Development of innovative approaches for ensuring cost-effective global robustness of steel structures

幸运的是，结构崩溃是一个罕见的事件，但它可能发生由于各种潜在的触发因素。“渐进式崩塌”情景导致结构内部的崩塌程度与引发它的事件的强度严重不成比例。这种现象已经在一些引人注目的事件中被观察到，比如俄克拉荷马城阿尔弗雷德·p·默拉联邦大厦的倒塌。虽然这种严重程度的病例相对罕见，但也会发生不太公开的渐进式崩溃事件。这项研究将开发经济设计钢结构的新方法，以增加钢结构对渐进倒塌失效的抵抗力，如果由于意外或故意爆炸，冲击，极端环境载荷（如地震或龙卷风/飓风破坏），结构缺陷或任何其他意外但极端的事件而造成局部损伤。这项研究将包括对结构部件进行大规模测试，以及对结构进行计算机模拟，以模拟受损状态下的整体结构行为。从这个研究项目中产生的具体设计指导将最大限度地提高钢结构的结构完整性和稳健性，同时保持经济作为关键考虑因素。这些指导方针将被建议在加拿大和国际上的设计规范和标准中实施，以防止由于局部结构损坏而发生渐进式倒塌。

Fortunately, structural collapse is a rare event, but it can happen due to a variety of potential triggers. "Progressive collapse" scenarios result in the extent of collapse within a structure being grossly disproportionate to the magnitude of the event that initiated it. This phenomenon has been observed in high-profile events such as the collapse of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Although cases of this magnitude are relatively rare, progressive collapse events that are less publicised also occur.This research will develop new ways of designing steel structures economically in a way that will increase their resistance to progressive collapse failures, should localised damage be imparted due to accidental or intentional explosion, impact, extreme environmental loading (such as earthquakes or tornado/hurricane damage), structural deficiency, or any other unexpected, but extreme, event. The research will involve large-scale testing of structural components, as well as computer simulations of structures that mimic global structural behaviour in the damaged state.Arising from this research program will be specific design guidance that will maximise structural integrity and robustness of steel structures, while keeping economics as a key consideration. These guidelines will be recommended for implementation into design codes and standards within Canada and internationally in order to prevent progressive collapse from occurring as a result of localised structural damage.