Impact Loads in Steel Connections

After attacks on World Trade Center (2001), Madrid (2004), London (2005) and Mumbai (2008), special attention was given to the study of robust structures subjected at different accidental loads, allowing localized failure without being damaged to an extent disproportionate to the original cause. The collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) showed problems in the design of structural elements: columns collapse, beams buckling and brittle failure of connections. Concerning this last topic, it was realised that the joint structural details plays very significant role behaviour in structures subjected to accidentals loads. The accidental loads may result from an object impact, blast, explosions, earthquake and fire.