The　research　of　the　performance-based　seismic　design　is　now　in　the　ascendant,　and　the　pushover　analysis　as　one　main　analytical　method　of　the　performance-based　seismic　design　has　been　studied　extensively.　The　lateral　load　pattern　is　one　key　problem　of　the　pushover　analysis,　so　the　analysis　and　comparison　of　many　different　lateral　load　patterns　are　necessary.　In　this　paper,　many　different　lateral　load　patterns　derived　by　former　scholars　are　summarized,　and　at　the　same　time,　one　new　instantaneous　adaptive　lateral　load　pattern　is　developed.　Finally,　the　applied　scope,　the　validity　and　the　effect　of　many　different　lateral　load　patterns　used　in　the　structural　plastic　analysis　are　compared　through　the　analysis　of　two　examples.