Abstract:The performance of structures is a time-variant process with large amount of uncertainties as well as the load and environmental effects on them. The reliability of a specific structure should be managed considering not only a generic design but also the inspection and maintenance strategies during its life-cycle. In the paper,firstly the advantages and limitations of the time-variant reliability theory currently used in structural design are discussed. Then the concept of life-cycle reliability management is introduced. A framework considering risk optimization and safety constraint is proposed for life-cycle reliability management. Several important theoretic issues are discussed,including the definition and usage of time-dependent reliability and dynamic reliability index,the expression of life-cycle cost and the Bayesian decision analysis,etc.. The framework stresses the importance of information updating during the structural life-cycle,and keeps consistent with current design practice.