Formulation of time-dependent structural serviceability

Abstract Time-dependent structural serviceability problems have not been accorded enough attention. Of considerable interest in the present paper is the structural response due to the creep and shrinkage effects of concrete material. This structural response is also highly uncertain and as such ought to be amenable to analysis using probabilistic methods. In this paper, based on mathematical models for both creep and shrinkage effects and applied load processes, two methods, namely a simulation approach and an analytical approach, will be proposed to predict the time-dependent serviceability of a simple reinforced concrete structure. The advantage of the simulation approach is that all the random variability can be included in the structural response at any point in time, and in the analytical approach, the stochastic nature of the problem can be explored by using first passage probability and the Rice formula. An example is given to illustrate the approaches.