Limit Analysis of Structures with Stochastic Strength Variations∗

On the basis of a probabilistic fomulation of the fundamental theorems of “limit analysis,” a procedure is developed which allows, with a very limited amount of computing work, the determination of a domain containing the probability distribution curve of the collapse load factor of any structure that satisfies the usual conditions for validity of the limit analysis, but has randomly distributed limit strengths. Further improvements of the bounds thus obtained can be achieved by the equivalent of either the equilibrium or the kinematic methods of limit analysis.