Categorisation and assessment of robustness related provisions in European standards

Authors

Harikrishna Narasimhan and Michael H. Faber

Abstract

A fundamental aim of modern codes of practice is to provide a suitable basis for the design of structures that ensures adequate structural safety with efficient and cost effective material use. The requirements necessary to fulfil this aim can be viewed to comprise of i) a standard safety format that incorporates models of material and structural behaviour and appropriate factors of safety, and ii) provisions to ensure adequate robustness. However, the provisions under these two categories are presently not separated in a clear and consistent manner in modern codes or standards. In order to enhance the general strategy for ensuring safety and robustness in structures, an effective understanding and systematic categorisation of the existing robustness related provisions in codes of practice is first necessary.
Towards this end, a review of European standards dealing with the design, execution, material aspects and maintenance of concrete and steel structures has been carried out. The robustness related provisions in these standards are identified and categorised using five fields related to different aspects of risk management in structures: approach to risk treatment, nature of risk control, relationship with event/exposure, manner of reducing risk and the phase of the life cycle of the structure at which the provision is applicable. This categorisation provides a systematic and differentiated picture of the treatment of robustness in European standards and also serves as a viable and rational platform for the future establishment of improved or optimal provisions for robustness in structures.

Published in/by

Proceedings of joint workshop TU0601 and E55, Ljubljana, Slovenia, September 21-22, 2009, pp. 147-164.