Seismosoft | Earthquake Engineering Solutions

Hi,
Could someone please help me to understand what's the difference between the code-based checks and performance criteria? They look very similar to me but I notice they output different results...I read the manual but still not sure about it. Under performance criteria, I can see which formulae are used, but that is not available under code-based checks. Also, code-based checks allow me to select the limit state, while performance check does not have this option. Really appreciate if someone could expand more on what's the difference between the two and their application.
Thank you!

The code based checks are the checks according to the selected Standards, including the safety factors and knowledge factors as introduced by the Standard.
The performance criteria are checks with values that correspond to the expected real capacity of the member, without safety factors.

For instance, the expected real shear capacity of a column could be 100kN, but the shear capacity calculated for the code-based checks could be as low as 60 or 70kN, since there are several safery factors included. The former is calculated from the performance criteria module (for instance to check the results of an experiment) and the latter is calculated from the code based checks to carry out a structural assessment or to design the strengthening of a building.

Seismosoft Support

Thank you! A further question is that which criteria does SeismStruct use when it stops an analysis and tells me the structure cannot sustain more loads? Does it use code-based criteria or performance-based? And does it use shear or flexural or compressive, etc.?

It can be done with both performance criteria and code based checks for the types of failure defined in the drop down menu. Please refer to the user's manual for a more complete description of how to define them.
Seismosoft Support