Research Projects

Progressive collapse is a phenomenon where initial local failure spreads from element to element, leading to a large part of a structure failing disproportionately to the original cause. This can result in catastrophic failure, causing substantial loss of human lives and natural resources. Precast construction relies heavily on connections, which can be improved by providing adequate continuity and ductility within the connection region. However, experimental data on the disproportionate collapse resistance of precast concrete structures is limited. To evaluate the performance of precast beam column assemblies under progressive collapse scenarios, it is crucial to evaluate the performance of different connection detailing and structural strengthening techniques. Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) wrapping is widely used, but the effectiveness of locally available and cost-effective stainless steel Wire Mesh (ssWM) as a wrapping material is not thoroughly explored. This study aims to investigate the performance of ssWM strengthened precast beam column assemblies under progressive collapse scenarios through experimental and numerical studies. Reduced scale precast beam column assemblies with different connection detailing and ssWM wrapping configurations will be tested under column removal scenarios, measuring ultimate load carrying capacity, load versus deflection profile, strain measurement at critical locations, crack formation, and failure pattern. Finite Element (FE) models will be developed for nonlinear analysis, and experimental results will be compared with numerical analysis results.