International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 12 Issue: 11 | Nov 2025 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072
P-Delta Analysis of Multi-Storey Building using ETABS Software
Jayshri S. Sirsat1 , Prof.D.M Pandit2 .
1M-Tech Student, Department of Civil Engineering, CSMSS Chh. Shahu College of Engineering, Chh. Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, India.
2Second Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, CSMSS Chh. Shahu College of Engineering, Chh. Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, India. ***
Abstract -The study on P-Delta Analysis of Multi-Storey Building Using ETABS Software provides an essential understanding of second-order effects in tall structures subjected to axial and lateral loads. This review critically analyzes the original research, which evaluates the influence of P-Delta effects on parameters such as storey displacement, drift, base shear, and overturning moments, using ETABS modeling for a G+24 building with and without shear walls. The paper emphasizes that neglecting P-Delta effects in design can lead to unsafe approximations, particularly for high-rise structures where geometric nonlinearity significantly impacts performance. Findings demonstrate that while linear static analysis underestimates deformation, P-Delta analysis provides more realistic behavior by accounting for secondary moments and deflections. The inclusion of shear walls effectively mitigates lateral displacements and storey drift, confirming their role in enhancing structural stiffness. This review concludes that integrating P-Delta effects and shear wall optimization in design software like ETABS is crucial for accurate seismic and gravity load response analysis, ensuring both safety and serviceability of high-rise buildings.
Key Words: P-Delta effect, Second-order analysis, Shear wall, ETABS, Structural stability, Storey drift, Non-linear behaviour.
1.INTRODUCTION
Inthestructuraldesignofhigh-risebuildings,accuratepredictionoflateralandverticalresponsesunderseismicandwind loads is vital to ensure both safety and serviceability. Conventional linear static analysis, commonly used in engineering practice,assumesalinearrelationshipbetweenloadsanddeformations;however,thissimplificationneglectssecond-order effectssuchastheP-Delta effect,whichcansignificantly influencethestabilityoftall andslenderstructures.TheP-Delta phenomenon,causedbytheinteractionbetweenverticalloads(P)andlateraldisplacements(Δ),resultsinadditionalmoments anddeformationsthat,ifignored,mayleadtounderestimatedstructuralresponsesandpotentialinstabilityduringextreme loadingconditions. TheevolutionofcomputationaltoolssuchasETABShasmadeitpossibletoperformsophisticatednonlinear geometric analyses that capture these second-order effects more realistically. Several studies have examined the influenceoftheP-Deltaeffectonreinforcedconcrete(RCC)andsteelframestructures,emphasizingthattheimpactbecomes increasinglysignificantasbuildingheightandslendernessratioincrease.ResearcherssuchasSahebanAli&AjaySingh(2023), YashKatare&AnubhavRai(2023),andBhavanishankar&Patil(2021)havereportedthatignoringP-Deltaeffectscanresultin substantialdiscrepanciesinstoreydisplacement,drift,andbaseshearcomparedtolinearanalyses.Moreover,theintroduction ofshearwallsaslateralload-resistingelementshasbeenfoundtoconsiderablyenhancethestiffnessofstructures,thereby mitigatingP-Delta-inducedinstability. Thisreviewpaperfocusesonthecomparativeevaluationofmulti-storeybuildings analyzedwithandwithoutconsideringP-Deltaeffects,andfurtherinvestigatestheeffectivenessofincorporatingshearwallsto counteracttheseeffects.ThestudysynthesizesfindingsfrompreviousworksthatemployedanalyticalsoftwaresuchasETABS, STAAD.Pro,andSAP2000,undervariousseismicconditionsasperIS1893:2016andIS875(PartIII):1987.Emphasisisgiven toparametersincludingstoreydisplacement,driftratio,baseshear,andoverturningmoment,asthesedirectlyinfluencethe overallstabilityandductilityofhigh-risebuildings. Byconsolidatingandanalyzingpreviousresearch,thisreviewaimsto highlightthecriticalnecessityofincorporatingsecond-orderanalysisintothedesignofhigh-risestructuresandtheadvantages ofusingshearwallsforimprovedperformance.ThediscussionunderscorestheimportanceofadoptingP-Deltaanalysisasa standardpracticeinmodernstructuraldesign,particularlyfortallbuildingsinseismiczones,toensuregreatersafetymargins, cost-effectiveness,andresilience.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
TheconceptoftheP-Deltaeffecthasevolvedasanessentialconsiderationinthenonlinearanalysisofhigh-risestructures. Earlier studies primarily focused on first-order linear analysis; however, as building heights and slenderness increased, researchersbegantoemphasizetheneedtoincludesecond-ordergeometriceffectstoaccuratelypredictstructuralbehavior undercombinedgravityandlateralloads.
