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Related Concept Videos

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Types of Building Separation Joints

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Creep in concrete, the gradual deformation under prolonged stress, significantly impacts the integrity of structures. For reinforced concrete beams, it can be a vital design consideration, as it increases deflection, sometimes necessitating additional design measures. In columns, especially slender ones under eccentric loads, creep can cause buckling, compromising their stability. However, creep can be beneficial in indeterminate structures by mitigating stresses that arise from shrinkage,...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Determination of the Mechanical Properties of Flexible Connectors for Use in Insulated Concrete Wall Panels
05:26

Determination of the Mechanical Properties of Flexible Connectors for Use in Insulated Concrete Wall Panels

Published on: October 19, 2022

Breaking continuity to prevent catastrophic building collapse.

Andri Setiawan1, Diego Cetina1, Maria L Gerbaudo1

  • 1ICITECH, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain.

Nature Communications
|June 15, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Designing robust buildings requires managing structural continuity. This study introduces force-regulating fuses to prevent catastrophic collapse propagation in continuous structures, enabling safer testing of new designs against extreme events.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Determination of the Mechanical Properties of Flexible Connectors for Use in Insulated Concrete Wall Panels
05:26

Determination of the Mechanical Properties of Flexible Connectors for Use in Insulated Concrete Wall Panels

Published on: October 19, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Structural Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Resilience Engineering

Background:

  • Designing robust buildings is challenging due to unpredictable hazards over a structure's lifespan.
  • Continuity in structural systems enhances robustness for expected scenarios but risks catastrophic collapse propagation from large initial damage.
  • Highly continuous structures, like cast-in-place reinforced concrete buildings, are susceptible to this risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize mechanisms of continuity-enabled collapse propagation in continuous building structures.
  • To develop a novel design approach to mitigate risks associated with structural continuity.
  • To create an effective experimental setup for evaluating system-level collapse propagation.

Main Methods:

  • High-fidelity simulations were used to analyze collapse propagation mechanisms.
  • A new design strategy incorporating force-regulating fuses was developed.
  • A specialized experimental setup was designed for testing representative structural components.

Main Results:

  • Key mechanisms driving collapse propagation in continuous structures were identified and characterized.
  • A design approach using force-regulating fuses was successfully developed to interrupt detrimental continuity.
  • A cost-effective experimental setup was created for evaluating system-level responses.

Conclusions:

  • Continuity in intrinsically continuous structures can be selectively disengaged to prevent catastrophic failure.
  • The developed force-regulating fuses offer a method to enhance structural resilience against unforeseen damage.
  • The experimental setup provides a practical means to test next-generation structural solutions for extreme events.