IMechE signs Research Agreement with Salford University

A joint team aims to reduce risks of Progressive Collapse in Historic Buildings.

Amidst the backdrop of climate change and geopolitical tensions, buildings and bridges are becoming exposed to more frequent and severe extreme events. Such events may cause local-initial failures that can propagate to other parts of the structural system through a phenomenon known as progressive collapse (PC). And while the latest Eurocodes address this, older buildings were not constructed to the same standards. To mitigate this problem, there is growing interest in the scientific community to studying progressive collapse and remedial options to prevent it.

In this context, researchers at the University of Salford (Ref 1) and the members of IMechE’s Technical Advisory Committee studying Steel Framed Buildings have agreed to form a joint project to assess new approaches to building remediation. The work will be focussed on the validation of novel Software programs including “Extreme Loading for Structures” (Ref 1) which utilizes the Applied Element Method as opposed to traditional Finite Element Methods. The software has already been validated and benchmarked against scaled sub assembly physical models at the University of Salford.

IMechE's contribution will focus on steel connections and begin with modelling a ‘bank’ of steel connection types based on past work conducted by the TAC. This will include checking moment rotation curves and the correct point of failure at the ultimate limit state. After connection studies, the work will focus on sub-assemblies and then extend to full Progressive Collapse models followed by the assessment of remedial options.

The joint project will be overseen by the Construction and Building Services Board of IMechE, and senior members of the Structural Engineering team at Salford University.

Ref 1 ELS See Structural Engineering Software Program & Nonlinear Structural Analysis (extremeloading.com)