Experimental Investigation of Progressive Collapse of Steel Frames under Multi-Hazard Extreme Loading

Abstract eng:
Experiments were performed to evaluate the progressive collapse resistance of steel buildings considering multi-hazard extreme loading. Two 1/3 scale three-story, two-bay steel frames, a special moment resisting frame and a post-tensioned energy dissipating frame designed and previously tested for seismic performance on a shaking table, were adapted for quasi static collapse testing. The experiments simulated the structural response after the sudden failure of a column. The objective of the tests was to evaluate the effectiveness of earthquake resistant design details in enhancing the resistance to progressive collapse. In these tests, an effort was made to document the load resisting mechanism, the sequence of damage in the frames and correlate observed damage with changes in the resisting strength. The experimental results demonstrate significant vertical displacement capacity for both frame systems and the capacity to redistribute loads after the failure of a single column. However, the steel moment frame appears to have significantly more ductile response by maintaining its yield strength up to the point of first connection fracture. The vertical load carrying capacity of the special moment frame appears to be dependent on the rotation capacity of plastic hinges before buckling and fractures occur. The vertical load carrying capacity of the post-tensioned energy dissipating frame depends heavily on the performance and ultimate strength of the tendons used for connecting the beams to the columns. The PTED frame lost a significant amount of strength after failure of one of the tendon strands.

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