Inelastic displacement-based design approach of R/C building structures in seismic regions

A two-level displacement-based design procedure is developed. To obtain the displacementdemands, elastic spectra for occasional earthquakes and inelastic spectra for rare earthquakes are used.Minimum global stiffness and strength to be supplied to the structure are based on specified maximumpermissible drift limits and on the condition that the structure responds within the elastic range foroccasional earthquakes. The performance of the structure may be assessed by an inelastic push-overanalysis to the required displacement and the evaluation of damage indices. The approach is applied to thedesign of a five-story reinforced concrete coupled wall structure located in the most hazardous seismicregion of Argentina. The inelastic dynamic response of the structure subjected to real and artificiallygenerated acceleration time histories is also analyzed. Finally, advantages and limitations of the proposedprocedure from the conceptual point of view and practical application are discussed.