Numerical simulation of wooden structures with polymorphic uncertainty in material properties

Abstract

Uncertainties are inherently present in structural parameters such as loadings, boundary conditions or resistance of structural materials. Especially material properties and parameters of wood are strongly varying in consequence of growth and environmental conditions. To include this variation in structural analysis, available data needs to be modelled appropriately, e.g. by means of probability and, furthermore, fuzzy probability based random variables or fuzzy sets. In order to comprehend uncertainties induced by estimating the distribution parameters, the stochastic approach has been extended by fuzzy distribution parameters to fuzzy probability based random variables according to studies by Moller et al. To cope with epistemic uncertainties for e.g. geometric parameters of knotholes, fuzzy sets are used. The consequence for wooden structures is determined by fuzzy stochastic analysis in combination with a Finite Element (FE) simulation using a model suitable for characteristics of a timber structure by Jenkel and Kaliske.