LIMIT-STATE SURFACE ELEMENT METHOD: APPLICATION TO FATIGUE RELIABILITY WITH NDE INSPECTIONS

A new method, named the limit-state surface element (LSSE) method, for problems in structural reliability is presented. The method is based on discretization of the limit-state surface into a finite number of elements. This allows for better representations of the failure surface in regions of high curvature than is possible with standard first-order reliability method (FORM) techniques. The reliability is estimated as a sum of integrals over subdomains in the space of standard normal variables associated with the surface elements. Several benchmark problems are presented to demonstrate the accuracy and utility of the method, and a problem in fatigue reliability with nondestructive evaluation (NDE) inspections is presented as a practical application of the method and a demonstration of the potential interrelations between qualitative NDE and reliability assessment.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07339399
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was prepared in the course of research supported by the Office of Naval Research under the M-URI Integrated Diagnostics Program through the Multi University Center for Integrated Diagnostics, Georgia Institute of Technology, ONR Grant No. 014-95-1-0539.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  1801 Alexander Bell Drive
  Reston, VA  United States  20191-4400
• Authors:
  • Moran, Bill
  • Xu, Y
  • Achenbach, J D
• Publication Date: 2000-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 684-692
• Serial:
  • Journal of Engineering Mechanics
  • Volume: 126
  • Issue Number: 7
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0733-9399
  • EISSN: 1943-7889
  • Serial URL: http://ascelibrary.org/journal/jenmdt

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accuracy; Benchmarks; Curvature; Failure; Fatigue limit; Inspection; Nondestructive tests; Random variables; Reliability; Structural analysis; Structural deterioration and defects
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00795686
• Record Type: Publication
• Contract Numbers: 014-95-1-0539, 9256659, 9876080
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 17 2000 12:00AM