RAM Frame - Semirigid Diaphragms FAQ - RAM - STAAD Wiki - RAM - STAAD - Bentley Communities

1/24/2017
RAM Frame - Semirigid Diaphragms FAQ - RAM | STAAD Wiki - RAM | STAAD - Bentley Communities
RAM Frame - Semirigid Diaphragms

FAQ
Product(s): RAM Structural System
Version(s): 13.00.00.00 or later
Area: Analysis
Original Author: Bentley Technical Support Group
What properties are used with meshed

semirigid diaphragms?
Semirigid diaphragms are meshed into quadrilateral plates within RAM Frame or Ram Concrete
Analysis using the properties of the deck defined in RAM Modeler. For composite and noncomposite decks, the Effective Thickness, Poissons Ratio, and Elastic Modulus in the Diaphragm
box are used for the plate properties.
http://communities.bentley.com/products/structural/structural_analysis___design/w/structural_analysis_and_design__wiki/ram-ss-semirigid-diaphragms-tn
1/8
1/24/2017
For concrete slabs, the Concrete Slab Thickness, Poissons Ratio, and Elastic Modulus are used
for the shell properties. In addition, the Cracked Factor Bending can be used to modify the outof-plane stiffness and the Cracked Factor Diaphragm can be used to modify the in-plane
stiffness.
2/8
1/24/2017
In some older versions of the software the Cracked Factor - Bending was applied to the deck
thickness, affecting the deck out-of-plane inertia cubically. That was changed in 14.06 so that
the cracked factor is now applied to linearly reduce the deck out-of-plane stiffness.
Currently, it is not possible to model an orthotropic material.
What properties should I use for an

untopped metal deck?
We recommend using the gage thickness of the deck for the effective thickness and a typical
value for Possions ratio of steel materials (0.3).
The in-plane stiffness of metal decks is a function of many parameters, including as warping and
fastener patterns. The Steel Deck Institute has published a method for calculating diaphragm
deflection using the shear stiffness parameter (G`) in their diaphragm design manual. This
method is typically reproduced in deck manufacturer's catalogs. The parameter G has units of
kip/in. Some deck manufacturers, such as Verco, use a similar parameter that has units of in/kip
3/8
1/24/2017
and is essentially the inverse of G.

An effective Elastic Modulus can be calculated using the shear stiffness parameter G and other
diaphragm properties. An example of this calculation using a Vulcraft deck can be found here
What properties should I use for composite

decks and concrete slabs?
Some engineering judgment is required when determining the properties of composite decks
and concrete slabs defined as semirigid diaphragms, because cracking can affect the stiffness.
ACI 318-11 10.10.4.1 lists approximate effective moment of inertias that are permitted for
various structural members. Although there is not a factor for diaphragms, the factors listed for
walls may be most appropriate for use with diaphragms. ACI states that 0.7Ig should be used for
uncracked walls and 0.35Ig should be used for cracked walls. You could run a hand calculation
on your diaphragm to get an idea of what the stresses might be and compare those stresses to
the modulus of rupture. Alternatively, you could envelope the stiffness and run the model twice:
once with 0.35Ig and once with 0.7Ig. For a concrete slab, the factor should be entered as the
Cracked Factor Diaphragm defined with the deck properties. For a composite deck, the factor
should be incorporated into the effective thickness that is defined with the deck properties. For
example, if you have 4 inches of concrete above the flutes and want to use 0.35Ig, the effective
thickness would be 0.35 * 4 = 1.4 inches.
For composite slabs, most engineers ignore the stiffness of the metal deck and enter the Elastic
Modulus and Poissons Ratio for concrete. Some engineers ignore the concrete within the flutes
and use the thickness of the concrete above the deck as the effective thickness. Other engineers
consider a portion of the concrete and modify the effective thickness accordingly.
How do the mesh parameters aect the

