Nonlinear seismic analysis of concrete buildings considering different models of plastic hinges

Abstract

Pushover analysis is one of the most frequently used methods for the seismic analysis of structures. The accurate modelling of the plastic hinges generated during the pushover analysis is crucial. The response curve of plastic hinges can be defined with empirical expressions that obtain the yielding and ultimate states of the cross‐sections. The main objective of this work is to study the influence of different plastic hinge models on the structural nonlinear behaviour. Several pushover analyses have been executed with the software ETABS®, considering the following plastic hinge models: (i) the model of FEMA‐356 included in ETABS®, and (ii) a model proposed by the authors using empirical expressions calibrated with a database of tests. The results obtained show that the empirical expressions can be used by structural engineers to model plastic hinges in concrete structures with a theoretical response closer to the real one.