Structural System Reliability

Review of probability theory. Multivariate distribution models. Review of classical methods for characterization of systems and assessment of system reliability. Formulation of structural reliability for components and systems. Exact solutions for special cases. Computational reliability methods, including first- and second-order reliability methods (FORM and SORM), response surface, Monte Carlo simulation, and importance sampling. Bounds on system reliability. Reliability sensitivity and importance measures. Bayesian updating and reliability analysis under statistical and model uncertainties. Introductions to reliability-based optimal design, time- and space-variant reliability analysis, and finite-element reliability methods.