Review article

There has been developed a probabilistic approach for assessing the reliability of steel trusses based on the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method. An algorithm is proposed that accounts for random loads, material properties, and cross-sectional geometric parameters. A comparative analysis reveals that statically determinate systems, at equal reliability levels, may be less material-intensive than indeterminate ones. Probability of failure-free operation is justified as a universal reliability comparison criterion. The results of numerical experiments demonstrate the significant influence of geometric parameter tolerances on structural reliability, which confirms the importance of considering the probabilistic nature of random variables in design to optimize structural solutions.