International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 12 Issue: 11 | Nov 2025 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072
2.1 Saheban Ali & Ajay Singh (2023)
Thisstudyinvestigatesthe P-Delta effect on high-rise RCC buildings usingETABSsoftwareunderstaticanddynamicloading conditions.Theauthorsemphasizethatconventionalfirst-orderanalysisisinadequatefortallstructuresasitneglectssecondary effectsarisingfromgeometricnonlinearity.A25-storeymodelwasanalyzedwithandwithoutP-Deltaeffects.Resultsindicated thattheinclusionofP-Deltaanalysisledtoan11–16%increaseinstoreydisplacementanddrift,particularlyinthemiddlelevels of the building. The study concluded that P-Delta analysis provides a more accurate representation of the real structural responseandisessentialforstructuresinhigh-seismiczones.
2.2 Yash Katare & Anubhav Rai (2023)
TheirworkfocusedonnonlinearseismicbehaviorofRCCbuildingsincorporatingtheP-Deltaeffect.ETABSwasusedto simulateG+20storeybuildingsunderZoneIVseismicconditions.TheresearchdemonstratedthatP-Deltaanalysiscaptures additionaldeflectionduetogeometricnonlinearityandthattheeffectbecomessignificantwithheight.Theauthorsobserved that including shear walls at the building core reduced displacement by up to 35%. The study reinforced the idea that structuraldesignersmustnotneglectP-Deltaeffectsintall,slenderbuildings.
2.3 Chandana P. & Dr. D.S. Sandeep Kumar (2023)
ThispaperanalyzedG+10RCCstructureswithdifferentcornerconfigurations sharp,recessed,andcut usingStaad-Pro BothlinearstaticandP-Deltaanalyseswereconductedwithandwithoutshearwalls.TheauthorsfoundthattheP-Deltaeffect increased displacement by 8–15%, while the use of shear walls reduced it by 20–37%, depending on the geometry. The recessed shape at corners showed the best performance in minimizing base shear and overturning moment. The study concludedthatarchitecturalgeometryandwallplacementsignificantlyinfluencestructuralstabilityunderP-Deltaeffects.
2.4 Wagner Almeida Ferreira & Jeffer Cruz (2022)
ThisstudyintroducedamodalP-Deltasimplifiedgeometricnonlinearmethodcombiningmodalandbucklinganalysis.The method,validatedthroughnumericalmodeling,efficientlyaccountedforgeometricnonlinearitywithoutiterativecomputation. Itprovidedreliableaccuracyforhigh-riseframeanalysis,demonstratingthatP-Delta effectssubstantiallymodifynatural frequenciesandmodeshapesoftallstructures.
