Mechanical Failure Research Articles

Nanocarbon-Polymer Composites for Next-Generation Breast Implant Materials.

Most breast implants currently used in both reconstructive and cosmetic surgery have a silicone outer shell, which, despite much progress, remains susceptible to mechanical failure, infection, and foreign body response. This study shows that the durability and biocompatibility of breast implant-grade silicone can be enhanced by incorporating carbon nanomaterials of sp2 and sp3 hybridization into the polymer matrix and onto its surface. Plasma treatment of the implant surface can be used to modify platelet adhesion and activation to prevent thrombosis, postoperative infection, and inflammation disorders. The addition of 0.8% graphene flakes resulted in an increase in mechanical strength by 64% and rupture strength by around 77% when compared to pure silicone, whereas when nanodiamond (ND) was used as the additive, the mechanical strength was increased by 19.4% and rupture strength by 37.5%. Composites with a partially embedded surface layer of either graphene or ND showed superior antimicrobial activity and biocompatibility compared to pure silicone. All composite materials were able to sustain the attachment and growth of human dermal fibroblast, with the preferred growth noted on ND-coated surfaces when compared to graphene-coated surfaces. Exposure of these materials to hydrogen plasma for 5, 10, and 20 s led to substantially reduced platelet attachment on the surfaces. Hydrogen-treated pure silicone showed a decrease in platelet attachment for samples treated for 5-20 s, whereas silicone composite showed an almost threefold decrease in platelet attachment for the same plasma treatment times. The absence of platelet activation on the surface of composite materials suggests a significant improvement in hemocompatibility of the material.

Effects of folded fissure properties on tunnel model failure: Experiments and numerical simulations

Natural folded fissures commonly exist rather than simple straight fissures in rock masses surrounding tunnels. The presence of folded fissures significantly affects the fracture processes and failure modes of tunnel structures, thereby affecting their safety and stability. However, the research in this area is limited. Given this, this study fabricates city-gate section tunnel specimens containing folded fissures of various dip angles (α) and orientation angles (β), utilising 3D sand printing with sand and furan resin as matrix materials. Uniaxial compression fracture tests were conducted at a loading rate of 0.3 mm/min on these specimens using a digital image correlation technique to assess the impact of folded fissures on the mechanical properties and failure modes of the tunnel structures. Additionally, the improved smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method was used for damage evolution simulations during interactions between folded fissures and tunnels, and the simulation results were compared with the experimental results to verify the correctness of the method. The results show that for folded fissures, wing cracks and anti-wing cracks initiate not only from the ends but also from the bends of the fissures, whereas for straight fissures, they appear only at the fissure ends. Except for β = 0°, the interaction between folded fissures and tunnels generally results in the formation of a crack connecting the folded fissure upper end with tunnel, and the connection position varies with β. Different β values of folded fissures also influence the appearance and morphologies of top major cracks, underside major cracks, side cracks, and corner cracks around tunnels. As α increases, the overlap point of the crack and the tunnel moves from the tunnel corner to the tunnel crown. Moreover, folded fissures significantly affected the peak strength of the tunnel structures. As β increases, the peak strength first decreases, then increases, and finally decreases, reaching a minimum of 3.58 MPa at β = 90°. However, the peak strength differences are not evident under different α values. Finally, the influence of folded fissures on the cracking mechanism of the tunnel models is discussed in detail. This study provides insights into the impact of folded fissures on tunnel fracture modes and offers a reference for the application of SPH to reveal the underlying failure mechanisms of tunnel structures.

A FDEM study on the mechanical properties and failure behavior of soft-hard interbedded rocks considering the size effect

Soft–hard interbedded rocks are widely distributed at the Earth’s surface, and their mechanical properties and failure behavior directly affect the stability of local tunnel and slope engineering projects. Previous studies have rarely considered the influence of size effects on the mechanical properties and failure behavior of such rocks. Therefore, this paper used the combined finite–discrete element numerical method (FDEM) to study the mechanical properties and failure behavior of soft–hard interbedded rock samples considering the size effect. First, appropriate input parameters were calibrated and verified by using a new parameter calibration method. Second, the effects of the element size and loading rate were studied to obtain appropriate model parameters. Finally, the effects of the layer number, sample size, and height–diameter ratio of composite rock samples on their mechanical properties and failure behavior at different layer dip angles and layer thickness ratios were investigated. The results support the following findings: (1) For the composite rock samples with a layer thickness of 10 mm, reliable simulation results can be obtained by using a 2.2 mm element size, and the loading rate should not exceed 0.2 m/s in FDEM numerical modeling. (2) The number of layers in the sample should be at least 5, and when the height–diameter ratio is a constant 2.0, the height of the sample should not be less than 110 mm. (3) As the height–diameter ratio of the composite rock samples increases, both the compressive strength and elastic modulus decrease for all layer dip angles considered, but the rock failure mode changes for layer dip angles of 15–75°; in addition, the sample size effect is most significant for layer dip angles of 60° and 75°. (4) Taking horizontally layered composite rock samples as examples, both the compressive strength and elastic modulus of samples with different layer thickness ratios decrease with increasing height–diameter ratio and their failure modes also depend on the height–diameter ratio.

