• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.75 no.5
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• pp.585-594
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• 2020

Detecting the damage of indeterminate trusses is of major importance in the literature. This paper proposes a quick approach in this regard, utilizing a precise mathematical approach based on Finite Element Method. Different to a general two-step method defined in the literature essentially based on optimization approach, this method consists of three steps including Damage-Suspected Element Identification step, Imminent Damaged Element Identification step, and finally, Damage Severity Detection step and does not need any optimizing algorithm. The first step focuses on the identification of damage-suspected elements using an index based on modal residual force vector. In the second step, imminent damage elements are identified among the damage-suspected elements detected in the previous step using a specific technique. Ultimately, in the third step, a novel relation is derived to calculate the damage severity of each imminent damaged element. To show the efficiency and quick function of the proposed method, three examples including a 25-bar planar truss, a 31-bar planar truss, and a 52-bar space truss are studied; results of which indicate that the method is innovatively capable of suitably detecting, for indeterminate trusses, not only damaged elements but also their individual damage severity by carrying out solely one analysis.

• Architectural research
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.71-80
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• 2001

It is quite difficult to calculate the collapse probability of a system such as statically indeterminate structure that has many possible modes or paths to complete failure and the problem has remained essentially unsolved. A structure is synthesized by several components or elements and its capacity to resist the given loads is a function of the capacity of the individual element. Thus it is reasonable to assess the probability of failure of the system based upon those of its elements. This paper proposes an efficient technique to directly assess the reliability of a complex structural system from the reliabilities of its components or elements. The theory for the calculation of the probability of a structural system is presented. The target requirements of the method and the fundamental assumptions governing the method are clearly stated. A portal frame and two trusses are selected to demonstrate the efficiency of the method by comparing the results obtained from the proposed method to those from the existing methods in the literature.