RAMSTEEL TRAINING SESSION #2

Complete RAMSTEEL Tutorial #1

1 hr, 30 min

1. The first tutorial will give you an excellent basis for completing this exercise. There is also a
more advanced tutorial in the V9 manuals that your Engineering Manager has.
2. Review PowerPoint presentation "Best Known Practices Mezzanine Design" presented to
Engineering Council on June 12, 2002.

Hands-On Training - IT7108 test order

1 hr, 30 min

1. Select File - New. Locate on C:\Scratch and use Tutorial02 for file name. Typically files
should be saved under O:\Orders drive. Input Widget America for job name and check English
units.
2. From RAM Manager, select Criteria Master Steel Tables and set tables to bldgdiv. Do
similarly for Design Steel Tables for both Beam and Column (See Figure 1).

.
Figure 1
3. From RAM Manager, select Criteria Live Load Reduction and set code to IBC, General.
4. From RAM Manager, select Criteria Self Weight and select top 3 items (Figure 1a). In this
example the weight of the beams is included in the dead load.

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Figure 1a

5. Select Model

at left of screen to start RAM Modeler.

6. Use Options Set Defaults to set default to 55 ksi, non-composite. Alternate: Use Change
Properties after laying out entire structure.
7. Select Layout Type Select and add Mezz for Floor Type ID.
8. Try to get familiar with using the toolbar buttons in this exercise instead of the menu. It can
save you time. Select the appropriate button depending on whether you are laying out grids
beams columns or slab.

9. Select Layout Grid

a. Add Orthogonal Grid System Label Mezz. Select Add.
b. Click Edit Grids and set up the X & Y grids per the 11x17 data sketch. Grid H1 is
located at 0,0.
i. Select X grid tab. Input 6 bays at 25 for the X grids (below, left). After
selecting Automatic Ascending, click Add.
ii. Add a blank grid at 1.17 (=12). Grids C & 1 are reference grids only for the
structure lines (no beams or columns).
iii. Select Y grid tab. Use Manual to lay out Y grid lines H, F, D & C at 20
endwall column spacing (below, right). After selecting Manual, click Add.

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X grid setup

Y grid setup

iv. Add E.3 grid at 30and a blank grid at 58.83.

v. Make sure the blank grids (X and Y) have no Grid Labels and to uncheck box
next to I end of grid as shown below.

c. Before proceeding, be sure the grids are set up as shown in Figure 2.

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Figure 2

d. Select the grid system to be used for the mezzanine

10. Lateral versus Gravity members

a. Lateral
i. Carry other loads such as wind, roof
ii. Height greater than mezzanine
iii. MRF, LRF or endwall columns
iv. Lateral or Moment frames
b. Gravity
i. Support mezzanine loads only
ii. Pinned ends
.

11. Select Layout Columns

a. Layout columns on grid per data sketch

. Note that all the sidewall, endwall and
MF interior columns are lateral columns. Why? They have addl loads such as wind or
frame loads in addition to the mezzanine gravity loads.
12. Select File Save. Partners SWITCH DRIVERS.

13. Select Layout Beams

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a. Layout beams on grid per data sketch

. The easiest way to do this is to fence in the

entire layout and just delete

the beams you dont need. Use edge beams around the
perimeter. We will use joists instead of beams at the interior columns except from 2F to
2(E.3).
b. Use Off Grid

to add beams for stairway opening @ 5,15 and 8.

c. Use Change Properties

beam w/ bracing).

to change the beam between C2-C3 to lateral beam (strut

Figure 3

14. Layout joists.

a. Start by setting material to Steel Joist from dropdown on left side of menu.

b. Click Generation
to add joists at 2.5 centers. Make sure joists line up at the
interior columns. Tip drag from right to left (i.e. grid 7 to grid 1) in order to avoid the
1.17 offset in the first bay.
c. Delete extra joist adjacent to stairway header.
d. Switch material back to Steel.
e. Select File Save.

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15. Select Layout Slab

a. Layout 4 slab edges

around whole perimeter.

b. Layout slab openings with 4 overhangs

c. Layout deck

. Use In-Bay option.

on whole floor.

i. Be sure to lay it out in the horizontal direction. The purple graphical

representation is not necessarily the direction of the deck
ii. Note that non-composite deck is automatically an option and does not have to be
defined with PropTable

16. Select Layout Loads

a. Define
the surface loads. Be sure the live load is defined as storage. Dead load
must include beam self weight.

Figure 4
b. Use Help(F1) - Help Topics Find Mass to see why you dont need to fill
anything in for construction and mass dead load.
c. Layout

surface loads over the whole floor.

17. Define Story data. To be accurate, the story height should be 9.79 ft (=10 ft less joist depth).

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18. Perform Data Check.

19. Use Options - Set Show Options to make sure that all beams and columns are 55ksi and all
beams are non-composite. Make any changes required prior to proceeding further.
20. Select View - 3D View.
21. Select File Save. Partners SWITCH DRIVERS.
22. Exit Modeler.

