The need for a comprehensive book on probabilistic structural mechanics that brings together the many analytical and computational methods developed over the years and their applications in a wide spectrum of industries-from residential buildings to nuclear power plants, from bridges to pressure vessels, from steel structures to ceramic structures-became evident from the many discussions the editor had with practising engineers, researchers and professors. Because no single individual has the expertise to write a book with such a di.verse scope, a group of 39 authors from universities, research laboratories, and industries from six countries in three continents was invited to write 30 chapters covering the various aspects of probabilistic structural mechanics. The editor and the authors believe that this handbook will serve as a reference text to practicing engineers, teachers, students and researchers. It may also be used as a textbook for graduate-level courses in probabilistic structural mechanics. The editor wishes to thank the chapter authors for their contributions. This handbook would not have been a reality without their collaboration.

This volume offers the most comprehensive coverage of probabilistic structural mechanics available. A vast array of analytical methods for structural reliability are explained in depth and their applications in every major industry are described using concrete examples.Thirty nine distinguished international contributors in industry and academia: - demonstrate the entire spectrum of structure reliability techniques, from simulation and first-order/second-order reliability methods to probabilistic finite-element/boundary element methods, enabling the reader to select the most appropriate method for all types of projects; - discuss special areas such as seismic risk assessment, extreme-wind assessment, and structural systems evaluation; - illustrate state-of-the-art applications and their results in a wide range of structures, including nuclear power plants and offshore structures;aircraft, ships, and bridges;and steel, concrete, timber, and ceramic structures; - cover topics seldom addressed in probabilistic structural mechanics books, such as human errors, nondestructive examination, expert opinions, and fuzzy probabilities; - provide 300 figures, graphs, charts and tables; over 1,000 references; and 30 industrial applications including results and conclusions. This encyclopedic reference details the latest developments in this rapidly expanding area of structural engineering.It will be an invaluable resource for all practitioners and graduate students in civil and mechanical engineering and material science.