Approximate analysis methods and the role of slabs in modeling structural collapse

Abstract eng:
Following the collapse of the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City in 1995 and the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, there has been a resurgence in the structural engineering community to develop an improved understanding of the structural details and response mechanisms that determine the collapse potential of different types of structural systems. Given the complexity of this topic and the costs associated with physical testing, limited experimental data are available for indicating the precise mechanisms that take place during a collapse event. As such, research on this topic has been primarily computational in nature. Predictions of response, however, can only be as good as the models that are used to capture structural behavior. To date, most research related to the modeling of structures undergoing collapse has focused primarily on structural frame members, and limited attention has been given to the role played by floor slabs in mitigating collapse. An accurate assessment of performance requires that floor slabs be considered explicitly in analysis models. In this paper, the authors address the importance of accounting for floor slab contributions in carrying out collapse simulations of structures. Modeling approaches include simplified “equivalent frame” models and high-fidelity finite element models. Preliminary findings suggest that floor slab contributions to collapse resistance are significant and should be accounted for when assessing the performance of structures.

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