Sensitivity Studies Within a Reliability Analysis of Cross Sections with Carbon Concrete

The utilization of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcements and textile reinforced concrete (TRC) comprised of carbon fibres is a promising approach to replace the steel reinforcement commonly used in concrete structures. It opens up new structural design opportunities for civil engineers and architects. Due to differences in the stress-strain-relations observed under tension in these reinforcement materials and those well-known stress-strain-relations in steel, new design guidelines are inevitable. In the semi-probabilistic safety concept, unavoidable scatters of properties, which influence the resistance of a structure should be regarded using partial safety factors. Due to the lack of experience they are calibrated following a well-proven method—the reliability theory. As a preliminary work, the present paper deals with the quantification of sensitivities of a resistance-stress-model (R-S-Model) for a textile reinforced concrete cross section under bending load. Thereby, the probability of failure represents the result quantity and the influence of the variation of numerous, scattering input parameters on this value is determined. The result of the investigation should lead to a better understanding of the most important factors within the presented engineering model and the consequences for the definition of safety margins for a reliable and simultaneously economic calibration of a partial safety factor for the material strength of carbon.