2.5 R. Naik and A. Gawande (2020)
presents an in-depth analytical study on the nonlinear seismic response of reinforced concrete (RCC) frame structures, specificallyemphasizingtheP-Deltaeffectanditsinfluenceontheoverallperformanceoftallbuildings.Theauthorsaimedto assesshowgeometricnonlinearity,arisingfromthecombinationofverticalloads(P)andlateraldisplacements(Δ),affects critical design parameterssuchasstorey displacement, inter-storey drift, baseshear,and bendingmoments. Their study reflectsthegrowingrecognitionamongstructuralengineersthatneglectingsecond-ordereffectscanresultinnon-conservative designoutcomes,particularlyforbuildingslocatedinhigh-seismicregionsorthoseexceeding15–20storeysinheight. he resultsofthestudyindicateda cleardifferenceinthestructural response betweenthetwoanalysistypes.UnderP-Delta analysis,thestoreydisplacementincreasedbyapproximately12–18%,whileinter-storeydriftvaluesincreasedby15–20%, especiallyatthemid-heightlevelsofthebuilding.Thisbehaviorwasattributedtotheaccumulationofsecondarymoments inducedbytheaxialloadsactingthroughlaterallydeflectedframes.Theauthorsnotedthatthisphenomenonbecomesmore pronouncedwiththeincreaseinbuildingheight,asthecumulativeaxialforcesfromupperstoreysintensifythegeometric nonlinearity in lower storeys. Moreover, the research revealed that the base shear and overturning moments remained relativelyunchanged(<5%variation),suggestingthatP-Deltaeffectsprimarilyalterdeformationratherthantheoverallloadresistingcapacity.However,thisdeformationamplificationwasfoundtoinfluencereinforcementdetailing,columncurvature demand,anddriftcontrolmeasures,whicharecriticaltomaintainingserviceabilityduringseismicevents
2.6 Phani Kumar et al. (2019)
Inthisresearch,thebehaviorofP-Deltaeffectsinhigh-risestructureswithandwithoutshearwallswasevaluated.The ETABS-basedstudyshowedthatP-Deltaeffectsamplifydisplacementsandbendingmomentsconsiderablyintallframes.The addition of shear walls reduced overall deflection by 25–40%, enhancing rigidity and stability. The study suggested that designersmustincludesecond-ordereffectstoavoidunsafedesignsimplificationsinseismicanalysis.
International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 12 Issue: 11 | Nov 2025 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072
2.7 Deekshitha Y.L. & Kiran Kuldeep K.N. (2018)
Theauthorsconductedlinearandnonlineardynamicanalysisofmulti-storeyRCframebuildingswithirregularities.Using ETABS,theyevaluatedtheinfluenceofplanandverticalirregularitiesonP-Deltaeffects.Thefindingsshowedthatirregular geometries amplify nonlinear displacements and torsional irregularities, increasing the vulnerability of structures under seismic loads. The study highlighted that irregular high-rise buildings must undergo P-Delta analysis to ensure accurate estimationofdriftsandbasemoments.
2.8 Vijayalakshmi R., Bindu N. Byadgi & Vahini (2017)
ThisstudyanalyzedP-Deltaeffectsonhigh-risebuildingslocatedinseismiczonesIVandV.Theauthorsperformeda comparativestudybetweenlinearandnonlinearanalyses.TheyfoundthatP-Deltaeffectsincreasedlateraldisplacementsby 10–18%andthatshearwallsminimizedtheseeffectsbyabout30%.Thestudyrecommendedadoptingsecond-orderanalysis inseismicdesignasperIS1893:2016forallstructuresabove15storeys.
2.9 Manik Rao & Rajendrakumar S. Harsoor (2016)
Theauthorsexplored the effect of P-Delta in seismic analysis ofmulti-storeybuildingsusingSTAAD.Pro.Theyconcludedthat P-Deltaeffectsincreasestoreyshear,overturningmoment,andcolumnmomentssubstantially.Theinclusionofshearwallsand bracingreducedthesesecondaryeffectssignificantly.Thestudyemphasizedthathigh-risebuildingsrequiresecond-order analysisfortrueassessmentofseismicsafety.
2.10 Pushparaj J. Dhawale (2016)
Thisresearchdiscussed P-Delta effects in tall RCC buildings throughstaticanddynamicloadanalysis.Theauthorfound thatneglectinggeometricnonlinearityleadstoanunsafeunderestimationofdisplacementsandstresses.Forbuildingsabove 20storeys,thedifferencebetweenfirstandsecond-orderanalysesexceeded15%.ThestudyconcludedthatP-Deltaanalysisis indispensablefortallstructuressubjectedtowindandearthquakeloads.
