• Computational Structural Engineering : An International Journal
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.71-80
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• 2001

A reliability approach to evaluate structural performance has gained increased acceptability and usage over the past two decades. Most reliability analyses are based on the reliability of an individual component without examining the entire structural system. These analyses often result in either unnecessary repairs or unsafe structures. This study uses examples of series, parallel, and series-parallel models of structural systems to illustrate how the component reliabilities affect the reliability of the entire system. The component-system reliability interaction can be used to develop optimum lifetime inspection and repair strategies for structural systems. These examples demonstrate that such strategies must be based on the reliability of the entire structural system. They also demonstrate that the location of an individual component in the system has a profound effect on the acceptable reliability of that component. Furthermore, when a structure is deteriorating over time, the reliability importance of various components is a1so changing with time. For this reason, the most critical component in the early life of the structure may not tie the most critical later.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2020.12a
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• pp.225-234
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• 2020

Reliability-based structural optimization usually requires designers or engineers model different designs manually, which is considered very time consuming and all possibilities cannot be fully explored. Otherwise, a lot of time are needed for designers or engineers to learn mathematical modeling and programming skills. Therefore, a framework that integrates generative design, structural simulation and reliability theory is proposed. With the proposed framework, various designs are generated based on a set of rules and parameters defined based on visual programming, and their structural performance are simulated by OpenSees. Then, reliability of each design is evaluated based on the simulation results, and an optimal design can be found. The proposed framework and prototype are tested in the optimization of a steel frame structure, and results illustrate that generative design based on visual programming is user friendly and different design possibilities can be explored in an efficient way. It is also reported that structural reliability can be assessed in an automatic way by integrating Dynamo and OpenSees. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a novel framework for automatic reliability evaluation and structural optimization.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.175-185
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• 2020

Currently, few studies have been conducted to comprehend the seismic reliability of post-tensioned (PT) CLT shear wall structures, due to the complexity of this kind of structural system as well as due to lack of a reliable structural model. In this paper, a set of 4-, 8-, 12-, and 16-storey benchmark PT CLT shear wall structures (PT-CLTstrs) were designed using the direct displacement-based design method, and their calibrated structural models were developed. The seismic reliability of each PT-CLTstr was assessed based on the fragility analysis and based on the response surface method (RSM), respectively. The fragility-based reliability index and the RSM-based reliability index were then compared, for each PT-CLTstr and for each seismic hazard level. Results show that the RSM-based reliabilities are slightly less than the fragility-based reliabilities. Overall, both the RSM and the fragility-based reliability method can be used as efficient approaches for assessing the seismic reliabilities of the PT-CLTstrs. For these studied mid- and high-rise benchmark PT-CLTstrs, following their fragility-based reliabilities, the 8-storey PT-CLTstr is subjected to the least seismic vulnerability; while, following their RSM-based reliabilities, the 4-storey PT-CLTstr is subjected to the least seismic vulnerability

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.367-382
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• 2015

This paper aims to conduct the reliability-based assessment of the welded joint in the orthotropic steel bridge deck by use of a mesh-insensitive structural stress (MISS) method, which is an effective numerical procedure to determine the reliable stress distribution adjacent to the weld toe. Both the solid element model and the shell element model are first established to investigate the sensitivity of the element size and the element type in calculating the structural stress under different loading scenarios. In order to achieve realistic condition assessment of the welded joint, the probabilistic approach based on the structural reliability theory is adopted to derive the reliability index and the failure probability by taking into account the uncertainties inherent in the material properties and load conditions. The limit state function is formulated in terms of the structural resistance of the material and the load effect which is described by the structural stress obtained by the MISS method. The reliability index is computed by use of the first-order reliability method (FORM), and compared with a target reliability index to facilitate the safety assessment. The results achieved from this study reveal that the calculation of the structural stress using the MISS method is insensitive to the element size and the element type, and the obtained structural stress results serve as a reliable basis for structural reliability analysis.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.275-289
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• 2007

In this paper a brief overview of methods to assess the reliability of mechanical systems and structures is presented. A selection of computational procedures, stochastic structural dynamics, stochastic fatigue crack growth and reliability based optimization are discussed. It is shown that reliability based methods may form the basis for a rational decision making.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.8-19
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• 1997

