Part III structural reliability assessment under internal and external load conditions

Abstract The classical reliability function is used as a risk criterion in the analysis of the containment of a PWR. For the treatment of the internal load case LOCA the probability of occurrence as well as the probability distribution of the load intensity are considered. In recognition of the rare event properties of the internal and external hazards the Poisson process is used as a forecast model. Consequently the asymptotic distributions of the Fisher-Tippett type are utilized to model the load intensities. The investigation concentrates on the analysis of the steel hull for which the governing external hazard of the earthquake is considered. As failure criteria yield and the fracture conditions are used.