Modelling of Structural Systems

  • Palle Thoft-Christensen
  • Yoshisada Murotsu
Chapter

Abstract

A real structural system is so complex that direct exact calculation of the probability of failure is completely impossible. The number of possible different failure modes is so large that they cannot all be taken into account, and even if they could all be included in the analysis exact probabilities of failure cannot be calculated. It is therefore necessary to idealize the structure so that the estimate of the reliability becomes manageable. Not only the structure itself but also the loading must be idealized. Because of these idealizations it is important to bear in mind that the estimates of e.g. probabilities of failure are related to the idealized system (the model) and not directly to the structural system. The main objective of a structural reliability analysis is to be able to design a structure so that the probability of failure is minimized in some sense. Therefore, the model must be chosen carefully so that the most important failure modes for the real structures are reflected in the model.

Keywords

Failure Mode Structural System Parallel System Series System Critical Pair 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg 1986

Authors and Affiliations

  • Palle Thoft-Christensen
    • 1
  • Yoshisada Murotsu
    • 2
  1. 1.Institute of Building Technology and Structural EngineeringUniversity of AalborgAalborgDenmark
  2. 2.Department of Aeronautical EngineeringUniversity of Osaka PrefectureSakai, Osaka 591Japan

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