Proposal of robustness-oriented performance limit states for reinforced concrete framed buildings

This work is aimed at defining performance limit states (PLSs) that are directly related to the extreme response of reinforced concrete (RC) structures under notional removal of columns. A prototype structure was selected from a companion paper [1], considering the same column removal scenarios in terms of location in plan and elevation. Five PLSs were defined in order to evaluate the corresponding levels of load capacity and their sensitivity to model properties. Nonlinear dynamic analyses were carried out to characterize the residual capacity of the case study structure after column removal. The characterization of PLSs was based on appropriate damage measures and threshold values. Analysis results show a sequential occurrence of PLSs and allow the identification of three model properties that mostly influence the limit-state load capacity.