RELIABILITY ANALYSIS OF STEEL BEAM UNDER UNCERTAIN BLAST LOADS

The statistical model of blast loads acting on building structures is established through the statistical analysis of a large number of blast load data from existing prediction empirical formulae of blast loads, calculation graphs and recent blast load tests. Based on the Single-Degree-of-Freedom (SDOF) system theory and the Monte Carlo method, the failure probability calculation method for a typical steel beam under uncertain blast loads is proposed, considering the uncertainties in both the material strength and the component dimension. The practical calculation program is also developed accordingly. Finally, parametric studies are carried out to investigate the influence of the explosive mass, the uncertainty of blast loads and structural properties on the failure probability of steel beams. Results show that the explosive mass and the scaled distance are two key factors affecting the failure probability of steel beams under blast loads, and the uncertainty of blast loads must be considered in the blast-resistant design analysis.