In line with the principles of modern design a building structure should not only be safe but also optimized. In deterministic optimization, the uncertainties of the structures are not explicitly taken into account. Traditionally, uncertainties of the structural system (i.e. material parameters, loads, dimensions of the cross-sections) are considered by means of partial safety factors specified in design codes. Worth noticing, that optimal structures are sensitive to randomness design parameters and deterministic optimal solutions may lead to reduced reliability levels. It therefore seems natural to extend the formulation of deterministic optimization with the random scatter of parameter values. Such a formulation is offered by robust optimization and reliability-based design optimization. The applicability ofRBDOis strongly dependent on the availability of the joint probability density function.Aformulation of non-deterministic optimization that better adapts to the design realities is robust optimization. Unlike RBDO optimization, this formulation does not require estimation of failure probabilities. In the paper using the examples of steel beams, the authors compare the strengths and weaknesses of both formulations.

The paper focuses on the system reliability of steel trusses with correlated variables. The correlation between bearing capacities of bars was considered. Two static truss schemes were considered. Nodal forces were the only load. The Finite Element Method analysis was conducted in Robot Structural Analysis program. To conduct system reliability analysis it is essential to find cut-sets, it was realized by stiffness matrix spectral analysis. Then reliability analysis was performed in Sysrel module of Strurel computing environment. First Order Reliability Method was used as the base, Subset Simulation method was used to check the correctness of the results. The sensitivity analysis of reliability index enabled the authors to draw conclusions, which variables have the greatest influence on the reliability of the structure. The effects of actions and bearing capacities were assumed to be the only random variables and that the excessing the bearing capacities of bars is the only way the structure can get into failure area.