23. Design Beams

a. Select Mezz layout from dropdown.
b. Select Design Steel Design Codes. Select ASD 9th Edition, Supplement #1.

c. Select View - Show Designs

d. If some of the beam designs are not shown, select Design All from the menu.
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e. Make both stairway beams the same size (BU 12x13.2) with View / Update. Select BU
12x13.2 - Analyze Update Database. Typically detailers & shop would also want all
beams along lines H & C to be the same size.
f. Set reports to print to screen with Reports - Screen.
g. Print Material Takeoff to screen with Reports Takeoff. Verify that the Beam Wt
19,125 lbs, Joists 30,191 lbs.
h. Note that on a real job, parts with a quantity of 1 should probably be changed to be the
same as other parts to minimize detailing.
i. Print Floor Layout to screen with Reports - Map Floor. Select Beam Design, Show
Studs, and Show Cambers, Landscape Orientation, Text Scale Factor 1.0. Dimensions
are not printed on the floor map.

24. Design Columns

a. Select View / Update from menu and select a gravity column marked with light green
+ (not a red one).
b. Click on Styfrom Column Selection Results (Figure 5). Click View Results to see
design results.

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Figure 5
c. Print Material Takeoff to screen with Reports Takeoff. Verify that the total column
weight 1086 lbs and the size is BU8x15.8. Realize that the 6 flange width is
probably too narrow for clip connections.

25. Design of Base Plates

a. From column module select Criteria Base Plates. Verify all settings.
b. Select Reports Base Plates Summary. View summary of all base plate designs.

26. Modifications
a. Change to mill steel RAM Manager - Criteria - Tables. Set to RAMAISC tables for
both Master and Design tables for both columns and beams
b. Go to RAM Modeler and use Beam - Change Properties
50ksi steel. .

.
to change all beams to

c. Set depth restriction for beams to 19 max using Layout - Beams Size restriction
d. Change gravity columns to square tubes, 46 ksi

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(Figure 6)

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Figure 6.
e. Exit Modeler.
f. Redesign beams. Verify that all beams are mill shapes less than 19 deep.
i. Select OK to the message on BU12x13.2 stairway beam not being found. That
is the beam you set the size for.
ii. Compare the weight to the previous takeoff of built up shapes. Beam Wt =
24654 lbs.
g. Redesign columns.
i. If the following message appears, select OK (numerous times). Use Criteria Trial Groups to reset the trial groups to mill shapes (Figure 7 & 7a). I have
reported this as a bug.

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Figure 7

Figure 7a
ii. Verify design results of tubes. Is Fy 46 ksi? Please note that we should more
typically use the Butler thin wall tubes in the BldgDiv tables.
h. Use Copy menu function to make columns 2F, 2(E.3) & 7(E.3) the same as 4(E.3)
27. Additional Features & Reports
a. Switch design to LRFD per the new Kaizen Design event: Beam Design Criteria
Steel Design Codes LRFD. Select Design All and compare the weight from the
Takeoff report. Beam Wt = 23,954 lbs (700 lbs lighter)
b. Review how to place joists on each side of column to avoid attachment and different
part at column location. This is the new method specified by the Kaizen event. Hint:
Place one joist at 1.25 ft from grid 7 and then space the rest at 2.5 ft centers.
c. Cantilevered Beam construction.
i. In RAM Modeler, delete beam 4(E.3) to 5(E.3). Be careful. If you select a joist
instead of the beam, you will get an error message.
ii. Add 4 cantilevered beams

over columns 4 and 5 at grid E.3.

iii. Add an On Grid simple span beam

iv. Add bottom flange braces
cantilevers.

between the ends of the cantilevers.

from adjacent joists at distance 7.75 from end of

d. Review bldgdiv section table in handout.

e. Use F1 for help; Right click to repeat last option.
f. Review DXF import from RAM Modeler - Layout - Type - Import from DXF. See R.
Vosters for additional guidelines on using this feature.

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g. Review DXF export from RAM Manager - Post- Processing - DXF File. This can be
used instead of Floor Map. It will show dimensions and can be modified with
AutoCAD.
h. 12 network licenses available for RAM Beam/Column, 1 for RAM Frame.
i. RAMFrame usage is limited since it cannot have slopes roofs or tapered columns.
28. Floor Vibration
a. Open either Class Tutorial #1 or RAM Tutorial from S:\RAM\Tutorial.
b. Go to the Beam module.
c. Select Vibration AISC Design Guide #11.
d. Pick a blue colored beam.
e. An Input Data window will appear.
f. Select Evaluate and Report buttons to view the results.

Figure 8

29. Mezzanine BKP

a. Based on Kaizen event held in San Marcos in October, 2001.
b. All mezzanines detailed in SanMarcos.
c. RAMSTEEL is used for all quotes and designs.
d. New slotted, all bolted, clips to maintain constant bolt gage in column.
e. New formed pour stop.
f. Standard fastening patterns for form deck.
g. Alternates for LRFD design.
h. Updated ballpark pricing.
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i. Consider unshored composite design for projects > 10,000 ft2, > 4.5 concrete.
j. For an excellent overview, review "Best Known Practices Mezzanine Design".
30. BeamConnect for Connection Design
a. Next Step - Interface RAMSTEEL data into BeamConnect for design of angle
connections. (See BeamConnect training module)

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