FEA Blast Simulation and Progressive Collapse Analysis of Steel Frames
Compares Abaqus/Explicit results to TM 5-1300 guidelines for steel connections under blast loads and models progressive collapse in 10-story frames.
University of Florida researchers used Abaqus/Explicit to evaluate steel moment connections under combined blast and dead loads. Results showed local rotations exceeding TM 5-1300 limits and revealed three-dimensional blast effects not captured by current guidelines. Progressive collapse simulations of 10-story frames demonstrated that horizontal column buckling propagation leads to total collapse and that connection type strongly influences failure sequence.
TM 5-1300 underestimates connection rotations when blast pressures reflect from multiple surfaces
Dead loads and strain-rate effects increase connection strength but also induce additional twisting
Horizontal column buckling is the dominant mechanism driving progressive collapse propagation
Semi-rigid connections produce cascade failures; ideal rigid connections fail via first-floor column buckling
High-resolution FEA is required to capture nonlinear transient behavior missed by single-degree-of-freedom methods
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