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The Design of Modern Steel Bridges - TEDI

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80 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Design</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Modern</strong> <strong>Steel</strong> <strong>Bridges</strong><br />

Figure 4.1 Probability distribution <strong>of</strong> a two-variable limit state.<br />

Figure 4.2 Probability distribution <strong>of</strong> the safety margin Z.<br />

If R and S are normally distributed uncorrelated random variables, the<br />

probability <strong>of</strong> failure Pf is given by<br />

Pf ¼<br />

mZ<br />

sZ<br />

¼<br />

mR mS<br />

ffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi<br />

s2 R þ s2 " #<br />

p<br />

S<br />

¼ ½ bŠ<br />

where is the standardised normal distribution function <strong>of</strong> cumulative densities.<br />

A reliability index b is defined as the ratio (mZ/sZ), which is also the<br />

number <strong>of</strong> standard deviations by which mZ exceeds zero, as shown in Fig. 4.2.

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