Working with Beams

Below is a list along with a brief description of each command available for modeling beams. Directions on the precise use of each command are provided in the on-line help. Many of the commands are also covered in the Tutorial.

Icon	Description
	Beams are added to the model by using the Layout – Beams – Add On-Grid, Layout – Beams – Add Off-Grid, Layout – Beams – Add Generation or Layout – Beams – Assign Cantilever commands. Each of these Add commands serves a special purpose. Their appropriate uses are as follows:

Type of Beam Modeling	Command and Mode to Use
Adding several beams Column-To-Column along Grid lines	Layout - Beams - Add On-Grid: Fence Mode
Adding one beam using existing SnapTo points to define the end points.	Layout - Beams - Add On-Grid: Single Mode
Adding one beam using two existing beams to define the end points	Layout - Beams - Add Off-Grid: Beam-to-Beam (Dist, Angle) Beam-to-Beam (Dist, Dist)
Adding one beam using an existing beam and an existing column to define the end points.	Layout - Beams - Add Off-Grid: Beam-to-Column (Dist) Column-to-Beam (Angle)
Adding one beam parallel to another using an existing beam to define the beam orientation.	Layout - Beams - Add Off-Grid: Parallel-to-Beam
Adding several beams using an existing beam (or line of beams) to define one end of the beams, an angle to define the direction of the beams, and spacing to define the distance between beams.	Layout - Beams - Add Generation
Adding several concrete beams using an existing beam (or line of beams) to define one end of the beams, and angle to define the direction of the beams, a pan size to define the distance between the beams, and a beam width to define the spacing between the pan joists/beams.	Layout - Beams - Add Pan Joist/Beam
Adding Cantilevers to the end of existing beams.	Layout - Beams - Assign Cantilevers Type: Extension
Adding Stub Cantilevers (a cantilever with no backspan).	Layout - Beams - Assign Cantilevers Type: Stub

