Advanced inelastic static (pushover) analysis for earthquake applications

Whereas the potential of static inelastic analysis methods is recognised in earthquake design and assessment, especially in contrast with elastic anal ysis under scaled forces, they have inherent shortcomings. In this paper, c ritical issues in the application of inelastic static (pushover) analysis a re discussed and their effect on the obtained results appraised. Areas of p ossible developments that would render the method more applicable to the pr ediction of dynamic response are explored. New developments towards a fully adaptive pushover method accounting for spread of inelasticity, geometric nonlinearity, full multi-modal, spectral amplification and period elongatio n, within a framework of fibre modelling of materials, are discussed and pr eliminary results are given. These developments lead to static analysis res ults that are closer than ever to inelastic time-history analysis. It is co ncluded that there is great scope for improvements of this simple and power ful technique that would increase confidence in its employment as the prima ry tool for seismic analysis in practice.