Multi-mode pushover procedure for deformation demand estimates of steel moment-resisting frames

The main objective of the paper is the development and evaluation of a multi-mode pushover procedure for the approximate analysis of the seismic response of steel moment-resisting frames. A generalized force vector derived from modal combination simulates the instantaneous force distribution acting on the structure when the interstorey drift reaches its maximum value during dynamic response to a seismic excitation. Considering the interstorey drift for each floor, a set of generalized force vectors (each associated to maximum drift at one story) is applied separately to the structure until the corresponding target interstorey drift is attained. The maximum value of each response parameter is obtained from the envelope of results. This multi-run and multi-mode pushover procedure allows a simple implementation, reducing the computational effort compared with adaptive nonlinear static procedures and with nonlinear response history analysis. Furthermore, it does not suffer from the statistical combination of inelastic modal responses calculated separately. Both effectiveness and accuracy are verified through a comparative study involving regular steel moment resisting frames subjected to various acceleration records. The results are finally compared with those obtained from other nonlinear static procedures and with the “exact” values from nonlinear response history analysis. It is demonstrated that the proposed procedure is able to accurately predict the seismic demands of steel moment-resisting frames. In low- and middle-rise frames, the error of interstorey drift ratios of the proposed procedure is in the range 5.8-20.8% when the intensity level of the input ground motion varies in the range 0.2-0.8 g. In high-rise frames the error of interstorey drift ratios is in the range 6.38-20.9%.