ABSTRACT
The properties of materials in structural components are never known with certainty and can be assumed to vary according to some distribution law depending on manufacturing conditions, the degree of quality control and the extent of non-destructive testing. This paper describes how modern methods of structural reliability analysis can be used to assess the sensitivity of various modes of structural failure to the material properties that govern their behaviour. In particular, a study has been made of the fracture of cracked steel components under static loading and of the failure of other components by fatigue-fracture when subjected to dynamic loads. It has been found that the material sensitivity varies depending on the type of failure mode, for both load cases. This means that it is difficult to assign a fixed set of partial safety factors to the design variables which will be universally applicable.
