PROBABILISTIC EVALUATION OF CONSTRUCTION DEFICIENCIES

A probabilistic procedure is formulated to evaluate construction deficiencies involving hundreds of identical structural elements in which uniformity of quality is desirable. These include welds in truss systems, pipe hanger systems, and shear studs in reinforced concrete structures to develop composite strength. A deterministic solution to this type of problem may be inadequate, as may a simple binomial distribution. The use of the hyperbinomial distribution is most appropriate since the success rate parameter is a random variable. The distribution also shows how added information could help make a better decision. The procedure is discussed using shear studs in reinforce concrete structures as an example. Some repair procedures are also suggested. This method may be a safe and economical way to deal with some construction deficiency problems.