STATISTICAL STUDY ON A CONVENTIONAL ″SAFETY FACTOR METHOD ″.

Abstract

The safety factor which may be defined as the ratio of the resistance of a structure to the applied loads is intended to cover all the uncertainties about strength, loads and mechanical theories. In this paper mathematical structures of these uncertainties in the stability problem of an embankment are considered. Some points are discussed about the ″constancy of coefficient of variation″ of undrained strength in a natural ground and this constancy plays the role to express the transition process of a state of ground. The parameters of a probability distribution of failure are estimated under the evaluation of the utility of an embankment. The loss function is defined by two factors, the one is a probability of failure and the other is a preference function. This definition shows that the Bayesian decision criterion is most reasonable.