Reliability of frame and shear wall structural systems. I: Static loading

An efficient and accurate algorithm is developed to evaluate the reliability of a steel frame and reinforced concrete shear wall structural system subjected to static loading. In a companion paper, the algorithm is extended to consider dynamic loading, including seismic loading. The concept integrates the finite-element method and the first-order reliability method, leading to a stochastic finiteelement-based approach. In the deterministic finite-element representation, the steel frame is represented by beam-column elements and the shear walls are represented by plate elements. The stiffness matrix for the combined system is then developed. The deterministic finite-element algorithm is verified using a commercially available computer program. The deterministic algorithm is then extended to consider the uncertainty in the random variables. The reliability of a steel frame with and without the presence of reinforced concrete shear walls is evaluated for the strength and serviceability performance functions. The results are verified using Monte Carlo simulations. The algorithm quantitatively confirms the beneficial effect of shear walls, particularly when the steel frame is weak in satisfying the serviceability requirement of lateral deflection. The algorithm can be used to estimate the reliability of any complicated structural system consisting of different structural elements and materials when subjected to static loading. The procedure will be useful in the performance-based design guidelines under development by the profession.