Pushover Analysis

Pushover is a static-nonlinear analysis method where a structure is subjected to

gravity loading and a monotonic displacement-controlled lateral load pattern which
continuously increases through elastic and inelastic behavior until an ultimate
condition is reached.
Difference between Pushover analysis and response spectrum analysis?
Pushover analysis is the common name of a type of procedures that uses simplified
nonlinear static analysis. A modal response spectrum analysis is a dynamic linear
analysis. Modal response spectrum analysis is more suitable for problems involving
the structural design of new structures, while pushover analysis is more indicated
for assessing the seismic vulnerability of existing structures. There are many
pushover analysis procedures. The most popular are the ATC40 capacity spectrum
method
(as
an
example,
see
the
following
paper:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350630714003732),
the
displacement coefficient method (FEMA273), and the N2 method (Eurocode 8)

Nonlinear Static Pushover Analysis

Nonlinear static pushover analysis capabilities are provided in the nonlinear version of ETABS. The
nonlinear behavior occurs in discrete user-defined hinges. Hinges can be introduced into both frame and
vertical wall objects. Hinges may be assigned at any location along the frame object, but are restricted
to mid-height in the wall object. Uncoupled moment, torsion, axial force and shear hinges are available.
There is also a coupled P-M2-M3 hinge that yields based on the interaction of axial force and bending
moments at the hinge location. More than one type of hinge can exist at the same location; for example,
both an M3 (moment) and a V2 (shear) hinge may be assigned to the same end of a frame object. For
more information about hinges, see Nonlinear Hinge.
A pushover analysis can consist of more than one pushover load case. Each pushover load case can
have a different distribution of load on the structure. For example, a typical pushover analysis might
consist of three pushover load cases. The first would apply gravity load to the structure, the second
would apply one distribution of lateral load over the height of the structure, and the third would apply
another distribution of lateral load over the height of the structure. There are four different methods of
describing the distribution of load on the structure for a pushover load case:
1. A uniform acceleration can be automatically applied. In that case, the lateral force automatically
applied at each node is proportional to the mass tributary to that node.
2. A lateral force that is proportional to the product of a specified mode shape times its circular
frequency squared (w2) times the mass tributary to a node can be automatically applied at each
node. The user may specify the mode shape to be used in that instance.
3. An arbitrary static load pattern may be defined.

4. Any of the methods described in 1, 2 and 3 can be combined.

Several types of output can be obtained from the nonlinear static pushover analysis:
1. Base shear versus displacement at a specified control joint can be plotted.
2. Base shear versus displacement at a specified control joint can be plotted in the ADRS format
where the vertical axis is spectral acceleration and the horizontal axis is spectral displacement.
The demand spectra can be superimposed on that plot.
3. The sequence of hinge formation and the color-coded state of each hinge can be viewed
graphically, on a step-by-step basis, for each step of the pushover.
4. The member forces can be viewed graphically, on a step-by-step basis, for each step of the
analysis.
5. Tabulated values of base shear versus displacement at each point along the pushover curve,
along with tabulations of the number of hinges beyond certain control points on their hinge
property force-displacement curve can be viewed on the screen, printed, or saved to a file.
6. Tabulated values of the capacity spectrum (ADRS capacity and demand curves), the effective
period and the effective damping can be viewed on the screen, printed, or saved to a file.
The following general sequence of steps is involved in a nonlinear static pushover analysis:
1. Create a model.
2. Define arbitrary static load cases, if needed, for use in the pushover analysis. Note that the
program also has built-in capability to define the distribution of lateral load over the height of the
structure based on both uniform acceleration and mode shapes.
3. Define the pushover load cases.
4. Define hinge properties.
5. Assign hinge properties to frame objects and wall objects. It is important that frame objects and
wall objects be designed, e.g., reinforcement should be defined for the concrete frames and
walls, prior to running the pushover analysis.

6. Run the pushover analysis by selecting a static nonlinear load case on the Set Load Cases to
Run form. The load case will be available only if there is at least one frame or wall object with a
hinge property assigned to it, and there is at least one pushover load case defined.
7. Review the pushover results.
8. If necessary, revise the model and repeat steps 2 through 7.