Gap analysis on robustness of tubular structures

Abstract

Recent events such as natural catastrophes (tsunami, hurricane, …) or terrorism attacks have highlighted the necessity of ensuring the structural integrity of buildings under exceptional events with the objective to save the life of the occupants and of the safety services (fireman, ambulance man, …) and also to avoid collateral damages to the adjoining buildings. The partial collapse of the Ronan Point Tower in 1968 in UK is considered as the starting point of the interest in the structural integrity of buildings but more recent catastrophes in the last decade such as the terrorist attack of the World Trade Center towers in 2001 or the earthquake/tsunami in Fukushima in 2011 have increased the interest of the engineering community and also of the population in this topic. According to different national and international design codes, the structural integrity of civil engineering structures should be ensured through appropriate measures but, in most of the cases, no precise practical guidelines on how to achieve this goal are provided. In the present report, some definitions are first given. Existing codes and standards are then reviewed and main conclusions are drawn on their adequacy to the present needs of practitioners. From this analysis, general and specific research needs within CIDECT are identified. These ones are detailed in two dedicated sections respectively on buildings and trusses. A summary table draws the main conclusions in terms of future required CIDECT investments. Finally some references to literature are listed