Application of the Stochastic Finite Element Method to Structural System Reliability Analysis

This pa?r 15 an attempt to a��:ount for the uncertainty of the residual strength in the reliability
analysis of structural systems. For this purpose the stochastic finite element meth?(SFEM) is li?<ed
to the system reliability analysis pr'��edure. The stochastic finite element is known to be able to a more
explicitly ��nsider the effect of uncerainties of material and g��metric variables on those of load effects
in structural analysis prl��:edure. The method has been applied to system as well as com��nent reliability
analysis of a plane structure. Comparison of the results by the present approach is made with the
method in which the residual strength of f?led ��mponent is treated as deterministic variable. Several
case studies have been carriE? to show the effect of uncertainty in residual strength of a member after
failure. Is has been ��nform? that reidual strength very much affect the system reliability level. It can
be, hence, ��ncluded that the uncertainties in the ��lSt-ultimate behaviour may have to be t?<en mto
account in the system reliability analy?s for a better a s?ssment of the system reliability especially
for a struct?e of which member behaviour is m?ell? as asemi-brittle model.And then the sto .:hastic
finite element method can efh?ently evaluate the system reliability.