Column Removal Analysis of Bare Steel Gravity Frames Using Connection Behaviour from Physical Tests

This paper investigates the dynamic response of bare steel framing systems with commonly-used shear connections under several column removal scenarios. The analysis follows the Imperial College London method for progressive collapse assessment, which provides a simplified approach that accounts for the dynamic effects associated with instantaneous column removal and a practical framework for assessing the collapse resistance of a structure. Load–deformation relationships and failure limits for beam-to-column connections under combined moment, shear, and tension used for this study are taken directly from physical test data, providing realistic connection behaviour for the prediction and assessment of dynamic response. The robustness of various shear connections is quantified and compared, and connection parameters that significantly affect performance under dynamic loading are discussed.