New Seismic Analysis module

Las Vegas, USA, July 22-23, 2005 – In their 19th Annual User’s Conference, Research Engineers International (REI), the leader of structural engineering software and a division of netGuru Inc., successfully demonstrated their new Seismic Analysis module, Pushover Analysis, within their STAAD.Pro suite of analysis and design programs. Inclusion of Pushover Analysis, the next generation performance-based seismic design, clearly demonstrated that REI is ahead of their competitors in the field of earthquake engineering.

Over the last few decades, no other issue drew more attention from structural engineers, seismologists and geotechnical engineers than earthquake engineering. During this period, several seismic design codes were developed across the globe including the IBC, UBC and local country codes. Structures performed satisfactorily to meet the intent of the life safety rovisions of these seismic codes with which they were designed during past earthquakes. However, these codes do not provide engineers with performances by different structural systems nor do they address the performance of nonstructural components.

With the funding from the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), studies were conducted with damaged buildings during recent earthquakes to understand more about the behavior of individual components and the structure as a whole. The emerging knowledge acquired from these studies is the basis of Pushover Analysis. This analysis is performance-based with full implementation of risk management strategies. Efforts are underway to make Pushover as the analysis tool for the next generation of seismic design codes. The historical evolution of the seismic design methodologies as practiced in the US is presented below. The reader may contact Dr. Mukti L. Das of Research Engineers International at muktidas@calcutta.reiusa.com for more information.

Bauingenieur, September 2005