CONCEPTS OF PLASTIC HINGING AND PUSHOVER

ANALYSIS WITH MIDAS CIVIL

By Angelo Tinga
 GOALS OF THE PRESENTATION
THE PRESENTATION AIMS TO:

1. Provide an understanding on the concept of Plastic Hinging

and its importance.
2. Be familiarized with the concepts and theories regarding
Pushover Analysis
3. Learn basic Pushover Analysis using MIDAS Civil

PHOTO:
Unsplash.com
OUTLINE OF TOPICS

1. PLASTIC HINGING 3. USING MIDAS CIVIL

• What are Plastic Hinges? • Setting up the Model
• Purpose of Plastic Hinges • Defining Hinges
• Current use in Bridge Design • Pushover procedure
• Interpretation of Results
2. PUSHOVER ANALYSIS
• What is Pushover Analysis?
• Basic overview and methods
• Assumptions and Limitations
PLASTIC HINGING
 WHAT ARE PLASTIC HINGES?
A plastic hinge is a section of an element where plastic
bending occurs.

They are developed when a section has exceeded their

elastic capacity and has entered plastic behavior.

Plastic Hinges are NOT true hinges. They are able to transfer
their plastic moment (M p) to adjacent elements, thus
maintaining lateral resistance and can still support dead
loads and resulting P-∆ effects.

PHOTO:
US FHWA – LRFD Seismic Analysis and Design of Bridges Reference Manual
 LATERAL LOAD ON STRUCTURE
∆e ∆e+∆yi

W W W W W
W W W

Plastic Hinge
X

LATERAL FORCE ELASTIC BEHAVIOR PLASTIC BEHAVIOR COLLAPSE

- An applied lateral - Elastic deformation - Additional - Section has exceeded
force produces a using elastic section displacement due to usable capacity; loss
moment. capacity plastic behavior of lateral strength
 PURPOSE OF PLASTIC HINGES
In seismic design, plastic hinges can be considered as an
energy damping device allowing plastic rotation.

Plastic Hinges is a permissible earthquake resisting element

in various design codes (which includes DPWH BSDS -
Philippines), which allows economical sizing and design of
bridges.

Note that formation of Plastic Hinges will cause permanent

deformations and is only allowable in certain cases (such as
large ground motions).

Elastic Behavior Plastic Behavior

PHOTO:
US FHWA – LRFD Seismic Analysis and Design of Bridges Reference Manual
 CURRENT USE IN BRIDGE DESIGN
The common design approach in bridges is having a Ductile
Substructure with an essentially Elastic Superstructure.

This design approach requires the formation of plastic

hinges in the column in a strong ground movement scenario,
which will dissipate energy.

The Force-Based Method (FBM) is used by the AASHTO LRFD

Bridge Design Specifications and the DPWH LRFD Bridge
Seismic Design Specifications (Philippines).

This method develops design seismic forces for elements

that are expected to yield by dividing elastic seismic forces
by the appropriate Response Modification Factor (R).

PHOTO:
DPWH BSDS
 PLASTIC HINGES IN FBM
The FBM permits the formation of plastic hinges in the
structure, where peak elastic force is reduced.

<
Reduced

<
Yielding Element Elastic
Seismic Seismic
Elastic
Moments Moment
Capacity
by R

The application of R-factor accounts for the ductility of the

structure and the capacity of the expected hinge zones
(called “end-regions”) is satisfied by providing prescriptive
detailing.

Note that the performance of the hinge itself is not directly

considered in the FBM.

PHOTO:
US FHWA – LRFD Seismic Analysis and Design of Bridges Reference Manual
 RESPONSE MODIFICATION FACTORS

PHOTO:
DPWH DGCS Volume 5 (Philippines)
PUSHOVER ANALYSIS
 Type of Seismic Analysis Method
WHAT IS PUSHOVER ANALYSIS?
STATIC:
Pushover analysis is a technique in which a structure is EQUIVALENT STATIC SEISMIC FORCE

LINEAR
subjected to incremental loads controlling either forces or METHOD
displacements.

• It is a nonlinear static method of analysis that uses explicit DYNAMIC:

nonlinear techniques to assess the capacity of the structure. RESPONSE SPECTRUM ANALYSIS

• It approximates the sequence of cracks, yielding, and

plastic hinge formation of the structure, which cannot be

NONLINEAR
STATIC:
shown using elastic analysis.
PUSHOVER METHOD
• It is used mainly as a tool in Displacement-Based method
of seismic design.
DYNAMIC:
INELASTIC TIME HISTORY ANALYSIS
 PUSHOVER ON STRUCTURE

∆1 ∆2 ∆3 ∆4 ∆5 ∆…

Yielding
2.0
1.0n x F
Point of Collapse
WWWWWWW

FORCE (F)
X Plastic Hinge

DISPLACEMENT (∆)
IS PUSHOVER ANALYSIS RIGHT FOR ME??
• Are static nonlinear methods/Displacement-based Design
permitted for your project?

• Do you have sufficient knowledge with nonlinear material

properties and behavior?

• Can the plastic hinges be pre-located / the failure

mechanism pattern predicted?

