A new performance-based plastic design procedure for steel moment frames is presented in this paper. The role of plastic analysis in seismic design of structures is illustrated. The ultimate design base shear for plastic analysis is derived by using the input energy from the design pseudo-velocity spectrum, a pre-selected yield mechanism, and an ultimate target drift. The proposed design procedure eliminates the need for a drift check after the structure is designed for strength as is done in the current design practice. Also, there is no need for response modification factors since the load deformation characteristics of the structure, including ductility and post-yield behavior, are explicitly used in calculating the design forces. The results of nonlinear static and nonlinear dynamic analyses of an example steel moment frame designed by the proposed method are presented and discussed. The implications of the new design procedure for future generation of seismic design codes are also discussed.

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