Probabilistic Assessment of the Robustness of Structural Systems

Authors

Matthias Schubert

Abstract

This paper starts out with an overview of a consistent and risk based approach of the quantification of robustness. This approach takes into account all intuitive characteristics of robustness such as redundancy, ductility, reliability or failure consequences and accounts for the ability of a system to sustain damage. This concept is extended to a time variant quantification of the robustness. Numerical studies are performed to demonstrate how inspections and repair actions can be implemented in the assessment of the robustness of deteriorating structures over time and how they influence different types of risk. Examples show that the proposed measure of robustness can account for inspections and repair actions performed during the lifetime of structures and can be used to plan repair actions subject to the aim of maintaining the robustness of a structure above a certain level.

Published by/in

6th International PhD Symposium in Civil Engineering, Zurich, August 23-26, 2006