System reliability evaluation of nonlinear continuum structuresa probabilistic FEM approach
A primary research for system reliability of continuum structures is presented. Progressive failure properties are dealt with by introducing an efficient probabilistic finite element method. An efficient computational method of probability of failure modes is suggested. By using this method, equivalent linearized performance functions for failure modes can be obtained simultaneously so that correlation between those failure modes can be easily obtained. An index termed as the conditional reliability index is suggested as a criterion for identifying sequences of failure modes. A modified branch and bound method is presented to deal with the problem of identifying dominant failure modes. By using the suggested methods, system reliability solution for continuum structures become feasible. A simple numerical example is given to illustrate the suggested methods.
system reliability finite element method structural reliability