FRAGILITY CURVES OF WOOD POLES WITH UNCERTAIN GEOMETRY UNDER WIND LOAD

LAURA GONZÁLEZ DE PAZ; MARTA B. ROSALES

Tandil

Congreso; MACI 2015-V Congreso de Matematica Aplicada, Computacional e Industrial; 2015

ASAMACI

Wood utility poles are simple structures used in power distribution networks. Since they appear in large numbers, their failure may make a significant impact on custom?s reliability as well as economic consequences. Wind loads are one of the main actions that can cause damage. Also, due to the construction procedure and the natural origin of the material, the geometrical dimensions usually exhibit variability. The fragility curves are a useful tool to evaluate the failure probability of the poles under uncertainties. In this study, a first stage model of a wood pole with uncertain dimensions and under deterministic wind load is presented. The probability density functions (PDFs) are obtained from the application of the Principle of Maximum Entropy (PME). The results of the maximum base stress and the damage are statistically analyzed through histograms and fragility curves. Comparison of the effect of the PDF selection is also reported.