Nonlinear analysis and reliability of metallic truss structures

The present study goes into the search for the safety domain of civil engineering structures. The objective is to show how a reliability-evaluation brought by a mechanical sizing can be obtained. For that purpose, it is necessary to have a mechanical model and a reliability model representing correctly the behavior of this type of structure. It is a question on one hand, to propose a formulation for the nonlinear calculation (mechanical nonlinearity) of the spatial structures in trusses, and on the other hand, to propose or to adapt a formulation and a modeling of the reliability. The principle of Hasofer-Lind can be applied, in first approach, for the reliability index estimation, scenarios and the probability of failure. The made check concerned metallic in truss structures. Finally, some structures are calculated using the method adapted by Hasofer-Lind to validate the probability approach of the reliability analysis.