In order to get good deflection predictions, it is necessary to define reasonable cross sections. This includes defining cross sections that cover all regions of significant stress. Cross sections can be defined by drawing span segments and generating span segment strips or by drawing design sections. When drawing design sections it is important to pay attention to the "tributary length" property to ensure proper element coverage.

It is also advisable in structures that are cracking sensitive (like RC structures) to define cross sections that are not too wide in regions of steep moment gradient. An example of recommended usage would be using column and middle strips in a reinforced concrete two-way slab. Making the cross sections too wide could, due to stress averaging, cause the cracking prediction for the cross section to be unconservative and result in underestimation of deflections.

Another example is cross sections with significant axial forces due to bending caused by eccentric element stiffness. For example, a T beam with separate cross sections for the web and the flanges. In this case, a large portion of the bending behavior will be captured through eccentric axial forces in the cross sections. However, since RAM Concept ’s load history calculations rely on cross section curvatures and not axial strains to make element stiffness adjustments, this portion of the bending behavior will not be captured in the load history analysis. This will generally result in an underestimation of deflections. Therefore, drawing spans and cross sections in this manner is highly discouraged. A good approach is to utilize a reasonable effective flange in the T beam cross section, which will minimize the axial forces on the cross sections due to bending. One way to accomplish this is to select Code T-beam for the Column Strip Width Calc of the Span Segment.