A general method for structural safety design

Partial factors method based on probability is a generally accepted method for structural reliability design in the world and the important bases of current structural design standards system in our country. However, in the history of more than 30 years, it has been uncovered that the method lacks of enough generality and precision of reliability control. According to the principle of design-value method proposed in international standard ISO 2394:2015, based on the general expressions for structural safety design and assignment method of standard sensitive coefficients proposed before, a general method of structural safety design is put forward and simplified. It allows in design to take directly into account of the influences of variety of basic variables probabilistic properties, target reliability index and design working life on design results, to apply directly the statistical results of actions and structural properties, to establish the reliability design methods of new material and new kind structures, and to select flexibly the target reliability index and design working life by owners. The method is not only of good generality, but also of more practicality than design-value method proposed in international standard. The results of theoretical and case analysis show that the general design method adopts the recommended value of the standard sensitivity coefficient proposed by analytic optimization, which can better control the reliability. Compared with the current partial factors method and design value method, it has higher reliability control precision. © 2017, Editorial Office of Journal of Building Structures. All right reserved.