Efficient seismic analysis of multi-story buildings

The equivalent static force procedure and the response spectrum analysis method are widely used for seismic analyses of multi-story buildings. The equivalent static force procedure is one of the most simple but less accurate method in predicting possible seismic response of a structure. The response spectrum analysis method provides more accurate results while it takes much longer computational time. In the response spectrum method, dynamic response of a multi-story building is obtained by combining modal responses through a proper procedure such as SRSS or CQC method. Since all of the analysis results are expressed in absolute values, structural engineers have difficulties to combine them with the results obtained from the static analysis. Design automation is interrupted at this stage because of the difficulty in the decision of the most critical design load. Pseudo-dynamic analysis method proposed in this study provides more accurate seismic analysis results than those of the equivalent static force procedure since the dynamic characteristics of a structure is considered. And the proposed method has an advantage in combination of the analysis results due to gravity loads and seismic loads since the direction of the forces can be considered.