Probabilistic Concepts of Upcoming European Document on Assessment of Existing Structures

Abstract

The new European project team CEN TC250/WG2.T1 Assessment and Retrofitting of Existing Structures became active in November 2015. The team is responsible for conversion of the relevant parts of Part III of the JRC Scientific and Policy Report into CEN Technical Specification. The upcoming CEN document is to be related to the probabilistic concepts and fundamental requirements of the EN Eurocodes. The Technical Specification should concern all types of buildings, bridges and construction works, including geotechnical structures, exposed to all kinds of actions. The project team developed already the first draft of the Technical specification and submitted it to the technical committee CEN TC250 in April 2016. It contains requirements, general framework of assessment, data updating, structural analysis (linear, nonlinear, dynamic), verifications (partial factors, probabilistic methods, risk assessment), past performance, interventions, annexes (flowchart, time-dependent reliability, assessment of heritage structures). A detailed contents and additional sections of the Technical Specification are to be completed within a year.