Due to modeling and analysis accuracy considerations, shear walls are often modeled as a series of panels in the RAM Structural System. The shear wall member force outputs consist of forces and moments for these individual panels only. However, structural designers are more interested in the total shear forces, bending moments, axial forces and twisting moments in a "shear wall group" as shown in the following figure rather than individual wall panels. The integration of panel forces to arrive at such forces and moments for wall groups is done by the program separately. Wall groups are defined by the user by assigning a unique number to a group of wall panels. A given wall group can also contain piers modeled as columns.

In RAM Frame, the user can assign a unique "Wall-Group" number to a group of wall panels. The user can also assign such number to concrete or "other" columns which act as piers. RAM Frame calculates the center of gravity and determines the local axis of the wall group. This is best done by letting the user pick the wall panel that defines the local axis to be considered for integrating the wall forces: the local axis of the last panel selected for a given wall group number will be used to define the local axis of the wall group. The minor axis of the wall-group is orthogonal to this major axis. The integrated wall-group forces are always painted on the panel that defines the wall-group local axis.

The integrated wall forces for "wall-groups" are available for viewing and printing through the following commands. Note that individual wall panel forces are still available through "Member Forces" command.

By selecting the Process - Results – Wall-Group Forces command the user will be able to view the wall-group forces on the screen. The forces will be shown at the wall panel(s) that defines the wall-group’s local axis. The exact location is determined by projecting the coordinate of the center of gravity of the wall-group on the wall panel(s). This painting of integrated forces on such wall panels will give the user explicit information on the location of the local axis considered by the program in addition to the magnitudes of the wall-group forces.

Selecting the Reports – Print Wall-Group Forces will print the integrated forces (P, V-Major, V-Minor, M-Major, M-Minor and M-Torsion) story-by-story and group-by-group.