Reliability Approaches Affecting the Sustainability of Concrete Structures

Abstract

The most important reliability approaches affecting sustainability in construction consist of the target reliability levels, verification methods, and construction or intervention procedures. The optimum target reliability levels can be specified based on probabilistic optimisation considering sustainability aspects including building costs, expected economic, social, and environmental consequences of construction, and possible failures. It appears that the derived reliability levels are strongly dependent on sustainability aspects and may be lower for the assessment of existing structures than for the design of new structures. The most efficient verification methods are based on advanced probabilistic approaches, including risk assessment methods considering actual properties of the structure and related failure consequences. It has been shown that sustainability in construction may be significantly affected by the design and assessment methods. The case study demonstrates that advanced reliability approaches commonly save 10–20% of the consumption of structural materials and natural resources.

The influence of the coefficient of variation on the process reliability of brick production

“…Therefore, with a coefficient of variation of 13%, to ensure reliability 0.977 is required a uniformity coefficient of 1.35. To analyze the dependencies (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9) in Figure 1 and Table 1, the dependence of the uniformity coefficient for ensuring reliability V on the value of the variation coefficient is shown.…”

“…The most effective verification methods are based on advanced probabilistic approaches, including risk assessment methods taking into account the actual properties of the structure and the associated consequences of destruction. The subject study shows that advanced reliability approaches typically save 10-20% in structural materials and natural resource consumption [2][3][4]. In particular, data are presented on the relationship between cost (as the main factor influencing decision-making) and the reliability of the building structures investigated solutions, taking into account the impact on the environment [5][6][7].…”

Enhancing non-destructive testing in concrete structures: a GADF-CNN approach for defect detection

“…Concrete structures form a fundamental component of modern infrastructure, underpinning urban life through skyscrapers, bridges, and road networks. Their reliability is essential for safety, economic operations, and societal convenience [1]. Advances in measurement science are imperative for infrastructure safety assessments, as they enable the development of efficient, reliable, and non-destructive testing (NDT) methods that are crucial for maintaining the structural integrity of concrete structures [2], [3].…”

Effect of Target Reliability Level on Partial Factors for Existing Steel Railway Bridges

“…Extending the service life of existing steel bridges may be achieved by: -appropriate selection of target reliability level and assessment method; -obtaining data for a specific site or structure -this is beyond the scope of this study; see [1,2]. In general, lower reliability levels can be accepted for existing structures in comparison to structural design as follows from the general principles of structural reliability provided in ISO 2394:2015 [3] and prEN1990-2 [4]; see also [5,6]. Optimizing target reliability for existing structures by implementing cost optimization procedures and criteria for human safety is presented in [7].…”