Icon	Description
	The Layout – Beams – Add Off-Grid commands are particularly useful. They provide a way of adding beams without requiring that the exact support coordinates be calculated.
	The Layout – Beams – Add Pan Joist/Beam command is unique in that it simultaneously lays out multiple beams and assigns sizes to them based on the pan selected and the beam width defined during generation. If one of the Add commands is issued in a location where a beam already exists, the command will be ignored. No error message will be given if in Layout-Beams-Add On-Grid - Fence Mode, Layout-Beams-Add Generation or Layout – Beams – Add Pan Joist/Beam.
	The Layout – Beams – Assign Cantilevers command provides a way of adding cantilevers or changing the length of cantilevers that have already been created. Cantilevers can be either an Extension of a beam (a cantilever with a backspan) or a Stub (a cantilever framing off of a column, wall or side of a beam, without a backspan). When the type is Extension, the cantilever can be defined as either a given length or by the X- or Y-grid to which it extends; the properties and orientation are automatically set to be the same as for the backspan beam. When the type is Stub the cantilever can be defined as a given length, by the X- or Y-grid to which it extends, or by selecting the point to which it extends; the properties and orientation also need to be specified.
	The Layout – Beams – Move command allows the repositioning of a beam by either moving the beam parallel to its current position or moving only one end of the beam to a new location. This action has the options of adjusting secondary beams to maintain global orientation or relative spacing.
	The Layout – Beams – Offset command allows one or both ends of a beam to be offset, with rigid links automatically inserted or deleted. This action has the options of adjusting secondary beams to maintain global orientation or relative spacing.
	The Layout – Beams – Assign Rigid Links command allows rigid links to be added to or deleted from the ends of beams.
	A delete command is provided to remove beams from the Model. The Layout - Beams - Delete command affects only the beams modeled in the currently selected material mode. For example, if the current material mode is Steel, only steel beams can be deleted.
	A delete command is provided to remove cantilevers from the Model. The Layout - Beams – Delete Cantilevers command affects only the cantilevers modeled in the currently selected material mode. For example, if the current material mode is Steel, only steel cantilevers can be deleted. This command can be used to delete either Extension cantilevers or Stub cantilevers. In the case of Extension cantilevers, only the cantilever portion is deleted, not the entire beam.
	The Layout - Beams - Change Properties command is used to make changes to the properties of a beam. It is common practice to layout the beams with the most common properties defined. The Layout - Beams - Change Properties command is then used to modify the properties of beams as needed.
	The Layout - Beams - Change Materials command works in conjunction with the Materials command to change the material designation of an existing beam. First, the new material is selected from the Material menu. Then, the Layout - Beams - Change Materials command is issued. This command is used to change steel beams to steel joists, concrete beams to steel beams, etc.
	Beam end and support coordinates and beam properties can be inspected by using the Layout - Beams - Show command.
	Size restrictions, if desired, can be set or cleared by using the Layout - Beams - Size Restriction command. This command is only available in Steel, Steel Joist, Smartbeam and Westok Cellular Beam material modes and the data is used only by the RAM Steel Beam Design module. For steel beams, the program will optimize such that a beam is selected which meets the specified size restriction. For Steel Joists, the program will replace the XX with the specified depth to designate the joist depth in the joist label. Options for beam size restrictions include minimum depth, maximum depth, and minimum width.
	Assigned size restrictions can be viewed graphically using the Options – Size Restrictions command.
	Gravity steel beams are assigned the default steel design table when first created. They can be flagged, on a beam-by-beam basis, to be designed by the RAM Steel Beam Design module using an alternate table of shapes by selecting the Layout - Beams - Steel Table command. This command is available in Steel, Steel Joist, SMARTBEAM, and Westok Cellular Beam material mode. The actual beam design tables used as the Default and the Alternate are specified in the Criteria - Design Steel Tables command in the RAM Manager.
	By default the Live Load Reduction allowed by the selected Code will be calculated and applied. Using the Layout - Beams - LL Reduction command the user can specify that a specific value of Live Load Reduction be used or that the calculated value be used but limited to a maximum value as specified.
	By default, Stub cantilevers are modeled flat, but they can be sloped using the Layout – Beams – Stub Cantilever Slope command. This can be done by either specifying the Slope Angle or by specifying the change in elevation of the cantilever tip.
	The Layout - Beams - Brace Points command provides the means to indicate special compression flange bracing conditions not automatically detected by the RAM Steel Beam Design or the RAM Frame programs. The programs automatically consider the top and bottom flange braced wherever another beam frames in and only the top flange braced wherever a steel joist frames in. If additional brace points are desired, they can be specified at any point on any beam for either top or bottom flange using the Layout - Beams - Brace Points command. These brace points can be modeled individually or generated at specified spacing.
	Assigned brace points can be viewed graphically using the Options - Show Brace Points command.
	The RAM Frame program requires information on the end fixity conditions, pinned or fixed, of the lateral frame members for the lateral analysis. The default for beams is fixed at both ends about all three axes. The default settings can be modified on a beam-by-beam basis using the Layout - Beams - Assign Frame Fixity command. Fixity can also be assigned to gravity Concrete and 'Other' Beams. RAM Frame considers the fixity on lateral members and RAM Concrete Analysis considers the fixity on lateral and gravity members when creating the finite element model. Refer to the Assign section in the RAM Concrete Analysis manual, for more information regarding member fixities and the finite element model. Note: When modeled, gravity members are by default considered pinned (released) against bending and fixed against torsion at each end. If gravity members are changed into lateral members they retain their fixity assignments. Lateral members are by default assigned fixed-end conditions when modeled. If Steel lateral beams are changed to gravity beams they are assigned pinned ends (fixed against torsion), but if Concrete or 'Other' lateral beams are changed to gravity, they retain the fixity from their lateral state.
	Sizes can be assigned to gravity or lateral beams using the Layout - Beams - Assign Sizes command. This is not required for gravity steel beams. If sizes are not assigned to gravity steel beams, they will be optimized in the RAM Steel Beam Design module. If sizes are assigned to gravity steel beams, the gravity steel beams will be checked using the assigned size, not optimized, in the RAM Steel Beam Design module. This is useful when checking an existing design or in cases where a specific beam size is to be used.
	Both lateral and gravity concrete beams must have sizes assigned in order to optimize concrete beams in the RAM Concrete Beam module. Sizes can be assigned both in the RAM Modeler as well as in the RAM Concrete module, however, concrete beam section properties must be defined in the PropTable – Beam Sections command in the RAM Modeler.
	The Layout - Beams - Clear Sizes command is used to clear the user assigned sizes from the database, including those updated to the database from within the Steel or Concrete Beam Design modules.
	Options - Show Sizes can be used to show the assigned sizes.
	Options – Show Member Lengths – Projected can be used to display beam, horizontal brace, and wall lengths projected in plan view.
	Options – Show Member Lengths – Actual can be used to display actual beam, horizontal brace, and top of wall lengths, taking into account sloping members.
	Web openings can be modeled in gravity I-section steel beams. The Layout – Beams – Web Openings commands are available while in Steel mode only. If a beam with web openings is changed to a material other than steel, or if the shape of the beam is changed to a Rectangular HS or Channel, or if the beam is changed from gravity to lateral, the Datacheck will issue a warning about the web openings. They will be ignored during the design and should be deleted by the user.
	Web openings can be viewed graphically using the Options – Show Web Openings command. Web openings are drawn on screen to represent their position along the span of the beam as well as their shape. They are not drawn to scale.