Application Of Structural Systems Reliability Theory

During the last two decades more and more universities offer courses on modern structural reliability theory. A course on structural reliability theory is now a natural part of the curri culum for mechanical and structural engineering students. As a result of this, a number of textbooks have been published in this decade. In PlOst of these books it is shown how the reliability of single structural members can be evaluated in a rational way. The methods used are usually so-called level 2 methods, i. e. methods involving certain approximate iter ative calculations to obtain an approximate value of the probability of failure of the struc tural members. In these methods the joint probability distribution of relevant variables (re sistance variables, loads, etc. ) is simplified and the failure criteria are idealized in such a way that the reliability calculations can be performed without an unreasonable amount of work. In spite of the approximations and idealizations made it is believed that a rational treatment of uncertainties in structural engineering can be obtained by level 2 methods. Usually, in sufficient data are at hand to make a more advanced estimate of the reliability of a struc tural member. It has been recognized for many years that a fully satisfactory estimate of the reliability of a structure must be based on a systems approach. In some situations it is sufficient to estimate the reliability of the individual structural members of a structural system.

Structural reliability theory is concerned with the rational treatment of uncertainties in struc tural engineering and with the methods for assessing the safety and serviceability of civil en gineering and other structures. It is a subject which has grown rapidly during the last decade and has evolved from being a topic for academic research to a set of well-developed or develop ing methodologies with a wide range of practical applications. Uncertainties exist in most areas of civil and structural engineeri'1.g and rational design decisions cannot be made without modelling them and taking them into account. Many structural en gineers are shielded from having to think about such problems, at least when designing simple structures, because of the prescriptive and essentially deterministic nature of most codes of practice. This is an undesirable situation. Most loads and other structural design parameters are rarely known with certainty and should be regarded as random variables or stochastic processes, even if in design calculations they are eventually treated as deterministic. Some problems such as the analysis of load combinations cannot even be formulated without recourse to probabilistic reasoning.

The present book contains 30 papers presented at the 2nd Working Conference on Reliability and Optimization of Structural Systems. The purpose of the Working Group was - to promote modern structural system optimization and reliability theory, - to advance international cooperation in the field of structural system optimization and reliability theory, - to stimulate research, development and application of structural system optimization and reliability theory, - to further the dissemination and exchange of information on reliability and optimization of structural system optimization and reliability theory, - to encourage education in structural system optimization and reliability theory.

From the Preface: The Proceedings contain papers presented at the 1st Working Conference on "Reliability and Optimization of Structural Systems", Aalborg, Denmark, May 6-8, 1987. The conference was the first scientific meeting of the new IFIP Working Group 7.5 on "Reliability and Optimization of Structural Systems". The purpose of the Working Group 7.5 is: - to promote modern structural system optimization and reliability theory, - to advance international cooperation in the field of structural system optimization and reliability theory, - to stimulate research, development and application of structural system optimization and reliability theory, - to further the dissemination and exchange of information on reliability and optimization of structural system optimization and reliability theory, - to encourage education in structural system optimization and reliability theory.

This book contains 38 papers presented at the seventh Working Conference on 'Reliability and Optimization of Structural Systems' held at Boulder, Colorado, USA, on April 2-4, 1996. The Working Conference was organized by the IFIP (International Federation for Information Processing) Working Group 7.5 of Technical Committee 7 and was the seventh in a series of similar conferences. The objectives of the Working Group and hence this publication are: . to promote modern structural systems optimization and reliability theory, . to advance international co-operation in the field of structural system optimization and reliability theory, . to stimulate research, development and application of structural system optimization and reliability theory, . to further dissemination and exchange of information on reliability and optimization of structural systems, and . to encourage education in structural system organization and reliability theory.

The proceedings contain lectures and short papers presented at the NATO Advanced Study Institute on »Reliability Theory and Its Application in Structural and Soil Me chanics», Bornholm, Denmark, August 31 -September 9,1982. The proceedings are organized in two parts. The first part contains 12 papers by the invited lecturers and the second part contains 23 papers by participants plus one paper from an invited lecturer (la~e arrival). The Institute dealt with specific topics on application of modem reliability theories in structural engineering and soil mechanics. Both fundamental theory and more ad vanced theory were covered. Lecture courses were followed by tutorial and summary discussions with active participation of those attending the Institute. Special lectures of topical subjects were given by a number of invited speake~, leading to plenary dis cussions and summary statements on important aspects of application of modem .re liability theory in structural engineering and soil mechanics. A great number of the participants presented brief reports of their own research activities.

This volume contains 28 papers by renowned international experts on the latest advances in structural reliability methods and applications, engineering risk analysis and decision making, new optimization techniques and various applications in civil engineering. Moreover, several contributions focus on the assessment and optimization of existing str

This volume contains thirty-one papers presented at the Twelfth Scientific Meeting of the IFIP Working Group on Reliability and Optimization of Structural Systems which took place in Aalborg, Denmark, from May 22-25, 2005. The Working Group Conference was organized by the IFIP (International Federation for Information Processing) Working Group 7.5 of the Technical Committee on Modelling and Optimization. The purpose of the Working Group is to promote modern structural system reliability and optimization theory and its applications, to stimulate research, development and application of structural system reliability and optimization theory, to assist and advance research and development in these fields, to further the dissemination and exchange of information on reliability and optimization of structural systems, and to encourage education in structural system reliability and optimization theory.