Performance-based design
PERFORM-3D & nonlinear analysis automation
Performance-based design produces a flood of results: many ground motions, many elements, many acceptance limits. I build tools that prepare the models, organize the runs and turn the output into checked, report-ready results.
From the author of PERFORM-3D: Basic Operations and Case Studies (China Railway Publishing House, 2013), with career experience on towers from 200 m to 380 m.
Where automation pays off
The slow parts of nonlinear analysis, systematized
Engineering judgement belongs in modeling decisions and in reviewing results — not in copying numbers between files.
Model preparation
Prepare nonlinear model data — nodes, elements, fiber sections and component properties — from ETABS or SAP2000 models or spreadsheets.
Ground motions
Select, scale and organize record sets against target spectra, and compute response spectra to verify every set.
Material & component models
Calibrate confined concrete and hysteretic parameters, and compare component behavior with test data.
Batch post-processing
Collect drifts, hinge rotations, strains, shear demands and usage ratios across every record, with statistics per ground-motion set.
Acceptance checks
Compare demands with your project’s performance criteria, and flag every element and record that governs.
Reports
Produce tables, plots and report sections that stay consistent across towers, analysis runs and design iterations.
Built from practice
Tools I use in my own engineering work
- AutoOSAutomatic pre- and post-processing for OpenSees models
- AutoWAVEStrong-motion database and ground-motion selection
- SpectraToolsResponse spectrum generation and comparison
- AutoEPRPlatform that generates performance-based design reports
FAQ
Nonlinear analysis questions
How automation fits into performance-based design work.
How can PERFORM-3D be automated?
Automation for PERFORM-3D usually focuses on preparing model data, organizing analysis series and systematically processing exported results — which is where most of the time goes. The best approach depends on your version and workflow.
Can you work with OpenSees instead of PERFORM-3D?
Yes. OpenSees models (Tcl or OpenSeesPy) can be generated, run in batches and post-processed with the same discipline.
Can tools handle large ground-motion sets?
That’s the main point. Tools process every record the same way and report statistics per set, so adding records or re-running a design iteration doesn’t multiply manual work.
Do you take responsibility for the design?
Software projects deliver tools, not design sign-off. Engineering decisions and responsibility stay with your engineer of record, supported by tools validated against agreed examples.
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