We are now in the process of finalising the construction of the two subassembly specimens to validate the application of the fuse-based segmentation concept for arresting collapse propagation in buildings. The subassembly specimen represents a scaled-down portion (1/3 scale) of the prototype building investigated earlier during the conceptualisation stage. The prototype building is a 3-storey reinforced concrete (cast-in-situ) system with a 3 x 7 bays configuration of 10 m span, designed with ductility class low (no seismic design).
A novel test setup for investigating the structural response of two specimens has been successfully developed. The test setup consists of three main parts: 1) the collapsing part that represents parts of the building that are initially damaged (where the collapse front is propagating from); 2) the upright parts that represent parts of the building located behind the segment border (that is being protected from the collapse); 3) the segment border that represents the junction (intersection) between the collapsing and the remaining upright parts.
These tests will be part of the Endure project research, which has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 1101000396).
