An analysis of a high-rise building's progressive collapse if four of its exterior columns were removed

Abstract

Progressive failure is the partial or complete failure of a structure as a result of a local failure occurring in the load-bearing element, resulting in failure propagating from one element to another. A progressive collapse study of a real ten-story telecommunications building was performed using ETABS (V.23) software, and RC ACI Code was used to design the building. The demand-to-capacity ratio is analyzed according to GSA acceptance standards to evaluate the ability of the structure to transfer loads to nearby members. Four central columns on the sixth and seventh floors were removed. The examination included a failure scenario resulting from the removal of an explosion on the sixth and seventh floors of the building. The results of the study found that removing four supports on the two floors did not cause gradual collapse and that the redistribution after removing the column was equal. The shear and bending DCR values for column loss are lower than 1, according to GSA 2016. As a result of load redistribution, the nearby column receives compressive strains as the supports above the deleted one lose axial compressive pressures. The weight on the sixth level was moved to columns C1A and C4A at grid A, while columns C2A and C3A were removed. This transfer was twice as great as the load communicated before the columns were removed. This implies that the adjacent columns were large enough to support additional loads. Since DCR readings were less than the permitted limits at 1, the beams were acceptable in flexure, shear, and DCR readings for column axial load.