Thermo-mechanical coupling failure modeling of 3D four-directional braided composite I-beam under four-point flexure at room temperature, −50°C and 85°C

This paper aims to experimentally and numerically probe thermo-mechanical coupling behaviors of 3D4D (three-dimensional four-directional) braided composite I-beam under four-point flexure. An improved algorithm based on thermo-mechanical coupling constitution model, and mixed failure criterion are devised for modeling thermo-mechanical coupling failure process of 3D4D braided composite I-beam under four-point flexure. Quasi-static four-point flexure tests are, respectively, performed on 3D4D braided composite I-beam at RT (room temperature), −50 ° C and 85 ° C , and mechanical behaviors and failure mechanisms are analyzed and discussed from experiment results. To validate the aforementioned model and algorithm, novel global-local FE (finite element) model is generated and integrated with new algorithm for modeling failure process of 3D4D braided composite I-beam under four-point flexure at three temperatures, and numerical predictions agree well with experimental findings, demonstrating the effective and rational use of the proposed model in the paper.

Experimental and theoretical studies on 3D printed short and continuous carbon fiber hybrid reinforced composites

3D-printed carbon fiber composites hold significant potential in aerospace applications because of their lightweight, high strength and complex structure fabrication capabilities. However, additive manufacturing characteristics such as high porosity, anisotropy and continuous fiber content significantly affect the mechanical properties of printed parts. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of hybrid printing of short and continuous carbon fibers on the mechanical properties and failure mechanisms of composites and to develop a model to predict elastic properties considering porosity. First, mechanical testing and characterization of short and continuous fiber reinforced polyamide (nylon) print filaments are performed. The results indicate that the elastic modulus and ultimate strength of continuous carbon fiber filaments reach 60 GPa and 1500 MPa, respectively, while the strength and elastic modulus of short carbon fiber filaments reach 60 MPa and 1 GPa, respectively. Then tensile specimens with different continuous fiber orientations and different continuous fiber placement sequences are printed and tested using a multi-material 3D printing technique. The specimens are characterized before and after testing using scanning electron microscopy and microscopy to assess the porosity and failure mechanisms of specimens with different configurations. The results show that the mechanical properties of the printed parts are much lower than those of the print filaments, which proves the serious negative impact of the material extrusion process on the mechanical properties of the printed structural parts. Finally, an analytical method for predicting the elastic behavior of printed composites is developed by introducing the porosity factor in the volume-averaged stiffness model. For continuous and short fiber filled composites with different fiber contents and printing orientations, the predicted results are in agreement with the experiments, and the prediction error is greatly reduced from 30 % to <5 %.

An Investigation into Building Functional Failures in Akure South Local Government, Ondo State, Nigeria

Functional failures and faults are regular occurrences in buildings and construction industries. The rate of building collapse in Nigeria has increased dramatically over the last decade and shows no signs of abating which has led to massive losses causing loss of physical properties, destruction of movable properties, injury, and loss of life. Beyond this, building collapse always has far-reaching economic, financial, psychological, and sociological implications. This study reported the causes of functional failures of buildings in Akure South Local Government Area, Nigeria. As a result, this study aimed to investigate the causes of functional failures in buildings and their impact on the quality and functionality of a building to build a theoretical framework that can help address the functional failures in buildings. The study utilized a questionnaire-based survey in the Akure South Local Government area. Data was collected from residents occupying the buildings. Information obtained includes the type of building and the current physical condition of the houses they live in, and 90 responses were collected and analyzed. The analysis identified six factors of functional failures in buildings investigated; damp 30%, cracks 50%, poor plumbing 45%, poor electrical wiring 35%, roofing defects 25% and Inadequate maintenance 70% and four causes of building failures; poor construction materials 32.7%, human errors 20.7%, natural disasters 12.4%, and a combination of the three factors 34.2%. Based on the findings, the results showed that the combination of the three factors was the most significant cause of building functional failures in the Akure South LGA, while natural disasters were the least significant cause. To mitigate the functional failures in buildings, it is important to enforce stringent regulations and standards by involving Governmental bodies (architectural Engineers and structural Engineers) to check building drawings and structural analysis report properly and correctly before design approvals, conduct regular inspections and internal audits, to help detect and rectify errors and maintaining standards throughout the construction process in order to enhance the quality, safety, and resilience of buildings, ensuring their functionality and longevity.

