Seismic Progressive Collapse Response of Older Reinforced Concrete Structures with Pre-Existing Column Cuts

Authors : Omar Abdulaziz Hassan, Aydın Demir

Pages : 743-756

View : 146 | Download : 151

Publication Date : 2025-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Türkiye caused severe structural failures, particularly in older reinforced concrete (RC) buildings. A key factor in these collapses was the presence of pre-existing column cuts on ground floors, significantly compromising structural integrity. This study investigates the progressive collapse (PC) behavior of older RC buildings with pre-cut columns under gravity and seismic loads. Two numerical models, representing a low-rise (5- story) and mid-rise (10-story) RC structure, were developed based on the Turkish Earthquake Codes of 1975 and 1998. The PC analysis employed nonlinear dynamic simulations using SAP2000, considering three ground-floor column removal scenarios: exterior corner, edge, and interior columns. Findings reveal that TEC1998 structures exhibited improved PC resistance under gravity loads compared to TEC-1975 designs, yet both remained highly vulnerable at exterior columns. Under a simulated Mw 7.7 magnitude earthquake, all models experienced ground-floor column failures, leading to total collapse. These results highlight the inadequacy of outdated seismic codes and the urgent need to retrofit pre-2000 RC buildings to meet modern seismic standards. This study contributes to seismic engineering by emphasizing the impact of structural modifications in older RC buildings and advocating for advanced retrofitting strategies to enhance resilience against PC and earthquake-induced failures.
Keywords : İlerlemeli Göçme (PC), Kesilmiş Kolona Sahipi Eski BA Binalar, Eski Deprem Yönetmelikleri, Sismik Kırılganlık, Doğrusal Olmayan Dinamik Analiz

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL