Probabilistic Methods in the Mechanics of Solids and Structures

Abstract

Structural engineering makes a giant stride forward with this symposium. This book represents an international sym­ posium held in Stockholm honoring Prof. W. Weibull. It drew participants from 21 countries with a total of 55 invited papers. There were 7 scientific sessions. Most of our studies in school revolved about deterministic happenings. Random loading becomes more and more important when we equate events in our world with physical and mathematical reasoning. Probabilistic failure model and stochastic fatigue crack growth play important roles in the safety of nuclear structures, random loading due to wind turbulence, earthquake spectra, offshore structural design, and aircraft design. The initial paper summarizes Prof. Weibull's life and ac­ complishments including a mention of Weibull distribution used in fatigue studies. The initial session deals with extreme value theory (EVT). The first paper reviewed applications of extreme value theory to material behavior and indicates the importance of the accompanying statistical theory. The next paper generalizes Weibull distribution in matrix form. The following papers proclaim (a) extreme value theory as com­ patible to random field theory, (b) incomplete samples can be transformed to a mixed-exponential survival for a more com­ prehensive Weibull distribution, (c) EVT in endurance testing of ball and roller bearings, (d) use of the Slepian model identi­ fying the behavior of Gaussian noise near or between its zero crossing, (e) plastic movement of SDOF elastic plastic oscillator subjected to stationary Gaussian process excitation, and (/) generalized Hermitian polynomial used in the pertur­ bation method for nonlinear random vibrations. The final paper reports on Weibull distribution in large earthquake modelling. Session 2 reports on fatigue crack growth. Beginning with an analysis of stochastic equation models of crack growth, it continues with stochastic models of fatigue crack growth and propagation, prediction of crack growth under spectrum loading employing a cycle-by-cycle technique and fatigue life distribution in a random loading sense with interacting failures. The final paper considers a new approach to fatigue crack propagation under random loading and the use of Monte Carlo simulation in correlating micro fracture process and fatigue crack propagation. This session indicates that more experimental work is required in crack propagation to reach the same level as crack initiation. Session 3 comprises a total of 13 papers and dwells upon probabilistic failure models. The initial paper proposes a generalized probabilistic model for the fatigue life and reliability prediction of a structure containing noninteracting cracks and employs Poisson random sets. The next group of papers focuses upon (a) structural reliability treated as a single stochastic model, (Jb) fatigue life and reliability estimates of mineral pipe lines using probability theory, (c) Weibull-based equation employed in predicting the failure of a stressed brittle material, (d) a preliminary suggestion that specimens failed in proof tests may be used to estimate the parameters of the reliability function for the survivors, and (e) brittle material design using three parametric Weibull distributions. The next set of papers considers ring-in-ring tests on strength of cladded glass using the three-parameter Weibull distribution, prob­ abilistic analysis of plastic plates utilizing yield-line theory plus lower bound reliability analysis of plastic plates evaluated by inclusion-exc lusion theory. The final set of papers ques­ tions the possibility of flaws in the present probabilistic models for unidirectional fibrous composites, strength rela­ tions for cracks in unidirectiona l long fiber composites employing Weibull distribution and a stochastic approach in studying the fracture and fatigue of concrete. Session 4 delves into probabilistic fracture mechanics. The initial paper estimates the probable failure of PWR pressure vessels employing Weibull distribution and updates the wellknown Marshall A(a) and B(a) functions. The final set of papers covers probabilistic assessment of structures with weld defects, probability of fracture in main coolant pipes of PWR, and statistical modelling of shaft predictions (as measured by Charpy impact curve) in the reference temperature of pressure vessel welds. The authors suggested that U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Guide 1.99 be updated to remove excessive conservatism.