Robustness of structures

Abstract

Disproportionate collapse is prevented by ensuring collapse resistance, a property defined as the insensitivity of a structure to abnormal events. Enhancing robustness and reducing vulnerability are two different structural measures for achieving collapse resistance. The vulnerability of a structure is its susceptibility to become initially damaged by abnormal events; robustness is its insensitivity to such initial damage. Another option for preventing disproportionate collapse is the reduction of the exposure of the structure to abnormal events. The design strategy reducing vulnerability aims at preventing failure initiation whereas the strategy enhancing robustness aims at preventing disproportionate failure spreading. These two approaches are compared. Robustness can be achieved by the design methods alternative load paths and segmentation, which are also discussed. Furthermore, measures for the quantification of robustness are discussed.

Mechanisms for Robust Cognition

“…Such modularity is evident across multiple levels of biological organization (Csete & Doyle, ). Likewise, engineers include isolated segments in structural designs to arrest collapse at segment borders (Canisius, ; Starossek & Haberland, ).…”

“…Likewise, the meaning of perturbation is context‐specific. Perturbations include genetic mutations (Wagner, ), the variable temperatures over which the circadian clock or a turbine airfoil must operate (Hatakeyama & Kaneko, ; Reinman et al., ), or changes in load distribution following loss of structural elements (Starossek & Haberland, ). Robustness is important because it allows systems to function across the variable environments they encounter (Gluck et al., ).…”

“…Likewise, engineers include isolated segments in structural designs to arrest collapse at segment borders (Canisius, 2011;Starossek & Haberland, 2012).…”

“…Robustness is also an objective in the design of engineered systems. For example, airplane engines must produce adequate thrust at different altitudes (Reinman, Ayer, Davan, Devore, & Finley, ) and buildings must withstand dynamic forces (Starossek & Haberland, ). The capacity for robust responses to environmental variation is arguably a basic property of all complex, evolved systems (Hammerstein & Stevens, ), whether biological or artifactual.…”

Die Bauwerksrobustheit im Kontext eines risikobasierten Erhaltungsmanagements

“…Für den Begriff der „Robustheit“ von Bauwerken existieren unterschiedliche Interpretationen . Während viele Robustheitsdefinitionen auf baustatische Versagensmechanismen, wie bspw.…”