Study of the Behaviour of Precast Connections under Progressive Collapse Scenario

Abstract

Progressive collapse is a situation where local failure of a primary structural component leads newlineto the collapse of adjoining members, which in turn leads to spread of collapse. Progressive newlinecollapse of building structures is initiated when one or more vertical load carrying members are newlineseriously damaged or collapsed due to extreme loading imposed by earthquake, flood, newlineexplosion, vehicle impact etc. As a result, a substantial part of the structure may collapse, newlinecausing greater damage to the structure than the initial impact. Progressive collapse of any newlinestructure causes catastrophic failure of structure and substantial loss of human lives as well as newlinenatural resources. In order to reduce risk of progressive collapse, it is necessary to design and newlinedetail the structure to develop alternate load path in the event of extreme loading. newlineIn precast concrete construction, the components of structures are produced in controlled newlineenvironment, transported and individual precast elements are connected appropriately at site. newlineBecause of better quality control and faster rate of construction, the precast concrete newlineconstruction is being adopted world-wide including India. However, in precast concrete newlineconstruction, connections are the critical elements of the structure, because in past, major newlinecollapse of precast building took place because of connection failure. Therefore, it is very newlineimportant to study the performance of precast beam column assembly under a progressive newlinecollapse scenario. Behaviour of precast beam column assemblies under progressive collapse newlinecondition is not reported in greater detail in literature. National Institute of Standard and newlineTechnology (NIST), U. S. Department of Commerce has presented report on experimental and newlinecomputational study of two precast concrete moment-frame assemblies under a column removal newlinescenario, in September 2015. During last couple of years, few more investigators have reported newlineresults of experimental and numerical studies conducted on different precast beam column newlineconnections under