Long-Term Reliability of Structural Systems

Investigator(s):

Sankaran Mahadevan (PI)

Sponsor:

Vanderbilt University, TN 37203 6153222631

Start Date/Expiration Date

1998-10-01 to 2001-09-30 (amended 1999-08-11)

Awarded Amount to Date:

$111,651

Abstract: 9872342 Mahadevan The objective of this study is to develop a practical method to estimate the time-variant reliability of mechanical and structural systems. Currently used analytical methods have several simplifying assumptions regarding the loads and the resistance to deformation which lower their applicability to practical structures. The project will develop a simulation- based methodology which has advantages of robustness, ease of implementation and visualization, and the capability to model realistic situations. The methodology will be sufficiently general to include ductile and brittle structural behavior. An adaptive importance sampling simulation technique will be developed to estimate the system reliability at different instances of time. A significant failure sequence of the structure is the starting point for the adaptive simulation. This project will extend the idea of importance sampling to structures with multiple failure sequences and time-varying loads and resistance to deformation. ***

NSF Org:

CMS - Division of Civil and Mechanical Systems

Award Number:

9872342

Award Instrument:

Continuing grant

Program Manager:

John Scalzi
CMS Division of Civil and Mechanical Systems
ENG Directorate for Engineering

NSF Program(s):

STRUCTURES II

Field Application(s):

Disaster & Natural Hazard, Earthquake

Program Reference Code(s):

RENEWAL ENGINEERING, 1039

Program Element Code(s):

1498