In this study an adequate type of offshore structure at the Sakhalin region as cold region is proposed and its structural design results are presented based on the reliability analysis. Structural safety assessment has been carried out for the proposed offshore structure at the Sakhalin area as designed by the reliability method. And a rational design procedure is presented based on the reliability analysis. Followings are drawn through the present study : - Four colum TLP structure is proposed as an adequate offshore structure type at the cold region like the Sakhalin region and the reliability-based structural design results are presented. It is seen that the proposed type is a more adequate and economic than the fixed type. - Safety assessment of the proposed structure applying the extended incremental load method is performed. - Referring the allowable safety level for offshore structures it has been found present TLP structure has sufficient structural safety at the system level as well as at the component level.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.139-144
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• 1999

Based on the recent developments of the reliability-based structural analysis and design as well as the extending knowledge on the probabiliistic characteristics of load and resistances, the probability based design criteria have been successfully developed for many standards. Since the probabilistic characteristics depend highly on the local load and resistances, it is recognized to develop the design criterion compatible with domestic requirements. The existing optimum design methods, which are generally based on the structural theory and certain engineering experience, do not realistically consider the uncertainties of load and resistances and the basic reliability concepts. This study is directed to propose a optimum design based Expected Total Cost Minimization on P.S.C Box Girder Bridge system which could possibly replace optimum design based traditional provisions of the current code, based on the Neldel-Mead Method reliability theory.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.357-369
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• 2014

In the existing bridge management systems, assessment of the structural behavior is based on the results of visual inspections in which corresponding condition states are assigned to individual elements. In this process, limited attention is given to the correlation between bridge elements from structural perspective. Also, the uncertainty of parameters which affect the structural capacity is ignored. A system reliability-based assessment model is potentially an appropriate replacement for the existing procedures. The aim of this research is to evaluate the system reliability of existing conventional Steel-Reinforced bridge decks over time. The developed method utilizes the reliability theory and evaluates the structural safety for such bridges based on their failure mechanisms. System reliability analysis has been applied to simply-supported concrete bridge superstructures designed according to the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CHBDC-S6) and the deterioration pattern is achieved based on the reliability estimates. Finally, the bridge condition index of an old existing bridge in Montreal has been estimated using the developed deterioration pattern. The results obtained from the developed reliability-based deterioration model and from the evaluation done by bridge engineers have been found to be in accordance.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 1993.04a
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• pp.135-140
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• 1993

The optimum weight design of structure is to determine the combination of structural members which minimize the weight of structures and satisfy design conditions as well. Since most of loads and design variables considered in structural design have uncertain natures, the reliability-based optimization techniques need to be developed. The aim of this study is to estabilish the general algorithm for the minimum weight design of transmission tower structure system with reliability constraints. The sequential linear programming method is used to solve non-linear minimization problems, which converts original non-linear programming problems to sequential linear programming problems. The optimal solutions are produced for various reliability levels such as reliability levels inherent in current standard transmission tower cross-section and optimal transmission tower cross-section obtained with constraints of current design criteria as well as selected target reliability index. The optimal transmission towers satisfying reliability constraints sustain consistent reliability levels on all members. Consequently, more balanced optimum designs are accomplished with less structural weight than traditional designs dealing with deterministic design criteria.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.145-154
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• 1997

The results of optimum design by the deterministic approach adopted in the current design codes depend upon the safety levels of the applied code. But, it is now generally recognized that structural problems are nondeterministic and, consequently, that engineering optimum design must cope with uncertainties. Therefore, it is not an overstatement to affirm that the combination of reliability-based design procedures and optimization techniques is the only means of providing a powerful tool to obtain a practical optimum design solution. In the paper, reliability based optimum design procedure as a rational approach to optimum structural design is presented. The design constraints are formulated based on the ASD, LRFD and reliability theories. The reliability analysis is based on an advanced first-order second moment approach. Uncertainties in the structural strength and loading due to inherent variability as well as modeling and prediction errors are included in failure due to combined bending and shear. For the realistic reliability-based optimization of continuous steel box girder bridges, interactive non-linear limit state model is formulated based on the von Mises's combined stress yield criterion. Comparative results are presented when the ASD criteria are used for the optimum design of a structure under reliability constraints. In addition, this study comparatively shows the results of the optimum design for various criteria of design codes.