Numerical prediction of progressive collapse of buildings due to extreme loading is still a challenging task. However, increased computational power makes it nowadays possible to analyze not only small-scale connections and mid-size building elements, but also full buildings with considerable height and complexity.
Extreme events (i.e. terrorist attacks, vehicle impacts, explosions, etc.) often cause local damage to building structures and pose a serious threat when one or more vertical load-bearing components fail, leading to the progressive collapse of the entire structure or...
TThe Applied Element Method (AEM) is a relatively recent addition to the discrete elements methods family. Initially conceived to model blast events and concrete structures, its use in the modelling of masonry structures subjected to earthquake actions is steadily...
The response of calcium silicate unreinforced masonry construction to horizontal cyclic loading has recently become the focus of experimental and numerical research, given its extensive use in some areas of the world that are now exposed to induced earthquakes (eg,...
When subjected to blast loading, fragments ejected by concrete or masonry structures present a number of potential hazards. Airborne fragments pose a high risk of injury and secondary damage, with the resulting debris field causing major obstructions. The capability...
A new methodology to design against disproportionate collapse is proposed for critical building that must be operational after a terrorist attack. The disproportionate collapse analysis uses the alternate path method where the structure must be designed to support the...
This paper investigates the influence of structural arrangement on long-duration blast loaded annealed glazing via variable thickness, area, aspect ratio and edge support conditions. Initially, the findings of eighteen full-scale air-blast trials employing 33 annealed...
People’s lives are threatened by explosions; the tragic terrorist attacks have forced the governments to consider the importance of dealing with these attacks. With the rising threat of terrorism, protecting critical civil infrastructure such as embassies,...
During last decades, there was an increased interest from research and design professionals to provide effective strategies in protecting buildings and other assets from the direct effects of blasts or other incidents. Experimental tests, conducted over a large range...