Safety of structural systems with correlated resistances

In this paper, the reliability of basic structural systems is examined. For elementary chain and ductile parallel systems, the effects of equal correlation between element strengths is established assuming normality. A special case involving a choice between statically determinate and indeterminate structural systems is examined and an ‘optimum’ design approach is presented. In this optimal solution, the correlation structure between elements is controlled so as to maximize the system reliability for given element safety. Reliability analysis is based on a two moment safety index.