• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 1988

This study is intended to propose an approach to reliability-based safety evaluation as well as LRFR(Load and Resisitance Factor Rating) type capacity classification of military or civilian bridges based on the limit state models which are delived by incorporating all the uncertainties of resistance and load random variables including deterioration, and are used in a practical AFOSM (Advanced First Order Second Moment) method. The proposed methods for the assement of safety and load carrying capacity are applied for the evaluation of rating and classifications of several practical bridges against the crossing of military vehicles. Based on the observation of the numerical results, it can be concluded that the current NATO classification method which is based on the traditionl allowable stress concept can not provide real load carrying capacity but results in nominal classification, and therefore the reliability-based safety evaluation and LRFR-classification method or the corresponding rational allowable stress method proposed in this paper may have to be introduced into the classification practice.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.51-59
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• 1993

This paper develops practical and realistic reliability models and methods for the evaluation of system-reliability and system reliability-based rating of various types of box-girder bridge superstructures. The strength limit state model for box-girder bridges suggested in the paper are based on not only the basic flexural strength but also the strength interaction equations which simultaneously take into account flexure, shear and torsion. And the system reliability problem of box-girder superstructure is formulated as parallel-series models obtained from the FMA(Failure Mode Approach) based on major failure mechanisms or critical failure states of each girder. In the paper, an improved IST(Importance Sampling Technique) simulation algorithm is used for the system reliability analysis of the proposed models. This paper proposes a practical but rational approach for the evaluation of capacity rating in terms of the equivalent system-capacity rating corresponding to the estimated system-reliability index which is derived based on the concept of the equivalent FOSM(First Order Second Moment) form of system reliability index. The results of the reliability evaluation and rating of existing bridges indicate that the reserved reliability and capacity rating at system level are significantly different from those of element reliability or conventional methods especially in the case of highly redundant box-girder bridges.