Collapse of Reinforced Concrete Column by Vehicle Impact

• Published in: Computer-aided civil and infrastructure engineering 2008-08, Vol.23 (6), p.427-436
• Main Authors: Tsang, Hing-Ho, Lam, Nelson T. K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1093-9687; 1467-8667
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8667.2008.00549.x

:  Walk‐up flats are typically supported by slender columns on the ground floor forming a soft storey. The column slenderness ratio can be in the order of 6–9. Some of these buildings are right next to busy streets and hence continuously exposed to the potential hazard of a vehicle impacting on a column in an accident. In the early part of this study, the ultimate energy absorption capacity of a reinforced concrete column is compared to the kinetic energy embodied in the moving vehicle. The energy‐absorption capacity is calculated from the force‐displacement curve of the column as determined from a nonlinear static (push‐over) analysis. The ultimate displacement of the column is defined at the point when the column fails to continue carrying the full gravitational loading. Results obtained from the nonlinear static analysis have been evaluated by computer simulations of the dynamic behavior of the column following the impact. Limitations in the static analysis procedure have been demonstrated. The effects of strain rate have been discussed and the sensitivity of the result to changes in the velocity function and stiffness of the impacting vehicle has also been studied.