The program has an extensive set of design defaults to customize the way concrete beams are designed and detailed. First you need to designate the concrete moment frame type:

• Select Criteria > Frame Type.
  
• Set the Frame Type to Special Moment Frame.
• Set the Load Combination Factors to ACI 318-02 Sec. 21.3.4.1.
• Click [OK].

To set up the beam design defaults which will be used for all beams:

• Select Criteria > Beam Design.
  
• For Clear Bar Spacing, Clear Bar Cover and Longitudinal Reinf. Ratio, select the Code option.

  This will result in the program using the code limits for all cover and spacing.

• For Bar Sizes to Consider for Design select the following:
  • For Longitudinal #5 through #10
  • For Transverse #3 and #4
• Use the defaults for Cover to Center of Bars.

  This is the value used by the program to establish the depth of the reinforcing.

• Click on the Bar Selection Tab to set the more beam design defaults:
  
• Enter 2 for both Minimum Number of Bars Top and Minimum Number of Bars Bottom
• Deselect Keep all bars in layer the same size.
• Type 2 for Adjacent bars may differ in size by ___ sizes.
• For Transverse Bars, set the following:
  • Type 12 for Segment Length Increment
  • Type 3 for Bar Spacing Increment
• Accept the defaults for both "Select bars base on" and "Bar Selection Bias".
• Click on the Design Checks/Forces tab:
  
• For now, include both Design Checks.

  At this time, the concrete beam design program does not design beams for additional torsional reinforcing. Nor does it consider the special detailing requirements of deep beams. When a beam exceeds the torsional limit of the concrete or the maximum depth to span ratio a warning will be given. Some users prefer not to get these warnings so that they can concentrate of other types of design issues.

• For Gravity Forces on Lateral Beams. Select to Use RAM Concrete Analysis Forces.

  In rare cases, the 3D finite element analysis performed by RAM Frame may actually be more accurate than the floor-by-floor approach used in the Concrete Analysis mode.

• Click [OK].