Seismic-Resilient Progressive Collapse Resistance in High-Rise Megastructures

Progressive collapse in high-rise buildings is a disproportionate structural failurein which localized damage, such as the loss of a column, beam-column joint, shearwall segment, or transfer element, initiates a chain of failures that propagates throughthe structural system. When the initiating event is an earthquake, the problembecomes more complex because gravity loading, bidirectional ground motion, cyclicdegradation, geometric nonlinearity, contact impact, material damage, and changingload paths act simultaneously.This research develops an advanced analytical framework for seismic-inducedprogressive-collapse resistance in high-rise megastructures. The framework integratesnonlinear finite-element analysis, alternate load path theory, performance-basedseismic assessment, fracture and damage mechanics, structural dynamics, and energybased failure criteria. The principal governing equation is the nonlinear dynamicequilibrium equationMu¨(t) + Cu˙(t) + fint (u,u˙ , ξ) = pg(t) + pe(t) + pc(t), (1)where M is the mass matrix, C is the damping matrix, u is the displacementvector, ξ represents internal damage variables, pg is the gravity-load vector, pe isthe earthquake-load vector, and pc represents contact and impact forces.The proposed technology creates a redundant three-dimensional structural network capable of redistributing forces through moment frames, core walls, outrigger systems, belt trusses, composite floors, catenary action, membrane action, energydissipating devices, and controlled plastic mechanisms. The study concludes that the most reliable strategy is a hybrid design philosophy combining seismic damage control with explicit alternate-load-path and robustness verification.