Progressive Collapse Resistance of RC Beam–Slab Substructures Made with Rubberized Concrete

Abstract

Abnormal loads can produce localized damage that can eventually cause progressive collapse of the whole reinforced concrete (RC) structure. This might have devastating financial repercussions and cause numerous severe casualties. Numerical simulation, using the finite element method (FEM), of the consequences of abnormal loads on buildings is thus required to avoid the significant expenses associated with testing full-scale buildings and to save time. In this paper, FEM simulations, using ABAQUS software, were employed to investigate the progressive collapse resistance of the full-scale three-dimensional (3D) beam–slab substructures, considering two concrete mixes, namely: normal concrete (NC) and rubberized concrete (RuC) which was made by incorporating crumb rubber at 20% by volume replacement for sand. The FEM accuracy and dependability were validated using available experimental test results. Concrete and steel material non-linearity were considered in the FE modelling. The numerical study is extended to include eight new models with various specifics (a set of parameters) for further understanding of progressive collapse. Results showed that slabs contribute more than a third of the load resistance, which also significantly improves the building’s progressive collapse resistance. Moreover, the performance of the RuC specimens was excellent in the catenary stage, which develops additional resilience to significant deformation to prevent or even mitigate progressive collapse.