Open Access

ARTICLE

Stochastic Finite Element Method Reliability Analysis of the Corrugated I-beam Girder

Damian Sokolowski¹, Marcin Kamiński², Michal Strakowski¹

1 Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Lódź, Al. Politechniki 6, 90-924 Lódź, Poland.
2 Head of Chair of Structural Reliability, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Lódź, Al. Politechniki 6, 90-924 Lódź, Poland. Email: Marcin.Kaminski@p.lodz.pl
Webpage: http://www.kmk.p.lodz.pl/pracownicy/kaminski/index.htm

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2014, 99(3), 209-231. https://doi.org/10.3970/cmes.2014.099.209

Abstract

The main issue in this paper is to present stochastic analysis of the steel plate girder with the corrugated web subjected to Gaussian random fluctuations in its web thickness. Such an analysis is carried out using the Stochastic Finite Element Method based on the generalized stochastic perturbation technique and discretization of structure with the quadrilateral 4-noded shell finite elements. It is numerically implemented using the FEM system ABAQUS and the symbolic algebra system MAPLE, where all the probabilistic procedures are programmed. We compare the perturbation-based results with these obtained from traditional Monte-Carlo simulation and, separately, analytical solution calculated by a symbolic integration carried out in MAPLE. We calculate probabilistic characteristics of up to the fourth order for the static deformations and stresses, critical loads and eigenfrequencies to verify their distributions affected by the Gaussian dispersion of the web thickness itself resulting from an extensive corrosion, for instance. The reliability index for deformations is calculated according to the First Order Reliability Method (FORM) and can be further used in durability prediction of such structures.

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Keywords

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