ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the applicability of the Modal Pushover Analysis (MPA) in predicting the peak seismic responses of Unreinforced Masonry (URM) buildings with flexible diaphragms, and identifies the limitation of the method in capturing the cumulative nature of shear damage. The accurate computation of the peak dynamic responses of buildings corresponding to a particular level of seismic hazard is an essential aspect of the performance-based seismic assessment. Two building models were considered in the analysis. Both models were single-bay, two-story buildings with differences in the initial period, the level of stiffness eccentricity and the predominant failure mechanism. The chapter explores the applicability and the limitations of the MPA in predicting the peak seismic responses of URM buildings with flexible diaphragms. The MPA was found to underestimate the peak seismic demands when the assumption of the independent modal responses was inappropriate.
