Progressive collapse is the process where a primary structural element fails, resulting in the failure of adjoining structural elements, which in turn causes further structural failure.[1]
Progressive collapses may be accidental, as the result of design deficiencies, fire, unintentional overload, material failure or natural phenomenon (e.g. erosion, wind or earthquakes). They can also be induced deliberately as a demolition method, specifically that of building implosion, or caused by acts of terrorism or war.
- ^ Ellingwood, B. R.; Leyendecker, E. V. (1978). "Approaches for design against progressive collapse". Journal of the Structural Division. 104 (3): 413–423. doi:10.1061/JSDEAG.0004876. Archived from the original on 2014-08-14. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
A progressive collapse is a chain reaction type of failure which follows damage to a relatively small portion of a structure.