• Computers and Concrete
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.351-375
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• 2013

Post-punching resistance of a flat slab can help redistribute the gravity loads and resist progressive collapse of a structure following initial damage. One important difficulty with accounting for the post-punching strength of a slab is the discontinuity that develops following punching shear. A numerical simulation technique is proposed here to model and evaluate post-punching resistance of flat slabs. It is demonstrated that the simulation results of punching shear and post-punching response of the model of a slab on a single column are in good agreement with corresponding experimental data. It is also shown that progressive collapse due to a column removal (explosion) can lead to punching failure over an adjacent column. Such failure can propagate throughout the structure leading to the progressive collapse of the structure. Through post-punching modeling of the slab and accounting for the associated discontinuity, it is also demonstrated that the presence of an adequate amount of integrity reinforcement can provide an alternative load path and help resist progressive collapse.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.435-444
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• 2017

In the past, the progressive collapse resulting from local failures during accidents has caused many tragedies and loss of life. Although long-span spatial grid structures are characterised by a high degree of static indeterminacy, the sudden failure of key members may lead to a catastrophic progressive collapse. For this reason, it is especially necessary to research the progressive collapse resistance capacity of long-span spatial grid structures. This paper presents an evaluation method of important members and a novel dynamic analysis method for simulating the progressive collapse of long-span spatial grid structures. Engineering cases were analysed to validate these proposed method. These proposed methods were eventually implemented in the progressive collapse analysis of the main stadium for the Universiade Sports Center. The roof of the structure was concluded to have good resistance against progressive collapse. The novel methods provide results close to practice and are especially suitable for the progressive collapse analysis of long-span spatial grid structures.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.531-548
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• 2024

This paper presents an experimental investigation into the progressive collapse behavior of composite steel-concrete frames under various column removal scenarios. This study involves testing two two-bay, two-story composite frames featuring CFST columns and profiled steel decking composite slabs. Two removal scenarios, involving the corner column and middle column, are examined. The paper reports on the overall and local failure modes, vertical force-deformation responses, and strain development observed during testing. Findings indicate that structural failure initiates due to fracture and local buckling of the steel beam. Moreover, the collapse resistance and ductility of the middle column removal scenario surpass those of the corner column removal scenario. Subsequent numerical analysis reveals the significant contribution of the composite slab to collapse resistance and capacity. Additionally, it is found that horizontal boundary conditions notably influence the collapse resistance in the middle column removal scenario only. Finally, the paper proposes a simplified calculation method for collapse resistance, which yields satisfactory predictions.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.761-779
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• 2016

Design of safe structures with resistance to progressive collapse is of paramount importance in structural engineering. In this paper, an efficient optimization technique is used for optimal design of steel moment frames subjected to progressive collapse. Seismic design specifications of AISC-LRFD code together with progressive collapse provisions of UFC are considered as the optimization constraints. Linear static, nonlinear static and nonlinear dynamic analysis procedures of alternate path method of UFC are considered in design process. Three design examples are solved and the results are discussed. Results show that frames, which are designed solely considering the AISC-LRFD limitations, cannot resist progressive collapse, in terms of UFC requirements. Moreover, although the linear static analysis procedure needs the least computational cost with compared to the other two procedures, is the most conservative one and results in heaviest frame designs against progressive collapse. By comparing the results of this work with those reported in literature, it is also shown that the optimization technique used in this paper significantly reduces the required computational effort for design. In addition, the effect of the use of connections with high plastic rotational capacity is investigated, whose results show that lighter designs with resistance to progressive collapse can be obtained by using Side Plate connections in steel frames.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.237-247
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• 2016

Progressive collapse resistance of RC buildings can be analyzed by considering column loss scenarios. Using finite element analysis and a static test, the progressive collapse process of a RC frame under monotonic vertical displacement of a side column was investigated, simulating a column removal scenario. A single-story 1/3 scale RC frame that comprises two spans and two bays was tested and computed, and downward displacement of a side column was placed until failure. Our study offers insight into the failure modes and progressive collapse behavior of a RC frame. It has been noted that the damage of structural members (beams and slabs) occurs only in the bay where the removal side column is located. Greater catenary action and tensile membrane action are mobilized in the frame beams and slabs, respectively, at large deformations, but they mainly happen in the direction where the frame beams and slabs are laterally restrained. Based on the experimental and computational results, the mechanism of progressive collapse resistance of RC frames at different stages was discussed further. With large deformations, a simplified calculation method for catenary action and tensile membrane action is proposed.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.639-656
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• 2015

