System-based reliability analysis of stainless steel frames subjected to gravity and wind loads

Abstract

In the process of developing the next generation of design standards for steel structures, most relevant international structural codes including AISC360, AISC370, AS/NZS4100 and Eurocode3 already incorporate preliminary versions of system-based design-by-analysis approaches that allow a direct evaluation of the strength of steel and stainless steel structures from advanced numerical simulations. As a result, recent research works have focused on building rigorous structural reliability frameworks to investigate acceptable target reliability indices for structural systems and to develop new design methods in conjunction with adequate system safety factors and system resistance factors. Although design recommendations exist for the direct design of hot-rolled and cold-formed steel structures based on advanced finite element analysis, the extension of the method to other materials such as stainless steel is under development. This paper is part of a research effort to build a reliability framework for stainless steel structures subject to different load combinations and presents the results of system reliability calibrations carried out on six stainless steel portal frames subjected to combined gravity and wind loads. The study covers the most common stainless steel families and three international design frameworks (i.e., Eurocode, US and Australian frameworks). From the reliability calibrations derived, suitable system safety factors γM,s and system resistance factors ϕs are proposed for the direct design of stainless steel frames under combined gravity and wind loads using advanced numerical simulations.