Application of Nonlinear Static Procedures for the Seismic Assessment of a 9-Storey Asymmetric Plan Building

Abstract

The Seismic Assessment of a 9-storey asymmetric plan building is performed through recent Nonlinear Static Procedures (NSPs). Among these methods two multimode methods are included: the Modal Pushover Analysis (MPA) and the Improved Modal Pushover Analysis (IMPA). The IMPA is a multimode procedure that has the advantage of redefining the lateral load applied, when comparing with multimode current methods; hence, instead of consider the elastic deformed shape when applying the pushover load pattern, it is possible to consider the deformed shape of the structure when behaving inelastically. The IMPA was proposed in the past and was successfully applied in the seismic assessment of bridges. Thus, the main objective of this work is to test IMPA in buildings. For this purpose the seismic demands of an asymmetric plan building, considering both components of ground motion acting simultaneously, are herein estimated by means of IMPA and compared with Nonlinear Dynamic Analyses (NDA), MPA and two other NSPs that are proposed in American and European seismic codes (ASCE/SEI 41-06 NSP and N2 method respectively). The results are obtained in terms of lateral displacements profiles, interstorey drifts, normalized top displacements and shear forces.