Seismic structural design methodology for inelastic shear buildings that regulates floor accelerations

•The design methodology is aimed at minimizing the maximum absolute accelerations.•The methodology is based on changing the floor-masses and story stiffnesses only.•The design approach utilizes a H∞-synthesis algorithm tailored to structural design.•Two newly developed equivalent linearization procedures are proposed.•The methodology derives optimal changes that depend on the assigned side-constraints.