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J. Struct. Eng. 1983.109:1085-1086
J. Struct. Eng. 1983.109:1085-1086
J. Struct. Eng. 1983.109:1085-1086
In the present paper: (1) The authors have considered only the 'ulti-
mate limit state' (p. 980) although other limit states' must also be con-
sidered (p. 979); and (2) they have only considered one possible cause
of failure, extreme statistical variations of normal loads being combined
with similar variations in the material properties. Collapse from this cause
is almost unheard of since most collapses arise from errors in design or
construction, decay of materials, damage, misuse or alteration of the
structure, or from extraordinary loads (such as explosions) which bear
little or no relationship to ordinary design loads. Most failures are not
collapses but service problems such as excessive deflections or subsidence.
Because of these points, the paper's proposals are not suitable for di-
rect application in design; they may be altered or completely overridden
when the other factors are taken into account. However, even within
these limits, some points should be reconsidered:
a
May, 1982, by Theodore V. Galambos, Bruce Ellingwood, James G. Mac-
Gregor, and C. Allin Cornell (Paper 17067).
5
Engr., R. H. Thomason & Partners, Leeds, Great Britain.
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Although the authors proclaim their belief that probabilistic limit state
design is a great improvement on other methods (such as allowable stress),
this has yet to be proven either in theory or in practice. The idea that
design should be defined probabilistically is now less enthusiastically
proclaimed in Britain than it once was and limit state design is still not
popular. There may still be life in allowable stress methods yet.
APPENDIX.—REFERENCES
27. Beal, A. N., "Concrete Cube Strengths—What Use are Statistics?" Proceed-
ings, Institution of Civil Engineers, Part 2, London, Great Britain, Dec, 1981,
pp. 1037-1048.
28. Beal, A. N., "Secondary Dead Load and the Limit State Approach," Concrete,
The Concrete Society, London, Great Britain, Sept., 1981, pp. 31-32.
29. Beal, A. N., "What's Wrong With Load Factor Design?," Proceedings, Insti-
tution of Civil Engineers, Part 1, London, Great Britain, Nov., 1979, pp. 595-
604.
30. "The Structural Use of Concrete," CP110 Part 1, British Standards Institution,
London, Great Britain, 1972.
31. "The Structural Use of Reinforced Concrete in Buildings," CP114, British
Standards Institution, London, Great Britain, 1969.
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