Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Mass Irregularity on Progressive Collapse of RC Buildings
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66224/Keywords:
Numerical development, Progressive collapse, Reinforced concrete moment frame, Mass irregularity, ABAQUSAbstract
Mass irregularity, which amplifies stress concentrations and torsional demands, substantially increases the risk of progressive collapse in reinforced concrete structures. Improper design and non-uniform mass distribution are key contributors to such failures, highlighting the need for optimized design and targeted strengthening measures. This study investigates the effects of column removal on a two-story RC moment-resisting frame using ABAQUS. A one-third-scale frame was numerically modeled under both regular and irregular quasi-static loading, considering the removal of a corner and a side column. The model was validated against experimental results, and structural performance was assessed in terms of load-bearing capacity, stiffness degradation, and energy absorption. Results show that adjacent columns experience higher stress than the removed column due to rapid load redistribution through surrounding beams and columns. The progressive collapse sensitivity index under vertical and lateral loads reached 76.2% and 78.5% for corner-column removal under irregular loading, compared to 71.6% and 72.2% for side-column removal. These findings indicate heightened vulnerability to progressive collapse for corner-column loss and irregular mass distribution, emphasizing the importance of uniform mass distribution and robust structural design to mitigate progressive failure.
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