The ability to move and slope columns and attached framing is available from the RAM Modeler. Primary beams will move with the top of the column, stretching or shrinking as necessary. Web openings in beams will maintain their absolute spacing from where they were modeled. Isolated foundations will move with the bottom of the column as will the end of a continuous foundation on a moved column. The behavior of walls and secondary beams will be dictated by the Options available from the Move Column dialog as explained in more detail below. Additionally, the following items will be updated appropriately with the modified framing: slab edges, slab openings, nodal loads, brace points, point loads, line loads, surface loads, snow loads, and deck polygons.

If you attempt to move a column into a position that results in an illegal framing condition, a warning will be given.

The Move Column command can be initiated either from the Layout - Columns - Move menu or from the toolbar.

Specify whether you are moving column tops, column bottoms, or both. Specify Top Only or Bottom Only to create sloping columns. If you don't specify Top and Bottom you will create sloping columns when you move them.

There are two options for moving columns. Either a new location can be specified, or a column can be moved to a relative location.

The Specify New Location option only works in Single mode. Click Single to select a column to move. Then select the new location on the layout or enter the new coordinates in the Keyboard Mode Coordinate Entry dialog for the column to complete the command.

The Increment Current Coordinates option works in either Single or Fence mode. Both positive and negative increments can be entered to offset a column from its current location. Click Single to move a single column, or click Fence to fence a group of columns to move together.

If the Move Walls with Columns option is checked, and either Top and Bottom or Top Only is selected as the Move option, any wall ends framing into the top of the moved column will move. This option can be unchecked to pull a column away from a wall.

The Adjust secondary beams to Maintain Global Orientation option will attempt to maintain the global orientation of the secondary beams as much as possible. There may be framing geometry that will make this impossible. If it is not possible to maintain the orientation of the beam without disconnecting framing, the framing will be preserved and the beam will be reoriented. With this option, it is possible that beams will become too small. The lengths of beams are checked with each move. If the move results in a beam less than 6" in length, the user is given the option to delete that beam.

The Adjust secondary beams to Maintain Relative Spacing option will maintain the % distance from the beam's support, thus preserving the relative spacing of beams on a girder. Beams will change orientation. This option is similar to how the Move Grids feature deals with secondary beams.