3.
CONCLUSIONS
Thecollectivereviewoftensignificantstudiesfrom2016–2024clearlyestablishesthattheP-Deltaeffectisadominant factoraffectingtheseismicandstructuralperformanceoftallbuildings.Acrossallstudies,itisconsistentlyreportedthatfirstorderlinearstaticanalysisunderestimatesdisplacement,drift,andinternalmoments.Theinclusionofsecond-orderanalysis throughETABSorsimilarplatformscapturesthenonlineargeometricbehaviormoreaccurately.Theliteraturerevealsthat buildings exceeding 15–20 storeys exhibit significant P-Delta sensitivity, where even small lateral displacements induce substantialsecondarymoments.Studiesconsistentlyemphasizethatintegratingshearwallsgreatlyimprovesbuildingstiffness and reduces both storey drift and lateral deformation by up to 40%. Furthermore, researchers found that architectural irregularities suchascornerrecessesandasymmetricplans caneitheramplifyormitigateP-Deltaeffectsdependingonwall placementandmassdistribution.Overall,theliteratureconvergesonaunifiedconclusion:P-Deltaanalysisisessentialfor reliable design of high-rise structures. Modern computational tools like ETABS allow engineers to perform this complex analysisefficiently,aligningwithcoderecommendationsfromIS1893:2016andASCE7-10.Thereviewedstudiescollectively strengthentheargumentthatneglectingP-Deltaeffectsmaycompromisesafety,whereasincorporatingthemensuresboth structuralstabilityanddesigneconomyfortallandslenderbuildings.
REFERENCES
[1] S.AliandA.Singh,“P-DeltaEffectonHigh-RiseReinforcedConcreteBuildingsUsingETABSSoftware,” International JournalofAdvancedResearchinEngineeringandTechnology(IJARET),vol.14,no.3,pp.210–219,Mar.2023.
[2] Y. Katare and A. Rai, “Nonlinear Seismic Behavior of RCC Buildings Considering P-Delta Effects Using ETABS,” InternationalJournalofCivilEngineeringandTechnology(IJCIET),vol.14,no.2,pp.45–56,Feb.2023.
[3] C.P.andD.S.S.Kumar,“P-DeltaAnalysisofMulti-StoreyBuildingUsingETABSSoftware,”InternationalScientificJournal ofEngineeringandManagement(ISJEM),vol.2,no.7,pp.1–9,Jul.2023,doi:10.55041/ISJEM01262.
[4] W.A.FerreiraandJ.R.C.delaCruz,“ModalP-DeltaSimplifiedGeometricNonlinearMethodUsingModalandBuckling Analysis,”IBRACONStructuresandMaterialsJournal,vol.16,no.2,pp.1–10,2022,doi:10.1590/S1983-41952022000200002.
[5]R.NaikandA.Gawande,“StudyonNonlinearSeismicResponseofRCCFramesConsideringP-DeltaEffects,”Int.J.Emerg. Technol.Innov.Res.,vol.7,no.6,pp.890–896,2020.
International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 12 Issue: 11 | Nov 2025 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072
[6] V.PhaniKumar,M.Deepthi,S.Kiran,andR.B.N.Santhosh,“BehaviorofP-DeltaEffectinHigh-RiseBuildingsWithand WithoutShearWall,”InternationalJournalofRecentTechnologyandEngineering(IJRTE),vol.8,no.2,pp.305–310,Jul.2019.
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[8] R. Vijayalakshmi, B. N. Byadgi, and V. Vahini, “Effects of P-Delta on High-Rise Buildings Located in Seismic Zones,” InternationalResearchJournalofEngineeringandTechnology(IRJET),vol.4,no.8,pp.2513–2519,Aug.2017.
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BIOGRAPHIES
Jayshri S. Sirsat1 M-Tech Student, Department of Civil Engineering,CSMSSChh.Shahu College of Engineering, Chh. Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, India.