A new cable system to prevent progressive collapse of reinforced concrete buildings

Authors

Muhammad N. S Hadi, University of WollongongFollow
Thaer M Saeed AlrudainiFollow

RIS ID

54910

Publication Details

Hadi, M. Alrudaini, T. M Saeed. (2012). A new cable system to prevent progressive collapse of reinforced concrete buildings. Structures Congress 2012 (pp. 257-267). Chicago: American Society of Civil Engineers.

Abstract

This paper presents a new idea for retrofitting existing buildings and upgrading new buildings so that they are able to resist progressive collapse. The idea is to use vertical cables parallel to columns connected at the ends of the beams and hanged from a steel braced frame seated on the top of the building. A nonlinear dynamic analysis following the alternate path method (APM) recommended by UFC (2009) guidelines is adopted in order to investigate the viability of the proposed method. A ten story reinforced concrete building designed according to Australian Standard AS 3600 (2009) is adopted in this study. The structure is simulated using ANSYS 11.0 (2008) finite element software. The simulation results of the building example show that the proposed method of using cables and steel braced frame is efficient in absorbing the loss of a first floor column and eliminating the progressive collapse of the building.