Application of nonlinear analysis in seismic evaluation of an existing nonductile concrete building

The observed response of a seven-story reinforced concrete building that was instrumented during the 1994 Northridge earthquake is analyzed using current nonlinear analytical procedures. The objective of the study is to evaluate if existing modeling and analysis techniques are adequate to predict the inelastic response of concrete structures under strong ground motions. The evaluation considers both static pushover analysis and nonlinear time-history analysis. Results of the study highlight potential drawbacks in pushover analyses which rely primarily on the initial modal response (eigenvectors) based on the undamaged state of the structure