During pushover analysis, what does the term 'plastic hinge' represent, and why is its location significant?

During pushover analysis, a 'plastic hinge' represents a localized zone within a structural element (like a beam, column, or wall) where significant inelastic deformation occurs under increasing load. In simpler terms, it's a point where the material yields and starts to deform permanently, behaving like a hinge that can rotate without significant incr....