Safety Against Dynamic Forces

This paper describes that portion of the current effort by the researchers interested in structural dynamics which has direct bearing on the safety analysis from the viewpoint of a probabilistic approach. Otherwise, the entire field of research dealing with structural dynamics has to be reviewed since any research effort in this field is or is supposed to be done for the ultimate goal of attaining a better understanding of structural behavior in reference to its safety. In what follows, a particular emphasis is place upon the safety analysis of those structures subject to natural forces, e.g., strong-motion earthquakes, stormy winds, and severe wind-induced waves.