If you answered YES to all the above,

Pushover Analysis may be right for you!
NONLINEAR STATIC METHODS
The pushover analysis is a tool for conducting seismic design of the structure. For the full
design procedure, there are two most common methods for bridges:

STRUCTURE
CAPACITY/DEMAND
CAPACITY SPECTRUM
METHOD, ALSO KNOWN
METHOD
AS THE PUSHOVER
METHOD
PUSHOVER METHOD PROCEDURE
The pushover method is, in its simplest form, a two-step
approach:

1. Performing a response spectrum analysis (RSA) as elastic

analysis in order to determine the displacement demand
on the bridge. (other methods are permitted if certain
requirements are met)

2. Performing the pushover analysis to determine

displacement capacity of the bridge.

Having a capacity higher than the demand tells us that our

design MAY be sufficient.
PUSHOVER METHOD
OVERALL PROCEDURE

NO

Perform
Perform elastic Pushover
RSA to CAPACITY
Develop the Analysis to YES
determine > DONE
structural model determine DEMAND
displacement displacement ?
demand capacity
STRUCTURAL MODEL
Before any seismic analysis is performed, an accurate
structural model must be created.

Aside from normal modelling requirements, the following

should also be considered:

• Cracked stiffness of the columns should be accurately

calculated (for concrete)

• Nonlinear material properties of the hinges must be

considered.
 RESPONSE SPECTRUM ANALYSIS From AASHTO Guide Specifications for LRFD
Seismic Bridge Design

An elastic response spectrum analysis is performed in order

to determine the displacement demand on the bridge.

The displacement of an elastic system is approximately the

same with that those of an elasto-plastic system, except for
short-period structures.

For short-period structures, an additional displacement

magnification factor must be considered, according to
AASHTO LRFD Seismic Bridge Design.

PHOTO:
AASHTO Guide Specifications for LRFD Seismic Bridge Design
PUSHOVER ANALYSIS
Having the demand displacement known, the actual
pushover analysis can then be performed.
Collapse /
There are key limit states that we need to watch out for:
Formation of Failure
Hinge
1. First Yield
2. Slight damage with cracking
3. Moderate damage that is reparable
4. Irreparable damage at the limit of life safety, and
5. Structural collapse
 From AASHTO Guide Specifications for LRFD

CAPACITY vs. DEMAND

Seismic Bridge Design

Knowing both demand displacement and displacement

capacity leads us to the final step of the analysis.

The capacity and demand must then be compared in

accordance to the Design Code/Standards you are using.

The AASHTO seismic guide for example requires just a direct

comparison of the demand and capacity, with additional
ductility requirements for each individual member.

PHOTO:
AASHTO Guide Specifications for LRFD Seismic Bridge Design
 Pushover analysis is based on the assumption

PUSHOVER
that structures predominantly oscillate in the
first mode or in the lower modes of vibration.

METHOD A multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) system, is

reduced to an equivalent single-degree-of-
LIMITATIONS AND freedom (ESDOF) system.

ASSUMPTIONS Poor performance for irregular and un-

conventional bridges.

Does not account for changes in dynamic

response as the structure softens.

Nonlinear Time History Analysis provides a

more accurate representation of the
structure.
PUSHOVER ANALYSIS
USING midas CIVIL
Step 1
Define the Pushover Analysis Model

Step 2
Define Pushover Global Control

Step 3
Define Pushover Load Cases

Step 4
Define and Assign Hinge Properties

Step 5
Interpretation of the Results
 IMPORTANT POINTS
STRUCTURE • Check that the number of modes selected add up to at

PERIOD
least 90% Mass Participation.

• The structure, or anything above, may be sensitive to

excessive duration of shaking. Check that your structure’s
R e sul t s > R es ul t s Ta b l e > V i b r a t i o n period is within allowable limits.

M o d e Sh a p e
• Note the period at the dominant modes for each
direction, we will be needing this value to check if any
demand displacement magnification is required.
PUSHOVER
GLOBAL CONTROL
Pus h o ver > C o nt r o l > G l o b a l Co n t r o l
MIDAS GENERAL
SECTION DESIGNER
To o l s > G en er a l Sect i o n D e si g ne r
INTERPRETING RESULTS
 Check for any Ductility / Rotational

INTERPRETING
requirements in the Design Code.

RESULTS Ensure there is sufficient capacity protection

for other elements.
SOME FINAL POINTS
Do not use too much of the Plastic Region.
REFERENCES:
1. DPWH Design Guidelines, Criteria, and Standards (DGCS)
2. DPWH Bridge Seismic Design Specifications (BSDS)
3. Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO) LRFD Bridge Design Specifications
4. Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO) Guide Specifications for LRFD Seismic
Bridge Design 2nd Ed.
5. U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration LRFD Seismic Analysis
and Design of Bridges Reference Manual
6. Balakrishnan, V., Acosta, R. V. Jr., Matsumoto, N., Omori, T., Mizuno, K., & Obedi, O. D. 9th
Australian Small Bridges Conference. Seismic Design of a Railway Viaduct in High Seismic
Zone
THANK YOU! 