System reliability-based bridge design using redundancy factors

In this paper, the probabilistic definition of the redundancy factor for bridge components based on system reliability is presented and briefly discussed. The effects of several statistical parameters of load and resistance and of the correlation among resistances of components are presented by using an idealized system consisting of identical components. The approach for applying the proposed redundancy factor in the structural component design is demonstrated using a ten- bar truss example. Two different correlations among the resistances of the truss components are considered and both the corresponding design mean resistances of these components and the associated component reliability indices are determined.