Cyclic pushover analysis may be performed using either of two approaches, outlined as follows:

Sequence of nonlinear-static load cases

Cyclic pushover analysis may be performed through a sequence of chained pushover analyses. Two key aspects of this approach include:

Each pushover analysis would be pushing the structure in the direction opposite to that of the preceding pushover load case.

Each pushover load case, aside from the first, would use stiffness at the end of the previous pushover load case.

Time-history load cases

An alternate approach is to use a single nonlinear time-history load case.

Some special considerations are necessary when using a time-history load case to model applied loading, listed as follows:

Load should be scaled up or down to achieve the monitored pushover displacement desired for each cycle.

The time function should consist of linear segments which apply the loads in one direction and then the reverse, possibly with a constant segment to hold loads before their reverse.

For each cycle in the sequence, the peak positive and negative time-function values must be found, starting with the first cycle of load application.

A sample of a time function is shown in Figure 1:

Figure 1 - Cyclic time function