Codified Reliability for Structures During Construction

It is generally acknowledged that the most critical stage of a structure's lifetime is that of construction, leading to failures or locking in forces and deformations that affect subsequent performance. There has been, unfortunately, a lack of engineering interest in this phase of the design/build process, and only now are structural engineering researchers beginning to address the need for study and codification. The last several years have seen a renewed willingness on the part of researchers and practitioners alike to consider a formal reliability basis for codes and standards. Unfortunately, the recent flurry of activity with respect to reliability concepts has not, in general, included the construction phase. This paper attempts to draw together for consideration the various aspects of the problem unique to construction.