Limit Analysis and Optimal Plastic Design by Stochastic Programming with Uncertainties of Material's Quality

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the case of plastic collapse load analysis and optimal design, effects of uncertainties of material quality can be taken into consideration if yield conditions contain random variables. Stochastic programming models of the above problems can be written on the base of statical theorems of limit analysis, introducing stochastic yield conditions. Applications are presented by analysis and design of large panel structures. In the case of collapse load analysis, the effect of correlation and variances relative to the average value of the load parameter was examined. The form of collapse mechanism depends on values of correlation and variances. At the optimal design, the distribution of expected values of limit stresses is more uniform for the stochastic case than in the deterministic case.