Probabilistic safety assessment of self-centering steel braced frame

The main drawback of conventional braced frames is implicitly accepting structural damage under the design earthquake load, which leads to considerable economic losses. Controlled rocking self-centering system as a modem low-damage system is capable of minimizing the drawbacks of conventional braced frames. This paper quantifies main limit states and investigates the seismic performance of self-centering braced frame using a Probabilistic Safety Assessment procedure. Margin of safety, confidence level, and mean annual frequency of the self-centering archetypes for their main limit states, including PT yield, fuse fracture, and global collapse, are established and are compared with their acceptance criteria. Considering incorporating aleatory examined. Results of the investigation indicate that the provide the adequate margin of safety against exceeding and epistemic uncertainties, the efficiency of the system is design of low- and mid-rise self-centering archetypes could the undesirable limit-states.

Quantitative deterministic versus probability analyses based on a safety margin criterion

This paper proposes a new criterion called the ratio of safety margin(RSM)for use in the areas of the global factor of safety,reliability and limit states analyses with reference to their respective allowable criteria.An equation for calculating RSM based on the reliability index is formulated.Efforts for proving the applicability of this criterion include a theoretical demonstration in a simple one-variable case;an investigation on a test problem involving two random variables,followed by a slope stability study on a 156 m high embankment dam and an illustrative example presented in a EuroCode 7 guidebook.Calculation of the ratios of safety margin in the three areas provides a quantitative way to accommodate the analytical results within the same theoretical framework and makes the outcomes mutually comparable and supportive,which is much more enlightening than that would be the case by considering only one of them.Calculating RSMs for reliability and limit states methods has also helped solve the key issue concerning the uniqueness of the partial factors calibrated from a particular‘target case’.

Blade containment evaluation of civil aircraft engines

The potential hazard resulting from uncontained turbine engine rotor blade failure has always been the long-term concern of each aero engine manufacturer, and to fully contain the failed blades under critical operating conditions is also one of the most important considerations to meet the rotor integrity requirements. Usually, there are many factors involving the engine containment capability which need to be reviewed during the engine design phases, such as case thickness, rotor support structure, blade weight and shape, etc. However, the premier method to demonstrate the engine containment capability is the fan blade-off test and margin of safety （MS） analysis. Based on a concrete engine model, this paper aims to explain the key points of aero engine containment requirements in FAR Part 33, and introduces the implementation of MS analysis and fan blade-off test in the engine airworthiness certification. Through the introduction, it would be greatly helpful to the industrial community to evaluate the engine containment capability and prepare the final test demonstration in engine certification procedure.

An approach to calculating allowable watershed pollutant loads

To improve the management of discharge pollutants loads in the reservoirs＇ watershed, an approach of the allowable pollutants loads calculation and its allocation, based on the water environment model, was proposed. Establishment of the approach framework was described at first. Under the guidance of this framework, two major steps were as follows： modeling and scenario analysis were involved and should be applied to support the decision of discharge loads management; Environ- mental Fluid Dynamic Code （EFDC） model was selected as the kernel model in this framework. In modeling step, spatial discretization for establishing cell map in model, data preprocessing, parameter calibration and uncertainty analysis （which is considered as the significantly relevant factor of the margin of safety （MOS））, were conducted. As a result of the research, the model-based approach presented as a combination of estimation and precise calculation, which contributed to scenario analysis step. Some integrated modules, such as scenario simulation, result analysis and plan optimization were implemented as cycles in the scenario analysis. Finally, allowable pollutant loads under various conditions were calculated. The Chaihe Reservoir in Liaoning Province, China was used as a case study for an application of the approach described above. Results of the Chaihe reservoir water quality simulation, show good agreement with field data and demonstrated that the approach used in the present study provide an efficient and appropriate methodology for pollutant load allocation.