Robust assessment of collapse resistance of structures under uncertain loads based on Info-Gap model

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The paper proposes a pair of novel mathematical programming based approaches which directly determine the worst collapse load limit in one case, and the best limit in the other case of rigid perfectly-plastic structures subjected to uncertain-but-bounded applied loads using an Info-Gap model. The methods take advantage of the important properties in which the worst collapse load limit defined for an uncertain static formulation is equivalent to the most favourable solution of the uncertain kinematic limit analysis problem, and vice versa for the best collapse load limit. The formulation for capturing the worst collapse load limit (robust worst case solution) takes the form as a mathematical program with equilibrium constraints that is processed using a penalty algorithm, whilst that for the best collapse load limit is a standard linear programming problem. The efficiency and robustness of the proposed schemes are evidenced from a number of successfully solved examples.