Probabilistic mechanics of quasibrittle structures: Strength, lifetime and scaling

This lecture presents a recently developed probabilistic theory of strength of quasibrittle structures. The theory is anchored by a finite weakest-link model, in which the strength distribution of one representative volume element (RVE) is determined from the atomistic fracture mechanics and a multiscale statistical model. With the fracture kinetics model, the theory is further extended to probability distributions of structural lifetime under both static and cyclic fatigue. The theory predicts intricate size effects on the strength and lifetime distributions, and on the mean structural strength and lifetime. Such size dependence also has profound implications for reliability-based analysis and design of quasibrittle structures.