ABSTRACT
Management of civil infrastructure encompasses optimum use and ensuring acceptable levels of safety. Probabilistic methods are now being developed for safety assessment of old structures (Liu et al., 2009; Stewart, 2001; Stewart et al., 2001). In this discussion, the level of safety is related to the probability of failure pf of a structure under intended use. The acceptable level of safety follows therefore as the maximum probability of failure that is acceptable. The acceptable level of safety can also be given by other measures such as reliability index and risk. Reliability index β is derived probability of failure.
