Load and Resistance Factors for Progressive Collapse Resistance Design of Reinforced Concrete Building Structures

Due to the absence of provision for the load and resistance factors in design codes in China, designers often quote the provisions which are given in criterion or guidance of other countries such as USA. However, the partial safety factors of the load are various in different criterions. Based on the reliability theory, the load and resistance factors for progressive collapse resistance design of building structures were determined in this study. Firstly the simplified format of design expression in the ultimate state was obtained according to the expression in routine structural design. Then the failure probability of a structure during design reference period was taken as the sum of the probability of all incompatible failure events in this period, and the objective reliability index of the structure could be obtained. Finally using trial-and-error procedure and JC method, reliability analysis was performed for structural members to obtain the partial safety factors of load effects and resistance and the coefficient for combination value of load effects in design expression in the ultimate state. In this paper the load and resistance factors for progressive collapse resistance design of reinforced concrete structures subjected to blast was calculated as an example, and the recommendation values were given for the application at last.