Deterministic, probabilistic and risk-based design for progressive collapse of RC structures based on a novel method

Abstract

Progressive or disproportionate collapse is a structural failure mechanism accompanied with a significant disproportion between the initiating event and the ensuing failure consequence. Facing a possible huge economic loss and even large casualties, structures must be designed with sufficient robustness. Several structural design codes and standards have presented guidelines to increase the robustness of structures. However, these guidelines are largely of deterministic nature and may not be effective, because structures involve large variation in loading, material properties, etc. These variations can lead to significant uncertainty in the degree of robustness of structures and should be dealt with in a probabilistic framework. Based on a new direct design method developed by the authors recently, this study showed that how probabilistic and risk-based design for progressive collapse can be accomplished from a case study. The method can not only help engineers quickly conduct probabilistic performance-based design of structures against progressive collapse, but also communicate with stakeholders more efficiently if adopting risk-based design strategy.