A pushover analysis is a static, nonlinear procedure using a simplified, nonlinear technique to estimate seismic structural deformations. It is an incremental static analysis which is used to determine the force-displacement relationship – or the capacity curve – for a structure or structural element.

The analysis involves applying horizontal loads, in a prescribed pattern, to the structure incrementally, i.e., pushing the structure and plotting the total applied shear force and associated lateral displacement at each increment, until the structure reaches a collapse condition or a prescribed limit.