Mixing a steel and wood framing in a RAM model
Mixing a steel and wood framing in a RAM model
(OP)
I have searched but not found any info on this.
I have a residential project that is being built on the side of a 30-45 degree slope. As a result the house will be built on a platform consisting of steel columns and steel x-braces. The house itself is large and unconventional and will require a special moment frame as well as other miscellany steel beams and columns. The majority of the house will be wood framed.
I would like to be able to use the RAM structural system to model the building to help with the lateral calculations and steel checks. Has anyone attempted to mix wood framing with steel in a RAM model? Are there any resources available for this?
Thanks.
I have a residential project that is being built on the side of a 30-45 degree slope. As a result the house will be built on a platform consisting of steel columns and steel x-braces. The house itself is large and unconventional and will require a special moment frame as well as other miscellany steel beams and columns. The majority of the house will be wood framed.
I would like to be able to use the RAM structural system to model the building to help with the lateral calculations and steel checks. Has anyone attempted to mix wood framing with steel in a RAM model? Are there any resources available for this?
Thanks.






RE: Mixing a steel and wood framing in a RAM model
RE: Mixing a steel and wood framing in a RAM model
Be careful setting up the Material Properties and Sizes for the Wood, because RAM will distribute the Lateral Loads based on Stiffness (if you have steel and wood sharing loads on same levels)
Also, I assume the Wood Lateral System is Shearwalls - RAM will just model this as a 'solid' wall which is not really what you have (since sheathing resists lateral load). May want to run a quick calc to see an equivalent wall thickness vs. size/type sheathing you have.
As a sidenote, you may want to look into RAM Elements which you can better model this. I haven't used it, but have read about it.
RE: Mixing a steel and wood framing in a RAM model
The majority of my reason for using RAM was to get the onerous steel checks done without tediously hand calcs.
RE: Mixing a steel and wood framing in a RAM model
Were you going to design the wood members by hand?
RE: Mixing a steel and wood framing in a RAM model
RE: Mixing a steel and wood framing in a RAM model
It seems to me like using FE to define wood stud wall framing would be a bear.
RE: Mixing a steel and wood framing in a RAM model
I use Elements as more of an analysis tool when I'm just pulling out forces and designing by hand (I know it has design capabilities, but they're not as good as RAM SS).
Also, you can model openings in shearwalls in RAM SS.