Reliability analysis of stochastic structural system considering static strength, stiffness and fatigue

Abstract

Multi-failures are possible to appear in the process of using the structural system, such as dead load failure, fatigue failure and stiffness failure. The expression of residual resistance is given based on the impact of random crack propagation induced by the fatigue load on the critical limit stress and section modulus in this paper. The failure modes of every element of the structural system are analyzed under dead and fatigue loads, and the influence of the correlation of failure modes on reliability of the element is considered. Failure mechanism and the correlation of failure modes under dead and fatigue loads are discussed, and the method of reliability analysis considering static strength, fatigue and stiffness is given. A numerical example is analyzed, which indicates that the failure probability is different for different use life and the influence of dead and fatigue loads on reliability of the structural system is different as well. This method of reliability analysis, in the paper, is better than the method only considering a single factor (or static strength, or fatigue, or stiffness, etc.) in the case of practical engineering.