Fire Resistance Performance of Constrained H-Shaped Steel Columns with Uneven Vertical Temperature Distributions

Steel columns, which are widely used in building frameworks and spatial structures, are susceptible to capacity degradation during fires, potentially leading to the overall collapse of buildings. Existing research on the fire resistance of steel columns assumes that the temperature loads encountered by steel columns are evenly distributed vertically. However, real-world fire scenarios often feature significant vertical temperature differences. Therefore, this study comprehensively investigated these variations to derive a temperature curve that accurately represents real fire conditions. Subsequently, the fire resistance limits of steel columns were studied using this temperature curve, leading to a revised calculation formula for the critical fire resistance temperatures of steel columns. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) Nonuniform longitudinal temperature distributions are influenced by parameters such as the fire source distance, the heights of ventilation openings, and the distance between a vent and the temperature measurement point. Among them, the fire source distance has the greatest impact, with the maximum longitudinal temperature difference reaching over 500 °C. (2) Variations in the load ratio and longitudinal temperature differences alter the failure positions of steel columns, reducing their critical temperatures by up to 200 °C. (3) The revised critical fire resistance temperature formula is more accurate and safer compared with that outlined in the “Technical Code for Fire Protection of Steel Structures” (GB51249-2017). These findings offer valuable insights for the fire designs of steel columns.

Off-axis mechanical behavior and dynamic characteristics of UHMWPE composite laminates

An understanding of the off-axis mechanical behavior and failure mechanisms of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) cross-ply laminates subjected to quasi-static and dynamic loadings is developed, with focus on the influence of off-axis angle and strain rate. For off-axis tension, UHMWPE laminates exhibit polymer shear response characteristics. An orientation-hardening phenomenon is captured, as fiber rotation leads to local increment of load capacity along the loading orientation. The failure strength presents an evidentially descending trend with off-axis angle from 0° to 45°. A non-monotonic variation of strength with strain rate is further observed: increasing with strain rate up to 500 s−1 but decreasing above, which is attributed to failure mode switching from plastic failure to brittle failure. The Tsai-Wu failure criterion, on homogenized cross-ply laminae, is experimentally modified with rate dependence. Further investigation on detailed information of the unidirectional properties should be conducted with the backing-out scheme to establish unidirectional failure criterion.

Influence of initial stresses and stress paths on the deformation and failure mechanism of sandy slate

Rocks exhibit various mechanical properties under different stress conditions, with changes during unloading having significant implications for geological engineering safety. This study carried out triaxial loading and unloading mechanical tests on sandy slate to investigate its mechanical properties, deformation characteristics, and failure mechanisms at different initial stress levels and stress paths. The results showed that during the unloading process, the deformation modulus (E) of the sandy slate decreased, and the Poisson's ratio (μ) gradually increased. This indicates that significant volume expansion of the rock is the dominant factor in its deformation and failure. The exponential function can be used to describe the evolution of E and μ with confining pressure during unloading. The damage stress of the rock under unloading conditions was lower than that under loading conditions, suggesting that unloading led to an earlier onset of volumetric expansion in the sandy slate. Under conditions where the initial axial stress level approached the damage stress, the mechanical properties were most significantly affected by unloading. Compared to loading conditions, when the initial axial stress level was at 70% of the peak strength, the cohesion (c) decreased by 15.77 to 29.37%, while the internal friction angle (φ) increased by 1.88 to 5.14%. The rock's failure process can be divided into four stages based on the development of microcracks. Unloading during the stages of microcrack initiation and propagation can lead to tensile cracks of varying degrees, resulting in different mechanical properties and failure characteristics under loading and unloading conditions.

