Review of Progressive Collapse of Structures, 2nd Edition, by Uwe Starossek

The first edition of Progressive Collapse of Structures (2009) was a great success, welcomed by all of those working in the structural engineering field. However, Professor Starossek’s second edition represents a significant advance on the first. Ten years have passed since the first edition was published, and in that time the field of progressive structural collapse has evolved thanks both to the large number of studies carried out and to the review and publication of new standards and design guidelines. The author has chosen well the date of publication of this second edition, which improves on and updates many aspects of the first edition and includes new material previously either absent or given scant attention. The approach in the two editions is very similar.

After the attacks on the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City (1995) and the World Trade Center in New York, the field of progressive structural collapse took on renewed interest for both the scientific community and experts in the design and construction of structures. In the present age of resilient societies, resilient infrastructures and buildings are a basic requirement. Professor Starossek’s contribution is especially relevant to the achievement of resilient infrastructures that can stand up to potential progressive collapse situations. Research in this field and the standards and recommendations currently in force focus on building structures. Like the first edition of Progressive Collapse of Structures, this edition goes further, dealing with the progressive collapse and robustness of other structure types.

Progressive Collapse of Structures, 2nd edition, is exceptionally well organized and clear, with figures and schemes that are of very high quality. It is certain to be of interest to a wide range of readers, including researchers, structural design and construction experts, and undergraduate architecture and civil engineering students wishing to enter the field of progressive collapse. Of special interest are the quantity and quality of references at the end of each chapter, which will be of enormous help to those who want to dig deeper into specific topics.

Chapter 1 begins with a series of preliminary definitions and a description of some interesting cases by way of introduction to the progressive collapse problem. It awakens the reader’s interest right from the start. The chapter also includes a brief review of the current state of research, standards, and guidelines.

Chapter 2 classifies the different types of progressive collapse with clear descriptions that aid understanding of the mechanisms involved in progressive structural collapse. Being familiar with these mechanisms is, of course, crucial to the design of robust structures.

Chapter 3, the shortest in the book, describes the limitations of current design procedures and provides suggestions for improvement.

Chapter 4 concisely sums up the steps to be followed in designing measures against progressive collapse. It ties in with Chapter 5, which discusses these preventive measures. Of special interest is Professor Starossek’s explanation of the segmentation method, in which he uses an example from a bridge he helped to design. There is an interesting debate in Section 5.3.4 on the advantages and disadvantages of redundancy and segmentation.

Chapter 6, discussing ways to minimize the risk of progressive collapse of tall buildings and bridges, will certainly hold the reader’s attention, particularly its descriptions of situations to which the scientific community and those responsible for design guidelines have so far paid very little attention.

Chapter 7 presents a series of approximations and formulas designed to gauge robustness and ability of structures to resist collapse. Although the author gives a correct account of this topic, it must be said that, in spite of the great advances recently made in this field, some of the latest formulations have been left out.

Chapters 8 and 9 are new and specifically written for the second edition. The former provides excellent explanations of the most important definitions associated with progressive collapse and robustness of structures in a review that is probably the most complete of any carried out to date. The latter includes a brief review of design criteria, requirements, and objectives currently considered in devising robust structures.

In Chapter 9, the essential characteristics of the best known codes and recommendations are described in detail, including those of the Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC), the General Services Administration (GSA), Eurocode EN 1991-1-7, and some ASCE publications. This chapter will be particularly useful to engineers and architects facing the challenge of designing and constructing robust buildings able to withstand potential collapse situations. Bearing in mind that this book is going to be distributed all over the world, it would have been interesting to learn about other international codes and guidelines widely used in countries such as China, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

The conclusions given in Chapter 10 perfectly reflect the magnificent job done by Professor Starossek in compiling Progressive Collapse of Structures, 2nd edition.

In this magnificent book, probably the most complete in its field, the reader will find the work of one of the world’s leading experts in progressive collapse. This second edition will no doubt become a vital reference in any technical library. When it first appeared in 2009, the first edition of Progressive Collapse of Structures covered a gap in the structural design field, and nine years later the second edition carries on as an excellent guide to the field.

Apart from its technical aspects, the book’s price is also worthy of mention. Considering its quality and the author’s prestige, at only $115 (the official price on the publisher’s web page) it is excellent value for the money.