Reliability-based structural system optimization: State-of-the-art versus state-of-the-practice

Significant research over the last three decades has focused on the search for the ''optimum'' structural system. This paper presents an appraisal of state-of-the-art versus state-of-the-practice for reliability-based structural system optimization. Important differences between the state-of-the-art and -practice are highlighted. The state-of-the-practice of reliability-based structural system optimization has lagged behind, due in part to the lack of realistic economically-based cost objectives and functionally-derived reliability constraints. It is concluded that further efforts are needed to advance the state-of-the-practice in order to make reliability-based system optimization a viable alternative for stuctural design.