Adil Zekaria (PhD)Nahom Worku2025-03-052025-03-052024-10https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/4455A substantial number of currently operating buildings are built as per requirements of older codes that are without proper seismic provisions that ensure ductility. These structures may be susceptible to exhibit a catastrophic shear failure if an important seismic load is imposed. However, most analyses of reinforced concrete frames commonly ignore shear effects. This simplification may lead to significant errors and may result in severely unconservative and unsafe calculation of strength and ductility. In this study the seismic performance of a shear critical frame was investigated through finite element analysis using Vector 2, Seismostruct and ETABS. After the analyses the results were examined using experimental data from a laboratory test carried by Kien Vinh Duong, Shamim A. Sheikh, and Frank J. Vecchio at the University of Toronto. The accuracy of various finite element software in predicting shear critical behavior was scrutinized. Finaly a proposal for steps to be followed to improve the results of one of the most commonly used structural analysis software was set forth, and its outputs were verified against experimental data. The results show the difficulties in seismic performance assessment of shear critical structures, particularly while using the widely used commercial structural analysis software. The educational and speciality software, namely Vector 2 and Seismostruct, gave more accurate results. The widely used software required the foresight to predict possible shear critical failure of the structure. This indicates that the standard user might get a misleading result if not aware of possible shear critical mechanism. A proposal was set forth for the performance assessment of shear critical structures for practitioners utilizing a widely use software, ETABS. The proposal describes the details followed in generating accurate user defined shear hinges with the aid of a free supportive software. Results show that the steps proposed showed a considerable improvement in the accuracy of the finite element analysis when compared to experimental data.en-USnonlinear analysispushovershearshear hingereinforced concreteframe structurefiber modelVector 2SeismostructETABSThesis