Experimental study on the flexural performance of concrete hollow composite slabs with tightly connected panel sides

The performance of joint connections in composite slabs is crucial for ensuring their bidirectional load-bearing capacity and overall structural integrity. To effectively address the challenge of protruding rebar in precast components, a new structural form of a tightly connected hollow concrete composite slab without protruding rebar on the slab side is proposed. To investigate the mechanical performance and failure modes of this slab-side tight-joint connected hollow concrete composite slab, bending performance tests under monotonic load were conducted on three tightly connected hollow composite slabs and one seamless hollow composite slab. The analysis focused on the failure modes, crack distribution, bending capacity, and bending stiffness of additional steel bars at the joints of the slabs. The results indicate that, under normal operating conditions, the flexural performance development of concrete hollow composite slabs with tightly connected slab sides is generally consistent with that of the non-spliced cast hollow composite slab. Under ultimate conditions, tearing or brittle fracture failure at the joint interface is likely to occur in the composite slabs, leading to a reduction in flexural bearing capacity. With an increase in joints, the bending capacity of the hollow composite slab decreases by 17.1%, Conversely, when joints are positioned away from the most stressed section, the flexural stiffness of the section increases by 13.5%. A comparison of experimental data and theoretical calculations indicates that the additional rebar at the joints effectively contributes to the lateral load transfer in the hollow composite slab, achieving bidirectional load-bearing capacity. This further validates that the design of the single-joint, tight-joint connected hollow concrete composite slab without protruding rebar meets the requirements for bidirectional load-bearing performance.

Instability after reverse shoulder arthroplasty: a retrospective review of thirty one cases.

A retrospectively analyze of instability after RSA in terms of aetiology, treatment and final functional outcome. A bicentric retrospective study of 31 patients (mean age 67.6 years; 42-83) treated for RSA instability using RSA Arrow System (FH Orthopedics, Mulhouse, France), mean follow-up 41months (range 12-158). Aetiologies for dislocation were evaluated using a previously described classification system for RSA instability. Actions performed during the Revision Surgeries were analyzed and grouped into five categories. Clinical outcome measures included range of motion, SSV, VAS, Constant-Murley scores, satisfaction level and recurrence of instability. The most frequent aetiology for RSA instability was loss of compression (18), followed by impingement (8) and loss containment (5). Total RSA revision (bipolar procedure) involving both distalization and lateralization occurred in 13 instances. Isolated distalization through the humerus was performed in ten patients and Isolated lateralization through the glenoid in three patients. Three cases of components exchange due to mechanical failure were noted. Bone graft was used in nine instances. Three patients (10%) suffered recurrent instability following Revision Surgery and required an additional stabilizing procedure. At final follow-up all 31 RSA were reported as stable with a mean VAS of 1.1, SSV 54.5%, constant score 48.3, constant ponderate 74.9%. The management of unstable RSA represent a challenge that can be successfully overcome with a revision surgery with compromised functional results. Loss of compression was the most common cause for primary and recurrent RSA instability that were treated principally with bipolar revisions involving component lateralization and distalization.

The transient thermomechanical behavior of solid oxide fuel cell during the operation condition variations

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is a promising energy conversion technology with high efficiency, low emission and fuel flexibility. In practical and dynamic operation, the thermal stress at the interface of different layers can cause cracks or even thermal mechanical failure. This study investigates the transient thermomechanical behavior of SOFC under changing operating conditions. A three-dimensional dynamical model is developed by considering the electrochemical reaction, electron and ion transport, gas diffusion, heat and momentum transfer, and thermal-mechanical interaction. When the operating conditions vary, the time it takes for the thermal stress to reach a steady state is consistent with the time required for heat transfer to stabilize. The electrolyte layer is subjected to the maximum gradient of thermal stress change after the voltage is switched. With an increase in the inlet gas temperature, the change in the cell temperature can be divided into two stages: a rapid rise and a slow rise. Appropriate prolongation of the temperature rise time is beneficial to the thermal stability of SOFC. The increase in inlet gas temperature changes the distribution trend of cell temperature and thermal stress, while the 50 % reduction in cathode and anode inlet velocity changes its magnitude.

