MS67 Risk-Based Structural Robustness under Extreme Events

Prof. Xianxun (Arnold) Yuan: Arnold.yuan@ryerson.ca

Session Chairs:
Xianxun (Arnold) Yuan, Associate Professor, Ryerson University, E-mail: Arnold.yuan@ryerson.ca
Andre T. Beck, Professor, University of Sao Paulo, E-mail: atbeck@sc.usp.br
Decheng Feng, Associate Professor,Southeast University, E-mail: dcfeng@seu.edu.cn
Luis Neves, Assistant Professor,University of Nottingham, E-mail: luis.neves@nottingham.ac.uk

Abstract of the special session:

Beyond ultimate strength, serviceability, durability, redundancy, and ductility, robustness has emerged to be a fundamental quality that a structure must have. It has also been gradually recognized that structural robustness, as a measure of structural property against extreme or ‘black-swan’ events, must be understood and quantified within a risk-based framework. Many research articles related to probabilistic and non-probabilistic methods of robustness analysis and robustness-oriented design optimization, particularly in the context of progressive collapse have been increasingly published over the past years. However, new definitions and measures are still emerging. By providing a concerted forum for a focused discussion and debate on those issues related to structural robustness, this Special Session will attract more researchers from around the world to participate in this exciting academic festival in Structural Safety and Reliability.

It is also interesting to note that, while every ICOSSAR published a few papers related to structural robustness and vulnerability, there seemed to be no special sessions that were organized and dedicated to this important topic in the past series of this conference. Although the current list of mini-symposia and special sessions of ICOSSAR 2021 provides a very thorough coverage of infrastructure resilience, it is our belief that robustness is a fundamental concept that needs to be properly covered as well.

The co-chairs have agreed to contribute at least 5 papers to this SS. They have also agreed to reach out their circles in the following weeks to promote this SS in order to collect 8 to 12 abstracts in total.