analysis?
The size of the shells and the number of finite element nodes in the model is controlled by the
Max Distance between Nodes on Mesh Line parameter defined in RAM Frame Criteria
General. There is a trade-off between the mesh size and the time required to complete the
analysis. In general, a finer mesh yields more accurate results, but requires a longer analysis. If
you are not sure what mesh size to use, run a few iterations with smaller and smaller maximum
distances. The displacements should converge. Once the change in the displacements is
negligible, you know your mesh size is adequate.
The program also has the ability to use the slab edge or the perimeter beams/walls as the
diaphragm boundary in RAM Frame Criteria - Diaphragm. If there are small slab edge offsets,
the elements between the perimeter beam and the slab edge will be poorly meshed. In these
situations, use the perimeter beams/walls as the diaphragm boundary.
How do beams connected to the diaphragm
4/8
1/24/2017
How do beams connected to the diaphragm

aect the analysis?
In Ram Frame, only the lateral members are considered in the finite element model (see RAM SS
Analysis Types for details). RAM Frame ignores the stiffness of gravity members. As a result, any
beam that needs to stiffen the diaphragm through its axial rigidity needs to be defined as
alateral member. The program assumes that the semirigid diaphragm is connected to the beam
at the beam centroid.
How are gravity loads applied to one-way

decks dened as semirigid diaphragms?
RAM Gravity calculates the gravity load tributary to the lateral members and applies them as
point loads or line loads in the finite element analysis in RAM Frame.
How does including out-of-plane stiness of

one-way decks aect the analysis?
When out-of-plane stiffness is considered, the one-way deck acts as a slab and can span from
support-to-support and share load with interconnected frame beams. As the out-of-plane
stiffness of the semirigid diaphragm increases relative to the beams, more load will be directed
out of the beams, into the deck, and transferred into the supports through bending of the
diaphragm. For a flat, semirigid diaphragm with little or no out-of-plane stiffness these effects
will be minimal. For sloped, semirigid diaphragms or concrete decks, the effect on the member
forces can be significant.
How do sloping semirigid diaphragms aect

the analysis?
Consider gabled roof framing modeled as lateral members meshed with a semirigid diaphragm.
The in-plane stiffness of the sloping diaphragm has a component in the vertical plane of the
rigid beam. As a result, the diaphragm acts as a deep beam, props up the ridge beam, and
decreases the shear and forces in the beam. Similarly, the horizontal thrust under the gravity
loads will be resisted by the diaphragm and not the gable frame. There really is no way to get
accurate gravity forces for this configuration in RAM Frame while using a semirigid diaphragm. It
is best to size the beam for gravity loads in RAM Frame with the diaphragm assigned as flexible.
If the member is part of the lateral force resisting system, you would then take these gravity
forces and combine them manually with the semirigid analysis lateral forces and design the
beam by hand.
5/8
1/24/2017
Lateral loads applied to sloped semirigid diaphragms are applied in the XY plane, not in the
plane of the diaphragm. When the diaphragm is sloped, a component of the applied load acts
out-of-plane of the diaphragm. This force component can cause significant out-of-plane
deformation since the stiffness of gravity members is ignored. This is especially true when the
semirigid dipahragm is an untopped metal deck, which has very little out-of-plane stiffness. The
only way to control the diaphragm displacements is to model the gravity members as lateral so
their stiffness is not ignored. However, this will impact the forces in the actual lateral force
resisting system.
How do semirigid diaphragm aect dynamic

