In this study, nonlinear finite element analysis procedures are presented for the structural performance assessment of damaged reinforced concrete structures. A computer program, named RCAHEST (Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology), for the analysis of reinforced concrete structures was used. Material nonlinearity is taken into account by comprising tensile, compressive and shear models of cracked concrete and a model of reinforcing steel. This paper defines a damage index based on the predicted inelastic behavior of reinforced concrete structures. The proposed numerical method for the structural performance of damaged reinforced concrete structures is verified by comparison with reliable experimental results.