Distal femoral fractures: periprosthetic fractures have four times more complications than non-periprosthetic fractures and cerclage should be avoided: retrospective analysis of 206 patients

BackgroundDistal femoral fractures account for less than 1% of all fractures. The therapy of choice is usually surgical stabilization. Despite advances in implant development over the past few years, complication rate remains comparatively high. The aim of this study is to analyze our results with plate fixation of distal femoral fractures with a focus on complication and fracture healing rates.MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, patients (> 18 years) with distal femoral fractures treated at an urban level I trauma center between 2015 and 2022 were analyzed.ResultsIn total, 206 patients (167 female, 39 male) with an average age of 75 (SD 16) years were diagnosed with a fracture of the distal femur. One hundred fourteen of these patients were treated surgically by means of plate osteosynthesis. In 13 cases (11.41%), a revision procedure had to be performed. The indication for surgical revision was mechanical failure in eight cases (7.02%) and septic complication in five cases (4.39%). Periprosthetic fractures were more likely to cause complications overall (19.6% versus 4.76%) and further included all documented septic complications. The analysis of modifiable surgical factors in the context of plate osteosynthesis showed higher complication rates for cerclage in the fracture area compared with plate-only stabilizations (44.44% versus 22.22%).ConclusionsThe data show an increased amount of revisions and a significantly higher number of septic complications in the treatment of periprosthetic fractures of the distal femur compared with non-periprosthetic fractures. The detected combination of plates together with cerclage was associated with higher complication rates.Level of evidence Level III retrospective comparative study.

Crack propagation in TPMS scaffolds under monotonic axial load: Effect of morphology

In this paper, the mechanical behaviour and failure of porous additively manufactured (AM) polylactide (PLA) scaffolds based on the triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) is investigated using numerical calculations of their unit cells and representative volumes. The strain-amplification factor is chosen as the main parameter, and the most critical locations for failure of different types of scaffold structures are evaluated. The results obtained are presented in comparison with a multiple-crack-growth algorithm using the extended finite element method (XFEM), underpinned by the experimentally obtained fracture properties of PLA. The effect of morphology of TPMS structures on the pre-critical, critical and post-critical behaviours of scaffolds under monotonic loading regimes is assessed. The results provide an understanding of the fracture behaviour and main risk points for crack initiation in structures of AM-PLA scaffolds based on typical commonly used types of TPMS, as well as the influence of structure type and external load on this behaviour.

Wear particles image enhancement using long short-term memory 3D recurrent reconstruction neural network (LSTM 3D-R2N2)

3D modeling of wear particles has proven to be a useful tool for monitoring mechanical failure conditions. In this work, a new method for 3D reconstruction of wear particles in uncontaminated oil (healthy oil) and contaminated oil (used oil) was proposed. The image acquisition device can capture multi-view images of moving wear particles in both healthy and used oil by using the reflected light. The images were pretreated first, and the image color inversion was conducted using the Pillow library. The pretreated wear particle images were used for 3D reconstruction using long short-term memory 3D recurrent reconstruction neural network. The current results were verified against existing results, and good agreement can be found. It can be concluded that we can reconstruct the similar 3D wear particle results with fewer images by comparison with other methods. Specifically, only 4–6 image samples were used for the 3D reconstruction of wear particles, and at least 8 image samples were needed for other existing reports.

Mechanical properties and tensile failure mechanisms of SM400A steel treated by high-power continuous-wave laser

This study systematically investigates the effects of high-power continuous wave laser (CWL) treatment on the mechanical behavior and failure mechanisms of SM400A steel, comparing these outcomes with those of untreated specimens. The findings reveal that while CWL treatment enhances surface hardness, it has minimal impact on the strength of thick structural steel components. However, excessive laser energy density leads to surface defects and softening of the microstructure, adversely affecting the material's toughness. This results in a reduction in elongation at fracture, transitioning the failure mode from ductile to brittle. The study concludes that to ensure the safe use of laser-treated structures, the laser energy density should be carefully controlled not to exceed 3000 J/cm2.

Mechanical integrity analysis of caprock during the CO2 injection phase

Abstract CO2 geological storage is one of the important means to mitigate the greenhouse effect. The safe underground storage of CO2 largely depends on the mechanical integrity of the caprock. This paper establishes a fluid-solid coupling model for CO2 geological storage to study the changes in pore pressure, vertical displacement, and effective stress in the caprock during the CO2 injection process. Combined with the Mohr-Coulomb criterion, the study determines whether mechanical failure occurs in the caprock. The results indicate that, at the beginning of CO2 injection, significant changes occur in the pore pressure, vertical displacement, and effective stress at the bottom of the caprock near the injection well, which then tend to stabilize; the maximum pore pressure at the bottom of the caprock reaches 36.08 MPa; the caprock near the injection well is considered the most critical area, where the risk of mechanical failure is highest; at the end of CO2 injection, the stress state does not reach the limit, and the caprock remains stable.

