Progressive collapse testing and analysis of a steel frame building

•A steel frame building was tested by physically removing four first story columns.•2-D and 3-D models of the building were analyzed.•Calculated demand-to-capacity ratios exceeded the specified limits.•Although analytically collapse was predicted, test building did not collapse.

A steel frame building was tested by physically removing four first story columns from one of the perimeter frames prior to building's scheduled demolition. The purpose of the field experiment was to simulate sudden column loss in buildings that may cause progressive collapse. Another objective was to investigate the load redistribution within the building after each column removal. The measured experimental data and observed performance of the building was valuable because it is very difficult and cost-prohibitive to build and test three-dimensional full-scale building specimens in the laboratory. Generally, the design code requirements prescribe simplified analysis procedures involving instantaneous removal of certain critical columns in a building. Design methodologies and simplified analysis procedures recommended in the design guidelines were also evaluated using the experimental data. In this study, two and three-dimensional models of the building were developed and analyzed to simulate the progressive collapse response. The effectiveness of the analysis procedures was evaluated by comparing with the experimental data.