Simplified assessment of the seismic collapse capacity of flexible moment-resisting steel frame structures

This paper summarizes the key points of a fast and yet sufficiently accurate methodology employed for assessing the median and dispersion collapse capacity of highly inelastic earthquake excited regular moment-resisting steel frame structures, which are vulnerable to the P-delta effect. The collapse capacity prediction is based on global pushover curves with and without P-delta, an equivalent single-degree-of-freedom system, and collapse capacity spectra. In several case studies the capability and effectiveness of the methodology is demonstrated comparing its outcomes with the actual collapse capacity determined from Incremental Dynamics Analysis studies.