigned in the Concrete Analysis mode) can be designed individually with the View/Update option or all at once using the Design All option.

The ability to calculate and check concrete beam deflections is included for the ACI design codes. RAM calculates gravity deflections in the RAM Concrete Analysis Module. Based on user criteria the resulting dead load, live load, long-term and net deflections are calculated in the RAM Concrete Beam program. The resulting deflections are compared to specified deflection limits and reported to the user in print and graphic format.

The many output reports available provide supporting information on the design, which can be used to check and detail the beams.

Chapters 3 and 4 provide an overview of the program and its commands, for the case of the ACI and BS8110/CP65/ AS 3600 design codes, respectively.

Chapters 5 to 10 provide a detailed look at the technical assumptions made by the Concrete Beam module, primarily code interpretation, for the ACI, BS8110, CP65, AS3600, Eurocode 2 and GB50010 design codes, respectively. It is crucial that the engineer reads and understands this chapter so as to be aware of how these assumptions affect each design.

Chapter 11 gives a detailed explanation of the output reports available from RAM Concrete Beam.