Optimized design of steel buildings against earthquake and progressive collapse using cables

Progressive collapse is a procedure in which local failure of a structural component can cause failure of the overall structure or a smaller part of it. This phenomenon is the subject of intensive investigation by researchers the last decade. This work presents a design of structures against earthquake and progressive collapse. Cables are used as means to achieve the desired structural performance when the buildings are subjected to (a) seismic excitations, (b) accidents which result in failure of structural members. The design strategy is based on the use of cables located in suitable locations in the structure. The element sizes and cable topology are attained by an automatic optimization procedure in an effort to achieve the most effective use of structural materials. The effect of various design constraints is evaluated in the performance of the optimized buildings. The analysis results indicate the promising potential of cables as a means to increase the building’s progressive collapse resistance, as well as a promising alternative to typical bracing sections used in practice.