Stochastic Structural Mechanics. Lecture Notes in Engineering. vol. 31

This volume is a collection of papers presented at the U.S.-Austria Joint Seminar on Stochastic Structural Mechanics held on May 4 and 5, 1987. The general theme of the two-day program was the applications of probability and statistics to structural mechanics. Within this general theme a great variety of subject matters were covered, ranging from analytical and computational algorithms to specific problems in different branches of engineering. The format of the bi-national seminar with limited attendance permitted ample time for presentation and discussion. The discussion was als6 contributed by several participants of another bi-national seminar, the U.S.-Japan Joint Seminar on Stochastic Approaches in Earthquake Engineering, which followed immediately on May 6 and 7, 1987. The scheduling of the two seminars back-to-back enhanced greatly the exchange among the experts in engineering stochastics from the three nations. The Joint Seminar was organized according to the U.S.-Austria Cooperative Science Program established in 1984. We are indebted to the following government agencies and organizations for financial assistance, including the National Science Foundation, and the Florida Atlantic University Foundation in the United States, and Fonds zur Forderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Land Tirol, Bundeswirtschaftskammer, Bundesministerium flir Wissenschaft und Forschung, and Osterreichische Forschungsgemeinschaft in Austria. Most credits, however, must be accorded to each of the authors whose contributions were the very basis of any success we might be able to claim. Our special thanks are due to Mrs.