Modal energy balance approach for seismic performance evaluation of building structures considering nonlinear behaviour

Abstract

This paper presents an improved seismic evaluation method based on modal energy balance concept. The capacity spectrum for the structure is converted into energy capacity curve and the demand spectrum for the structure is converted into energy demand curve. The energy capacity curve is combined with energy demand curve and energy performance points are obtained at their intersections. Seismic evaluation of the one-storey, three-storey, five-storey, and seven-storey reinforced concrete building frames has been carried out using the proposed method. The results obtained from the proposed method are compared with those obtained from conventional capacity spectrum method as well as time-history analysis. The results show that the proposed method can be used effectively for seismic evaluation of structures. Like Leelataviwat’s method, the proposed method is also based on energy concept; the advantage of the proposed method over the Leelataviwat’s method is that the proposed method can be more comprehensively and easily applied to the practical analysis.