Development of computing environment for the seismic performance assessment of reinforced concrete frames by using simplified nonlinear models

A computing environment for the seismic performance assessment of reinforced concrete frames has been developed in Matlab in combination with OpenSees. It includes several functions which provide calculations of the moment-rotation relationship of plastic hinges in columns and beams, rapid determination of simplified nonlinear structural models, the post-processing of the results of analyses and structural performance assessment with different methods. The user can add new functions to the PBEE toolbox in order to support additional procedures for the seismic performance assessment of RC frames, or can just change the rules for determining the moment-rotation relationship of plastic hinges in columns and beams, which are the main source of uncertainty in simplified nonlinear models. In the paper, the capabilities of the computing environment (PBEE toolbox) are first explained by focusing on the procedures for determining the moment-rotation relationship of plastic hinges. Different examples are then presented, starting with a comparison between the calculated response of a four-storey RC frame building and the response obtained in a pseudo-dynamic experiment. The calculated response was determined with the two different structural models which are later on used for the demonstration of the seismic performance assessment of the same structure by the N2 method. Lastly, seismic performance assessment of an eight-storey frame is performed by using incremental dynamic analysis with consideration of the modelling uncertainties.