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Mathematical models for prediction of safety factors for a simply supported steel beam


A.U. Barambu
M.T. Abdulwahab
O.A.U. Uche

Abstract

The reliability-based calibration of safety factors for the design of a simply supported steel beam, based on BS5950 (2000) is presented in this research work. The calibration was undertaken using a specialized computer program in Microsoft excel environment developed by the Joint Committee for Structural Safety (JCSS) CODE-CAL 2001. The design variables considered were modeled using the software, and the safety factors for the material, dead and live load were calibrated by varying the safety index. From the results obtained, mathematical prediction models were developed using a least square regression analysis for bending, shear and deflection modes of failure considered in the study. The results showed that the safety factors for material, dead and live load are not unique, but they are influenced by safety index and it was also shown that the safety factors for material, dead and live load vary from 0.61 to 1.15, 1.44 to 1.91 and 1.40 to 1.65 respectively for both bending and shear modes of failure. For deflection mode of failure, the results showed that the safety factors for material, dead and live load vary from 1.08 to 1.56, 1.10 to 1.17 and 0.83 to 1.25 respectively for target safety index (βt) of 2.0 to 4.5. The mathematical prediction models developed for both bending and shear modes of failure are the same. Therefore, it is recommended that the mathematical prediction models developed in this study for bending and deflection modes of failure could be used when designing a simply supported steel beam to BS 5950 (2000).

Keywords: reliability, code calibration, load factor, safety factor, design, steel beam


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eISSN: 2467-8821
print ISSN: 0331-8443