RC structural walls designed according to UBC and displacement-based methods

The seismic provisions of the 1994 Uniform Building Code (UBC) are examined from the perspective of achieving performance-based earthquake engineering of structural wall buildings. It is shown that although strain limits an p resent in the 1997 UBC, the drift ratio limits generally,govern design. The conflict between assumed force reduction factors and actual ductility dema nd at the design limit state controlled by drift is also explored. Through the use of design examples and dynamic inelastic time history analysis it i s shown that attempts to achieve performance-based engineering with a force r-based approach such as that described in the 1997 UBC will inevitably nes t be possible. As an alternative, it is shown that a simple and more ration al direct displacement-based approach would better achieve the objectives o f performance-based earthquake engineering.