Elasto-plastic　time-history　analysis　of　structure　under　rare　earthquake　was　used　to　analyze　three　steel　bundled-tube　structure　models　with　different　setbacks.　Based　on　the　energy　items,　distribution　of　energy　curves　under　different　peak　acceleration　waves,　relation　between　input　energy　and　wave　acceleration,　distribution　of　plastic　energy　dissipation　along　structural　height　and　in　structural　members　have　been　studied.　The　plastic　energy　dissipation　of　each　single　tube　formed　bundled-tube　and　the　influences　by　vertical　setback　were　also　discussed.　The　results　show　that　different　peak　acceleration　inputs　can　not　affect　the　change　trend　of　elastic　strain　energy,　plastic　energy　dissipation,　damping　energy　consumption　and　proportion　of　kinetic　energy　in　the　input　energy.　When　the　earthquake　exceeds　a　certain　intensity,　the　proportion　of　kinetic　energy　and　elastic　strain　energy　in　the　input　energy　can　be　reduced,　and　the　input　energy　can　be　dissipated　mainly　by　the　plastic　energy　dissipation　of　the　structure.　The　peak　acceleration　of　input　ground　motion　is　different,　and　the　distribution　of　plastic　energy　dissipation　along　the　floor　is　also　different.　The　spandrel　beams　are　the　most　important　energy　dissipation　members.　The　energy　dissipation　of　single　tube　is　related　to　the　input　ground　motion　peak　acceleration.When　the　input　peak　acceleration　is　large,　as　for　models　without　vertical　setback,　energy　dissipation　in　the　middle　part　of　the　bundled-tube　is　less　than　the　energy　dissipation　of　the　surrounding.　Except　for　the　single　tube　with　large　variation,　the　average　plastic　energy　dissipation　per　floor　of　single　tube　is　uniform　for　models　with　different　setbacks.　©　2017,　Editorial　Office　of　Journal　of　Building　Structures.　All　right　reserved.