Three buildings relying on column hinge mechanisms for post-elastic energy dissipation were studied using an inelastic dynamic computer program. The structures were an eight storey wall structure with ground storey columns, an eight storey frame with rigid, non-yielding beams, and a single storey frame with rigid, non-yielding beams. Parameters varied were earthquake input, design base shear and strain hardening ratio. All structures exhibited deformations far in excess of deflections under code static loading. The eight storey structures showed a tendency towards incremental collapse from P-delta effects when low, probably realistic, strain hardening ratios were used.