Abstract: This study investigated the effects of surrounding structural constraints on the bearing capacity of progressive collapse resistance of reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures. The accuracy of the sub-structural detailed finite element model established by the ABAQUS software was verified by the Qian K's pseudo-static tests via the middle column removal of the sub-frame. The load-displacement curves obtained from the simulation were in good agreement with tested results, and the whole processes of the middle column removal until the sub-structure failure were well simulated. After the verification of the model, the effects of lateral span constraints on the plane sub-structural progressive collapse capacity were studied by varying the lateral span constraints. The effects of floor slab on improving the bearing capacity of arch and catenary stage were analyzed by comparing the capacity of a single-story space structure with or without considering the slab. Different effects of slab on various stages of progressive collapse were discussed. Multi-stories space structural models were established to study the structural bearing capacity during bottom column removal. The results show that increasing the number of stories multiplied the bearing capacity of the frame structure and exerted different effects on various stages of progressive collapse of RC frame structures.