Rational synthesis of methylsilsesquioxane aerogels addressing thermal load and compression recovery issues in Li-ion batteries

Li-ion batteries suffer from two key safety issues: thermal overload and compression recovery, which may lead to flammability and mechanical failure. Silica aerogels are promising solutions to both these issues owing to their excellent thermal stability and tailored mechanical properties. However, finding the optimum sol composition in sol-gel-based aerogel synthesis is needed to address these issues at industry-relevant scales. Here, we propose an innovative approach to determine the optimum sol composition for methylsilsesquioxane (MSQ) aerogel sheets, which is based on the mechanisms of the effects of molar ratios of hydrolysis water and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) on the physical properties of MSQ aerogel sheets and according to the ternary contour distribution of their properties. The synthesized MSQ aerogels exhibited a soft, light, and powderless texture and featured superhydrophobic properties (150.2°), low thermal conductivity of 33.6 mW/(m·K), high thermal stability temperature in nitrogen atmosphere at 479.3 °C and moderate short-term (<6 h) service temperature of 120.0 °C. Significantly, the structural stability and elasticity of the aerogels surpassed the current state-of-the-art, showing recovery to 81.3 % of the original thickness and 85.2 % of the original stress after being subjected to 400 cycles of high-speed and high-strain consecutive compression, respectively. These excellent properties make the MSQ aerogel sheets promising for applications in thermal load and compression recovery management of diverse energy storage devices, including batteries for next-generation electric vehicles

Treatment strategies for revision surgery of artificial urinary sphincter: A review.

Artificial urinary sphincters (AUS) are an effective treatment for male stress urinary incontinence (SUI). However, infection, erosion, mechanical failure, atrophy, and balloon deterioration cause device malfunction in approximately half of patients by 10 years after implantation. Many patients desire to regain urinary continence and require revision surgery (RS), including device removal and simultaneous or delayed implantation. Patients for whom RS is considered should be examined physically and by interview for signs of infection. Urethral erosion should be assessed using cystoscopy. If there is infection or erosion, all devices should be removed first, and a new device should be implanted several months later. During the RS, after strong adhesion around the urethra, transcorporal cuff implantation is a safe choice. Device removal and simultaneous implantation can be performed in the absence of infection or erosion. If a long time has passed since device implantation, the entire device should be replaced due to device aging and deterioration; however, if the time is short, only the defective component need be replaced. Intraoperative assessment of urethral health is necessary for device removal and implantation. If the urethra is healthy, a new cuff can be placed in the same position as the old cuff was removed from; however, if the urethra is unhealthy, the cuff can be implanted in a more proximal/distal position, or a transcorporal cuff implant may be chosen. This article reviews the literature on diagnostic and treatment strategies for recurrent SUI in male patients with AUS and proposes a flowchart for AUS revision.

Damage mitigation strategies for progressive collapse of modular steel buildings following sudden corner module removal

AbstractThis study evaluates gravity‐induced progressive collapse performance and damage mitigation strategies in modular steel buildings (MSBs) A typical three‐dimensional six‐story structure was modeled and analyzed using the finite element method, focusing on the instantaneous removal of a corner module. The study includes a parametric evaluation of the influence of beam moment capacity on progressive collapse and investigates the effect of using concrete as an infill for square hollow section columns. Additionally, the effectiveness of short K‐shaped braces in limiting gravity‐induced collapse was assessed. A response/damage index (DI) was proposed to quantify the overall structural response. The findings indicate that semirigid beam‐column connections outperform fully rigid connections. Both concrete‐filled columns and K‐shaped braces mitigate structural damage, with K‐shaped braces proving more effective in preventing collapse. Although increasing the beam moment‐resisting capacity reduced the DI, improvements were marginal beyond 50% of the fully rigid connection capacity. Higher beam moment capacities reduced local vertical displacement at the corner joint but led to undesirable lateral deformations. Reducing beam rigidity/capacity by 25% mitigated global structural deformations. The optimal beam moment capacity was identified as 75% of the total section capacity when using concrete‐filled columns. K‐shaped braces applied at the column midpoint entirely prevented progressive gravity‐induced collapse and no lateral deformations were observed in braced structures with fully rigid beam‐column connections, unlike unbraced structures. Concrete‐filled columns offer a cost‐effective solution for preliminary production of MSBs, while K‐shaped braces are suitable for retrofitting existing buildings. Further research is necessary to address other parameters influencing the mitigation of progressive collapse in MSBs.