displacement between levels, and maximize the RELIABILITY of delivery for suppliers. This NETWORK is including supplier centers, production/resuscitation centers, distribution/collection centers, customer centers, and disposal centers. A new Linear Integer programming model is formulated. Besides, fuzzy parameters and multi-objective function are used to approach the real world. In this regard, a deterministic two-step approach is used to consider the uncertainty in the proposed model. Finally, the performance and efficiency of the proposed model and solution methods are simulated in the numerical example and examined and suggestions are presented for using this model in the real world.

The need to improve the RELIABILITY and safety requirements, has led to increasingly utilization of RELIABILITY based DESIGN approaches. In this study, RELIABILITY based multidisciplinary DESIGN optimization for a bipropellant propulsion system has been investigated. The objective function is minimizing the total system mass and DESIGN constraints are the total impulse and the temperature of the wall of the combustion chamber. Monte Carlo simulation methodology is used to apply uncertainties in the problem and to show the RELIABILITY of the system under these uncertainties. The mass, functional and geometric results of the bipropellant propulsion system are differentiated for optimal DESIGN, RELIABILITY based DESIGN and optimal RELIABILITY based DESIGN. Then, considering the results, the concepts and definitions of DESIGN methods are compared and discussed and it is shown that the RELIABILITY based multidisciplinary optimization while having the desired mass, has high RELIABILITY.

The seismic DESIGN of the structures is subjected to the uncertainties originating from various sources. To ensure that a safe DESIGN is achieved, the uncertainties must be considered in the seismic DESIGN process. The RELIABILITY-based seismic DESIGN is the proper approach that directly takes into account the uncertainties. In this approach, the performance objectives are the RELIABILITY-based seismic criteria expressed either in terms of an annual probability of exceeding a given performance level or in terms of a probability of exceeding a given performance level conditioned on the seismic intensity corresponding to a specific hazard level. It is obvious that the ultimate aim of the RELIABILITY-based seismic DESIGN of a building is not only to satisfy the RELIABILITY-based seismic criteria, but also to minimize the initial or life-cycle cost. The RELIABILITY-based seismic DESIGN optimization (RBDO) is the method that achieves the most economic DESIGN satisfying the RELIABILITY-based seismic criteria (probabilistic constraints). However, the RBDO is less preferred. This is because to ensure that RELIABILITY-based seismic criteria are achieved, the statistics parameters of the seismic demand and capacity must be determined through the results of the nonlinear dynamic analyses. On the other hand, the use of the nonlinear dynamic analyses in the RBDO method can lead to the increase of the computational cost so that the personal computers require several years to run it. In this study, a method to produce the RELIABILITY-based economic seismic DESIGN is proposed. RELIABILITY-based seismic criteria are expressed in terms of a mean annual probability of exceeding a given performance level. The main goals are to ensure satisfying the RELIABILITY-based seismic criteria through the use of the results of the incremental dynamic analyses and to produce the economic seismic DESIGN within reasonable computing time. The proposed method achieves the two goals through determining the optimum DESIGN of the force-based DESIGN method that satisfies the RELIABILITY-based seismic criteria. The optimum DESIGN of the force-based DESIGN method depends on the value of the response modification factor. The value of the response modification factor of a building, which leads to satisfying the RELIABILITY-based seismic criteria, is in the range of one to a maximum value. From an economic point of view, the desirable value of the response modification factor is the maximum one, which results in a minimum DESIGN base shear and accordingly in an economic DESIGN. In order to respond to the two main goals, the method aims to determine the maximum value of the response modification factor of a building so that leads to satisfying the RELIABILITY-based seismic criteria. The proposed method is used to produce the seismic DESIGN of a 4-story building for two RELIABILITY-based seismic criteria. The steel special moment resisting frame is considered as the lateral load resisting system in the studied building. The results reveal that the proposed method can efficiently produce the economic seismic DESIGNs satisfying the RELIABILITY-based seismic criteria within reasonable computing time. While the DESIGNed frame by Zacharenaki et al using existing RBDO method can not satisfy spesifications of RELIABILITY.

Today, the electricity power system is the most complicated engineering system has ever been made. The integrated power generating stations with power transmission lines has created a NETWORK, called complex power NETWORK. The RELIABILITY estimation of such complex power NETWORKs is a very challenging problem, as one cannot find any immediate solution methods in current literature. In this paper, we advanced a new method for estimating the RELIABILITY of such NETWORKs, which is based on 1) decomposition of the whole NETWORK into subNETWORKs called islands, 2) estimating each island’ s RELIABILITY in exact form using the NETWORK RELIABILITY theory, and 3) assembling the islands back together to estimate the whole NETWORK RELIABILITY, again in exact form. We applied the new method on Iran’ s power NETWORK with 105 generation stations and 16460 kilometres of transmission lines.

Background: In spite of many advantages in Lenke classification of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, the latest study of Richards et al showed that the King classification is better than had been reported recently and the Lenke classification system of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is less reliable than previously reported.Methods: In this study, we performed a multi-surgeon comparison of these two classification systems. After teaching and discussing all available data of these classification systems with four spine surgeons, a pilot classification was performed. Then, they independently evaluated preoperative radiographs (standing posteroanterior, lateral, and two supine side-bending views) of 99 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. The results were determined by calculating the average percentage of intraobserver and interobserver agreement. RELIABILITY was quantified using kappa statistics.Findings: The King classification demonstrated good intraobserver and interobserver RELIABILITY, with an intraobserver agreement of 85.8% (kappa coefficient, 0.80). Interobserver percentage of agreement averaged 80.8% (kappa coefficient, 0.74). The complete Lenke classification, combining curve type, lumbar modifier, and sagittal thoracic modifier, demonstrated good RELIABILITY for both intraobserver and interobserver measurements. The intraobserver percentage of agreement averaged 85.8% (kappa coefficient, 0.82). The interobserver percentage of agreement averaged 80.8% (kappa coefficient, 0.77).Conclusion: In this study, with each investigator performing the radiographic measurements, the King and Lenke classifications were almost similar (the Lenke classification had slightly better results). Such better results might be due to more training of this complex classification system. So, because of greater coverage of idiopathic scoliosis curve and usefulness of Lenke classification system, we prefer using this classification system in our center.

ABA DESIGN code increases the RELIABILITY of a structure by means of multiplying the partial safety factors by load and resistant. In this paper, the RELIABILITY index of code-based DESIGNed structures are calculated and investigated. Also it is shown that the different values of RELIABILITY index are calculated for the different values of the coefficient of variation. This result expresses the importance of the code DESIGN collection on basis of RELIABILITY theory. In other words, the partial safety factors of DESIGN parameters for ABA must be calculated on basis of the local statistical data (in favor of Iran) of the parameters.

Tehran is the capital of Iran and is one of the largest cities in the world. With its history of earthquakes, high population density, and a population of over 8.5 million, it must be prepared to cope with disaster. This article introduces a new method for estimating the RELIABILITY of a roadway NETWORK that considers the physical characteristics of the road and link capacity degradation. The proposed method was applied to a real road NETWORK and the connectivity RELIABILITY of the city was calculated. The proposed technique for computing connectivity RELIABILITY is sensitive to the characteristics of the road and adjacent buildings. The results indicate that northern Tehran, with a low population density and newer buildings and highway NETWORK, shows higher RELIABILITY for origin and destination trips than other regions. This region has a higher probability of connectedness to other regions after a disaster. The weakest area of the NETWORK lies in the southern and central regions with older buildings and no highway NETWORK. These regions show low connectivity RELIABILITY and high population density. These results provide useful insights into the vulnerability of the Tehran NETWORK in response to a major earthquake.