Element and System Risk Considerations in Highway Bridge Assessment

The analysis of element and system failure probabilities has been emphasised in the area of highway bridge assessment recently. However, little attention has been given to the financial consequences of failures when performing such analyses. This paper summarises the methods used for calculating the bridge element and system reliabilities. It then focuses on evaluating the corresponding failure consequences. The results of reliability analysis and evaluation of failure consequences obtained are employed to study the element and system risks (where risk = probability of failure × consequences of failure). Based on the results for element and system risks, a method is proposed for the modification of the target reliability index that accounts for the system effects, for use in highway bridge assessment.

• Introduction

• Reliability Analysis

• Evaluation of Consequences of Failure

• Element and System Risk Analysis

• Proposed Method for Adjustment of Target Reliability Index

• Conclusions

• Acknowledgements

• References