Seismosoft | Earthquake Engineering Solutions

I'm modelling a rc column subjected to 1) an horizontal cyclic loading at
the top node(representing an earthquake) followed by 2)a vertical
displacement (representing an impact load) at the top node also.
I'm trying to do the analysis on a 4 elements DB but I encounter the
following problem:
When I apply my cyclic displacement at the top node, I want to make sure
that the column is able to move after this cyclic loading (during the
vertical displacement): So I can not impose a zero displacement after the
cyclic analysis (which I have to do (otherwise I get the error
"The end of the time-history stages should be within the loading curves
range"))

On the other hand I want to apply my displacement at the top node but then
the program considers that I impose a zero vertical displacement until this
second phase and the results are wrong! (because there are still small
vertical displacements due to the cyclic loading phase
...)
I tried to impose an equivalent force for the first phase but the second
problem is still there!
Hope it is clear enough
Do you have any suggestion?
Thank you in advance!

In time-hstiroy analysis obviously all the curves should be at least within the range specified in the phases module, otherwise the program does not know how to load the corresponding node. Hence you get the "The end of the time-history stages should be within the loading curves range" error.
Although I am not 100% what you are trying to achieve, why don't you apply a pushover analysis with two different phases?
Seismosoft Support

I cannot apply a pushover analysis since I first want to apply a cyclic displacement at the top of the column. Then a pushover displacement in the vertical direction...
Is there a way to do this?

When using different phases in the pushover analysis you may change the control node and the control direction.
Seismosoft Support

I don't understand (I never used pushover analysis)
My goal is simply to apply a cyclic horizontal displacement of this kind at the top node:


And after that apply a vertical displacement at the top node
I don't see how I could do this with a pushover analysis...

Try to create a static time-history analysis with the program wizard. It will give you insight on how to setup the loading in your model. Refer also to the verification examples of the Verification Manual, accessed from the corresponding toolbar button.
Seismosoft Support