Fully probabilistic design: the way for optimizing of concrete structures

Some standards for the design of concrete structures (e.g. EC2 and the original ČSN 73 1201-86) allow a structure to be designed by several methods. This contribution documents the fact that even if a structure does not comply with the partial reliability factor method, according to EC2, it can satisfy the conditions during the application of the fully probabilistic approach when using the same standard. From an example of the reliability of a prestressed spun concrete pole designed by the partial factor method and fully probabilistic approach according to the Eurocode it is evident that an expert should apply a more precise (though unfortunately more complicated) method in the limiting cases. The Monte Carlo method, modified by the Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) method, has been used for the calculation of reliability. Ultimate and serviceability limit states were checked for the partial factor method and fully probabilistic design. As a result of fully probabilistic design it is possible to obtain a more efficient design for a structure.