RAM Structural System CONNECT Edition v15.09.00.13 Bentley Systems Inc., is pleased to announce the availability of RAM Structural System CONNECT Edition V15 Update 8. This software can be used to design nearly every structural component of a building structure, from the foundations to the gravity beams and columns to the lateral framing system. RAM Structural System CONNECT Edition V15 Update 8 - Release Notes New Features and Enhancements: - AISC 360-16 Specification for Structural Steel Building The requirements of AISC 360-16 Specification for Structural Steel Buildings have been implemented in RAM Steel Beam, RAM Steel Column, and RAM Frame. In RAM Steel Beam the requirements have been implemented for composite and noncomposite steel beams and cellular and castellated C-Beams. Options for methods to satisfy the new requirement for composite beam design to consider the effect of the ductility of the shear stud connection has been implemented, see the description of the enhancements to Composite Beam Stud Criteria for more information. - AISC 341-16 / AISC 358-16 Seismic Design The requirements of AISC 341-16 Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings and AISC 358-16 Prequalified Connections for Special and Intermediate Steel Moment Frames for Seismic Applications for seismic design have been implemented in RAM Frame. Changes include, among others, updates to requirements for width-thickness ratios per Table D1.1 and use of Ecl, the capacity-limited horizontal seismic load effect, rather than Emh, the effect of horizontal forces including overstrength, where appropriate. The implementation is comprehensive and robust. - ASCE 7-16 The requirements of ASCE 7-16 for the automatic generation of Wind loads, Seismic loads, and Response Spectra Analysis have been implemented. - Creep and Shrinkage Analysis The Construction Stage Analysis feature introduced in V15.05 has been expanded to give the option to include time-dependent material effects such as creep, shrinkage and elastic modulus changes for concrete members. Time intervals for each stage (i.e. stage duration in days) are specified to carry out a construction stage analysis to consider time-dependent material effects. The user can choose from three different concrete material models: ACI 209R-98, CEB MC90-99, or Model B3. - Composite Beam Stud Criteria Several powerful enhancements have been made to the Stud Criteria in RAM Steel Beam. Previously a Minimum % of Full Composite Allowed could be specified, applicable to all composite beams. Separate Minimum % values can now be specified for beams with Short Spans versus those with Long Spans, and the span length that divides the two. This feature was implemented mainly to provide one method for satisfying the new AISC 360-16 requirement for composite beam design to consider the effect of the ductility of the shear stud connection; the Commentary indicates that one method for doing that is to design beams with spans greater than 30 ft to be at least 50% of full composite. The option is available for all of the Codes, for anyone who desires to specify different minimum values for longer beams versus shorter beams. Note that it is not necessary to specify any minimum % values; the program will automatically satisfy the Code-specified minimums. These options are provided only for those that desire to design to a higher minimum % value.