Nonlinear time-history earthquake analysis for steel frames

This study presents a simple, efficient, accurate method for nonlinear time-history earthquake analysis of spatial steel frames. The proposed new fiber plastic hinge method simulating only one element for each member captures the time-history dynamic behavior of steel frames as accurately as sophisticated plastic zone methods. Stability functions and the geometric stiffness matrix are employed for predicting the second-order effects that aim to minimize computational time and computer resources. Residual stresses are considered through two fiber plastic hinges by assigning initial stress values. A numerical integration procedure using Newmark integration combined with the Newton-Raphson balanced iteration algorithm is developed to find a solution to nonlinear dynamic equilibrium equations of the structural system. Shear deformation effects are also considered in the dynamic analysis. The proposed software, named Direct Advanced Analysis and Design (DAAD), is proved to be accurate and reliable as compared with the analysis results generated by expensive commercial Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software packages. The proposed DAAD program can be improved for performance-based direct design and analysis.