ABSTRACT
It is evident that the non-linear structural response to a strong earthquake is not univocally determined, but can be characterized by means of some damage parameters which allow a global evaluation of the actual structural damage, in terms of both dissipated energy and ductility demand. Actually, the less the number of cycles with a large ductility demand, the less im portant the dissipated energy aspect in the damage characterization, while a large number of cycles with a small ductility demand is usually associated with a damage accumulation mechanism that is strictly dependent on the absorbed energy.
