This study aims to investigate the capacity of simplified and advanced numerical models to reproduce the nonlinear monotonic behavior of reinforced concrete framed structures. The considered simplified models are commonly used in earthquake engineering and are based either on concentrated or distributed plasticity. The considered advanced models are based on continuum mechanics and use the Damaged Plasticity Model for concrete simulation. The simplified and advanced models are used to simulate pushing experiments of a 2D RC frame. The results from the models are compared with the experiments results. That comparison shows the higher ability of the continuum mechanics models to represent the actual behavior of the frame until the collapse; the simplified models lack of the capacity to represent accurately all the phases of the behavior. This paper includes an explanation of the damage plasticity models and their implementation in the FEM package ABAQUS. A strategy to avoid the mesh sensitivity in the advanced numerical simulation of reinforced concrete structures is also described.