RAM Structural System Ideas
Welcome to the RAM Structural System Ideas portal. The purpose of this site is to post ideas for enhancements and new features. We value your feedback and our team regularly reviews your suggestions for consideration in future releases.
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The program is already considering Camber when checking the deflections. If you are getting a warning, the beam is failing the deflection criteria.
An explanation of what the program does: For a composite beam the deflection criteria includes limits for Initial (Construction DL), Post Composite Live Load, Post Composite Superimposed, and Net Total (Init + Superimp - Camber). The code doesn't require a limit on the Construction Dead Load, but may be advisable to limit the amount of 'ponding' of concrete on the bare beam during construction if the beam is not going to be cambered. It also provides a way of imposing a limit on the amount of camber, since camber is based on that initial construction dead load deflection. Otherwise, don't specify a deflection limit on Initial (Construction Dead Load), since the absolute deflection will always be small, the difference between the initial deflection value and the camber, for a cambered beam. Camber isn't included in the deflections listed for Post Composite Live and Post Composite Superimposed because the value of interest there is the amount by which the deflection of the beam will change (e.g., will that change damage floors or finishes?). Camber is included in the calculation of the Net Total Deflection; this value gives the final deflected position of the beam. The deflection values listed for Initial, Post Composite Live Load, and Post Composite Superimposed Load are relative values (the change in the deflected shape), while the value listed for Net Total Deflection is an absolute value (the final deflected shape).
Note that when the program designs (optimizes) the beams, all of the deflection criteria are satisfied; you will only get these deflections warnings if the size has been assigned by you (perhaps by using the Freeze Sizes command), and then you subsequently change the model by increasing the loads or making the deflection criteria more stringent.