analyses?
By default, program generated seismic and wind story forces use the calculated fundamental
periods and frequencies in each direction. The calculated periods and frequencies are based on
the mass and stiffness of the structure and are determined using an Eigen Analysis.
In the Eigen Analysis, mass is distributed spatially at each finite element node when semirigid
diaphragms are used. Mass is not lumped at the center of mass (or an eccentric location) as is
done when rigid diaphragms are used. Each node has two lateral degrees of freedom: xtranslation and y-translation. As the mesh size decreases, the number of degrees of freedom
increases. This also increases the analysis time and can increase the number of mode shapes
that the program is attempting to find. For static lateral cases, only the fundamental mode in the
x and y directions is needed. For dynamic cases, at least 90% mass participation in the x and y
directions is required (ASCE7). Mass participation and the calculated periods and frequencies
for each mode can be reviewed using the Periods & Modes Report in RAM Frame. If you have a
semirigid diaphragm, you can often reduce the analysis time by creating an Eigen Solution load
case and limiting the number of periods considered to a number that includes the fundamental
modes (static load cases) or satisfies the 90% mass participation requirement (dynamic load
cases).
When a semirigid diaphragm has little out of plane stiffness, mode shapes associated with the
vertical vibration of the deck may be included in the analysis. Typically, these modes have large
periods, low frequencies, and very low mass participation in both the x and y directions. If the
vertical vibration modes are the predominant modes considered in the analysis, then erroneous
story forces can be calculated. The following are options can be used to prevent vertical
vibration modes from skewing the lateral analysis:
1. Use the option to include out-of-plane stiffness in RAM Frame Criteria Diaphragm. In some cases, especially
with sloping diaphragms, this might not completely alleviate the issue, however.
2. Model all framing as framing members so that their stiffness is considered in RAM Frame.
3. If only static lateral load cases are used, explicitly define the periods and frequencies instead of using the
calculations values. That way the calculated periods and frequencies are not required unless you have created a
6/8
1/24/2017
dynamic load case. If you are unsure of what frequencies or periods to enter, you could run the model with rigid
diaphragms using the calculated values. The Loads and Applied Forces Report in RAM Frame reports the
fundamental period and frequency in each direction.
4. In version 14.06 or later, use Ritz vectors instead of Eigen Vectors in the Eigen Analysis (RAM Frame Criteria
General). Using the Ritz vector approach has helped to eliminate the presence of these diaphragm flapping mode
shapes in some cases.
Can diaphragm forces on a cross section or

slice of the diaphragm be reported?
Regretfully we do not yet have a mechanism in Ram Frame to plot diaphragm stresses or report
forces on cross sections. This enhancement is planned for a future release.
See Also
Example for Calculating Effective Elastic Modulus for Semirigid Diaphragms
RAM Frame - Criteria - Diaphragms
RAMSS Two Way Decks
RAM Frame - Pseudo Flexible Diaphragms
analysis
Semi-rigid
RAM Frame
RAM Structural System
TechNote
Diaphragm
Support Solutions
Created by
Eric Helmueller
When: Thu, Jun 18 2009 7:46 PM
Last revision by
Seth Guthrie
When: Fri, Jul 10 2015 6:40 PM
Revisions: 32
Comments: 4
det8z1 The example above shows how to calculate the E' in one direction for a semirigid
diaphragm. But, the diaphragm also spans the opposite direction. How do you input or account
for the varying E' (E' for loads in X-direction vs E' for loads in Y-direction)?
7/8
1/24/2017
Robert Vida @det8z

I wonder the same thing everytime I read this article. Has this ever been addressed?
Seth Guthrie det8z and RV-EIT, clearly our diaphragm elements can't have different behavior in
two directions, so your best bet is two variations of the model (unless using the softer stiffness for
both directions is acceptable).
Christopher Sandham Seth, I am using 2 configurations of Bison Hollocore composite floors.

One with just a 200mm thick *** and one with a 150mm thick *** with 50mm structural topping. I
trying to work out what the effective thickness will be along with the Poisson's ratio and Elastic
modulus. can you help please?
8/8

RAM Frame - Semirigid Diaphragms FAQ - RAM - STAAD Wiki - RAM - STAAD - Bentley Communities

Încărcat de

Informații document

Titlu original

Drepturi de autor

Formate disponibile

Partajați acest document

Partajați sau inserați document

Opțiuni de partajare

Vi se pare util acest document?

Este necorespunzător acest conținut?

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

RAM Frame - Semirigid Diaphragms FAQ - RAM - STAAD Wiki - RAM - STAAD - Bentley Communities

Încărcat de

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

1/24/2017

RAM Frame - Semirigid Diaphragms

Product(s): RAM Structural System

Version(s): 13.00.00.00 or later

What properties are used with meshed

What properties should I use for an

and is essentially the inverse of G.

What properties should I use for composite

How do the mesh parameters aect the

How do beams connected to the diaphragm

How do beams connected to the diaphragm

How are gravity loads applied to one-way

How does including out-of-plane stiness of

How do sloping semirigid diaphragms aect

How do semirigid diaphragm aect dynamic

Can diaphragm forces on a cross section or

RAM Structural System

Robert Vida @det8z

Christopher Sandham Seth, I am using 2 configurations of Bison Hollocore composite floors.

S-ar putea să vă placă și