Amongst structural engineers today robustness is recognised as generally being a desirable property of a structure, although in reality it is a property of a particular structure/environment system. Robustness is usually conceived in a narrow sense as the ability of a structure to withstand events that may arise by accidental action without damage or loss of function that is disproportionate to the cause. This concept may also be described as insen-sitivity or tolerance to local damage. The term 'damage' may be taken to embrace risks to life and the structure and may also include consequential effects. Accidental events may include those that directly impose loads on the structure, e.g. vehicle impact, and local structural events such as those that may arise due to deterioration or human error in design or construction.
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