Inter-Story Capacity Spectrum for the Performance Based Seismic Design of Vertically Irregular RC Frame Structures I: Method

Abstract

Considering the dynamical characteristic of structure under different earthquake hazard level, inelastic demand curves, namely, inter-story shear versus inter-story displacement curve are established by using mode spectrum method. Based on the relation of structure performance object and displacement ductibility, the relation of structure performance object and inter-story demand curve is established. And the inter-story demand curves take into account the inelastic behavior of structure under earthquake action adequately. Then considering the seismic respond characteristic and the capacity curve of the frame structure a new method named inter-story capacity spectrum (ISCS) is put forward for the performance based seismic design of vertically irregular frame structures. Examples are presented to demonstrate the applicability and utility of the proposed method. In part , the procedure to establish the ISCS method is mainly explained. And the examples will be introduced in part .