| Abstract: | A process is outlined and evaluated for the estimation of seismic roof and storey drift demands for frame structures from the spectral displacement demand at the first mode period of the structure. The spectral displacement demand is related to the roof drift demand for the multi‐degree‐of‐freedom (MDOF) structure using three modification factors, accounting for MDOF effects, inelasticity effects, and P‐delta effects. Median values and measures of dispersion for the factors are obtained from elastic and inelastic time history analyses of nine steel moment resisting frame structures subjected to sets of ground motions representative of different hazard levels. The roof drift demand is related to the storey drift demands, with the results being strongly dependent on the number of stories and the ground motion characteristics. The relationships proposed in this paper should prove useful in the conceptual design phase, in estimating deformation demands for performance assessment, and in improving basic understanding of seismic behaviour. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
