Robust impact design of stel and composite building structures

The main aim of the research project ROBUSTIMPACT was the development and definition of a new combined robust design approach for impact loading and the derivation of design guidelines for advanced impact design of framed steel and steel-concrete composite structures. On one hand the project was focusing on a new impact design concept of deformable vertical members. The concept is uncoupled from the current concept of equivalent static loads. In addition, development of a new design procedure and the derivation of design recommendations that allow increasing the residual strength of impacted members are important.
On the other hand, due to the fact that global safety design against local failure is clearly conflicting with the concept of economic design, not only the resistance and redundancy of the impacted member were investigated, but also the redundancy of the global structure. This means that, if local failure of
a column is allowed, sufficient and effective alternate load paths within the remaining structure have to be provided to allow redistribution of internal forces in undamaged parts of the structure. Consequently, for the activation of alternate load paths, a new design procedure as well as design
requirements and recommendations had also to be introduced. To offer a realistic work programme, all scenarios, experimental tests and numerical simulations were concentrated on a typical building structure as reference structure from which the experimental specimens were extracted. The application of the procedure to industrial facilities and infrastructure
(e.g. pipe support systems made of pure steel frames) were realized afterwards by transferring and adapting the results within design guidelines.