Seismic isolation devices are commonly used to mitigate damages caused by seismic responses of structures. More damages are created due to progressive collapse in structures. Therefore, evaluating the impact of the isolation systems to enhance progressive collapse-resisting capacity is very important. In this study, the effect of lead rubber bearing isolation system to increase the resistance of structures against progressive collapse was evaluated. Concrete moment resisting frames were used in both the fixed and base-isolated model structures. Then, progressive collapse-resisting capacity of frames was investigated using the push down nonlinear static analysis under gravity loads that specified in GSA guideline. Nonlinear dynamic analysis was performed to consider dynamic effects column removal under earthquake. The results of the push down analysis are highly dependent on location of removal column and floor number of buildings. Also, seismic isolation system does not play an effective role in increasing the progressive collapse-resisting capacities of structures under gravity loads. Base isolation helps to localize failures and prevented from spreading it to intact span under seismic loads.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.83 no.4
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• pp.563-576
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• 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the progressive collapse potential of buildings designed using conventional design codes for the merchant occupancy classification and subjected to a sudden column failure. For this purpose, three reinforced concrete buildings having different story numbers were designed according to the seismic design recommendations of TSCB-2019. Later on, the buildings were analyzed using the GSA-2016 and UFC 4-023-03 to observe their progressive collapse responses. Three columns were removed independently in the structures from different locations. Nonlinear dynamic analysis method for the alternate path direct design approach was implemented for the design evaluation. The plasticity of the structural members was simulated by using nonlinear fiber hinges. The moment, axial, and shear force interaction on the hinges was considered by the Modified Compression Field Theory. Moreover, an existing experimental study investigating the progressive collapse behavior of reinforced concrete structures was used to observe the validation of nonlinear fiber hinges and the applied analysis methodology. The study results deduce that a limited local collapse disproportionately more extensive than the initial failure was experienced on the buildings designed according to TSCB-2019. The mercantile structures designed according to current seismic codes require additional direct design considerations to improve their progressive collapse resistance against the risk of a sudden column loss.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.437-450
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• 2022

When the vertical load-bearing members in high-rise structures fail locally, the beam-column joints play an important role in the redistribution of the internal forces. In this paper, a static laboratory test of three full-scale flush flange beam-reinforced connections with side and cover plates (CP-FBSP connection) with double half-span steel beams and single L-shaped columns composed of concrete-filled steel tubes (L-CFST columns) was conducted. The influence of the side plate width and cover plate thickness on the progressive collapse resistance of the substructure was thoroughly analyzed. The failure mode, vertical force-displacement curves, strain variation, reaction force of the pin support and development of internal force in the section with the assumed plastic hinge were discussed. Then, through the verified finite element model, the corresponding analyses of the thickness and length of the side plates, the connecting length between the steel beam flange and cover plate, and the vertical-force eccentricity were carried out. The results show that the failure of all the specimens occurred through the cracking of the beam flange or the cover plate, and the beam chord rotations measured by the test were all greater than 0.085 rad. Increasing the length, thickness and width of the side plates slightly reduced the progressive collapse resistance of the substructures. The vertical-force eccentricity along the beam length reduced the progressive collapse resistance of the substructure. An increase in the connecting length between the beam flange and cover plate can significantly improve the progressive collapse resistance of substructures.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2013

Progressive collapse is generally defined as a local failure of structural members occurring due to abnormal load which results in the partial collapse or total collapse of a structure. Unlike progressive collapse, explosive demolition is a method of inducing the total collapse of structure by removing all or portion of structural members. In explosive demolition the partial collapse of the structural members can be controlled at appropriate time intervals by blasting, to induce the progressive collapse of the structure and control the collapse behavior. In this study, a nonlinear dynamic analysis was carried out in order to apply the progressive collapse process to explosive demolition design of the RC structure. The occurrence of progressive collapse of analytical models was examined according to the number of floors, the removed column height and span length. For models that resisted progressive collapse, progressive collapse resisting capacity was evaluated.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.649-665
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• 2020

One of the most important issues in structural systems is evaluation of the margin of safety in low and mid-rise buildings against the progressive collapse mechanism due to the earthquake loads. In this paper, modeling of collapse propagation in structural elements of RC frame buildings is evaluated by tracing down the collapse points in beam and column structural elements, one after another, under earthquake loads and the influence of column removal is investigated on how the collapse expansion in beam and column structural members. For this reason, progressive collapse phenomenon is studied in 3-story and 5-story intermediate moment resisting frame buildings due to the corner and edge column removal in presence of the earthquake loads. In this way, distribution and propagation of the collapse in progressive collapse mechanism is studied, from the first element of the structure to the collapse of a large part of the building with investigating and comparing the results of nonlinear time history analyses (NLTHA) in presence of two-component accelograms proposed by FEMA_P695. Evaluation of the results, including the statistical survey of the number and sequence of the collapsed points in process of the collapse distribution in structural system, show that the progressive collapse distribution are special and similar in low-rise and mid-rise RC buildings due to the simultaneous effects of the column removal and the earthquake loads and various patterns of the progressive collapse distribution are proposed and presented to predict the collapse propagation in structural elements of similar buildings. So, the results of collapse distribution patterns and comparing the values of collapse can be utilized to provide practical methods in codes and guidelines to enhance the structural resistance against the progressive collapse mechanism and eventually, the value of damage can be controlled and minimized in similar buildings.