RELIABILITY-BASED DESIGN OF EXTERNALLY PRESSURIZED VESSELS

A reliability-based Level I design procedure is proposed for ring-stif fened cylindrical shells under external pressure. The main collapse mo des and the present safety factor approach are reviewed. The major asp ects involved in code development, such as the statistical properties of the basic variables, reliability methods, sensitivity studies, I wi th the present practice are described. Safety margins for design are p roposed which depend on the design pressure, maximum expected overdive , and shell slenderness. Some suggestions for future work are also giv en.