Structural reliability software and calculation tools: a review

Structural reliability is now the leading method in the field of design optimization and assessment of civil engineering structures since it offers a rational treatment of the uncertainties in this kind of studies. However, structural reliability problems become more complex with time due to the high number of random variables leading to very complex numerical problems; moreover, they have to deal with complex finite element structural models. So, many reliability calculation tools and software packages have been developed for this purpose. This paper is an important reference for researchers and engineers to help them select the most suitable reliability calculation tool or software package; they will also know their most common area of use through the application examples mentioned for each tool. Several criteria are taken into account in the investigation such as the type of the structure, the probabilistic computational methods, and the budget assigned to the calculation tool.