The Application of Reliability Analysis in Engineering Practice – Reinforced Concrete Foundation

Abstract

In recent years, the importance of assessment of structural reliability has increased significantly. This is confirmed by the recommendations of the standard PN-EN 1990 in which the rules and requirements to ensure safety, serviceability and durability of the structure are specified. It also sets out the basis for calculation and verification of constructions and provides guidance to ensure their reliability. Reliability design focuses on the ability to meet specific design requirements, taking into account the planned period of use. The concept of the planned period of use should be considered as the adopted in the project interval in which the structure or a part of the structure is to be used for its intended purpose without the need for general repairs. Typically, reliability is expressed in probabilistic metrics - using an index of reliability or probability of failure. Reliability of building structures depends on a number of correlated factors, mainly on the quality of materials, building precision and level of control, protection against environmental influences and maintenance level during exploitation, specific period of use, adopted solutions for the construction materials, design details and technologies, adopted loads (both their values and combinations), standard requirements regarding capacity, exploitation and durability, quality of computational models used in the design process and methods for assessing reliability of the structure. The performed reliability analysis concerns a reinforced concrete foundation, for which reliability index and probability of failure has been specified using the following methods: analytical method FORM, simulation methods FORM and SORM as well as Monte Carlo simulation.