RAM Concept 2.1.

2 Release Notes

Release Date: January 16, 2006


Recommendations:

Concept 2.1.2 is recommended for all projects except those started in a pre-2.0 version
that are nearing completion.


Installation Instructions:

To patch a 2.1 or 2.1.1 installation, run the installer file ConceptPatch_212.exe from any
convenient directory. Follow the instructions in the program window that opens.

To create a new installation, run the installer file ConceptInstaller_212.exe from any
convenient directory. Follow the instructions in the program window that opens.


Pre-Concept 2.1 File Compatibility Warning:

Concept 2.1 (and 2.1.1 and 2.1.2) can read all previous file formats, but writes files in a
format that cannot be read by previous versions.


Concept 2.0 Release Notes:

Concept 2.0 had major changes from Concept 1.4. If you have not already read the
Concept 2.0 Release Notes, it is highly recommended that you do so. Those Release
Notes are located in the directory where Concept 2.0 is installed.


Major Changes Since Concept 2.0:

Indian Codes Supported The Indian concrete design codes IS-456 and IS-1343 are
now supported. The Indian live load reduction code IS-875 is also supported. See manual
chapter 52 and section 47.9 for more information.

STAAD Integration Structures and loads can now be exported from STAAD to RAM-
Concept. See manual chapter 15 for more information.

Export of Geometry to RSS Column and walls can now be exported from Concept to
the RAM Structural System as a floor type. This can be very helpful when modeling
complex concrete structures in RSS.
Improved Lateral Loading Integration with RSS Lateral loading wall nodal forces
are now imported from RSS instead of the entire wall force as a unit, as was done
previously. This new nodal force approach allows for more accurate modeling of certain
wall configurations, such as T shaped walls.

Selective Integrations of Moment and Shear Concept can now optionally integrate
forces and moments over less than an entire cross section if the reduced integration length
increases the design forces and moments. This is useful in irregular structures where
moment diagrams do not follow a predictable pattern. See manual figure 22-5 and section
45.8.6.

Three New Chapters Added to the Manual The manual now includes General Tips
(chapter 35), Frequently Asked Questions (chapter 36) and Errors and Warnings (chapter
37) chapters. It is highly recommended that all users read the General Tips chapter.

Other Minor Improvements A number of other minor improvements have been made;
among them are:
A Change Tendon Profile tool is now available in the Tools menu when a Tendon
plan is open. See manual section 21.6.2.
For crack width design in BS 8110, a tension-stiffened concrete curve is now
used.
The Visible Objects dialog window has been improved.


Errors Corrected in Concept 2.1.2:

One error of potential structural significance have been found in Concept 2.1.1 and fixed
in Concept 2.1.2:
1. When importing lateral load case forces from RSS, the forces imported from a
column embedded in a meshed wall were incorrect. This error was always obvious
as the imported lateral forces were not in equilibrium.

Other minor changes in Concept 2.1.2:
1. A resource leak has been fixed.
2. Minor changes have been made for Windows Vista compatibility.


Errors Corrected in Concept 2.1.1:

One error of potential structural significance have been found in Concept 2.1 and fixed in
Concept 2.1.1:
1. The radiusing of punching critical section corners in EC2/BS8110 calculations
could be performed improperly in certain circumstances, leading to mis-shaped
critical sections. This error, when it occurred, was almost always obvious by
visual inspection.

Some errors with no structural significance have been found in Concept 2.1 and fixed in
Concept 2.1.1:
1. Import of particular DWG files on particular systems caused an Undo operation
not available.
2. Import of particular DWG files on particular systems caused improper fonts to be
used for imported TEXT and MTEXT.
3. Plotting parameters could be set improperly, resulting in
EnvelopeResults:elementDispMatrixStd or similar errors.
4. Application would not start under Windows 2000, if a particular hotfix was not
installed.


Errors Corrected in Concept 2.1:

Two errors of potential structural significance have been found in Concept 2.0 and fixed
in Concept 2.1.
1. In certain circumstances, punching checks could silently fail to produce a design.
When this happened, no information was displayed regarding the status of the
affected punching check.
2. If a cross sections trimming caused a tendon to be outside of the depth of the
cross section, no error was reported in Concept 2.0 and the tendon was fully
considered as part of the cross section. In version 2.1, a warning is given and the
tendon is removed from the cross section.