Reliability-based Assessment of Structural Steel Design Code of Nepal

Abstract

This paper presents a probabilistic method to assess the reliability of Nepal's structural steel design codes, considering the regional situation such as the statistical parameters for the loads and resistances that are of crucial importance in structural reliability assessment. In this analysis, the uncertainties associated with environmental loads, including wind and earthquake, are evaluated using data specific to Nepal. Several structural elements from a representative archetype in Nepal are subjected to a reliability assessment to evaluate potential safety deficiencies resulting from the lack of code calibration. The critical failure mode for beam is identified as bending, with some members underperforming under seismic load combinations. For columns, axial load and biaxial bending become critical when seismic loads are introduced. While these findings highlight key safety concerns, further research involving multiple archetypes and extensive datasets are needed for generalization.