Abstract
When the structural reliability analyses are performed using stochastic finite element method, the spatial variations of material properties are so significant that they must be treated as random functions of the spatial coordinates. Spatial variation of material properties for each element is considered by locally averaging the quantity over the element. Displacements are considered in terms of the integration of each element's strain. This paper evaluates the relation between element discretization and random functions of the spatial coordinates with respect to the accuracy using Monte Carlo simulation. This paper includes a brief discussion on the applicability of stochastic finite element method using first-order gaussian approximation, comparing that of Monte Carlo simulation.
