The paper is devoted to buckling problem of an axially compressed generalized cylindrical sandwich panel and rectangular sandwich plate. The continuous variation of mechanical properties in thickness direction of the structures is assumed. The generalized theory of deformation of the straight line normal to the neutral surface is applied. The analytical model of this sandwich panel is elaborated. Three differential equations of equilibrium of this panel based on the principle of stationary potential energy are obtained. This system of equations is analytically solved and the critical load is derived. Moreover, the limit transformation of the sandwich panel to a sandwich rectangular plate is presented. The critical loads of the example cylindrical panels and rectangular plates are derived.

The work is devoted to a horizontal tank composed of cylindrical shell closed with ellipsoidal heads and supported at the ends. The tank is loaded with internal or external pressure. For the first load case, a strength condition was formulated, for the other one -the condition of stability of the structure. An optimization model was formulated, in which the mass of the tank subject to the strength and stability conditions was assumed as an objective function. Optimal proportions of geometric dimensions for a family of the tanks of various capacities provided with heads of various convexities were determined. The results were presented in the form of plots. A function was proposed that approximated the solution and could be useful for purposes of designing of the tanks.

Development of contemporary building industry and related search for new aesthetical and functional solutions of monumental buildings in the centers of large cities resulted in the interest in glass as a structural material. Attractiveness of glass as a building material may be derived from the fact, that it combines transparency and aesthetical look with other functional features. Application of glass results in modern look of building facades, improves the indoor comfort without limiting the availability of natural daylight. Wide implementation of the new high performance float flat glass manufacturing technology, in conjunction with increasing expectations of the construction industry relating to new glass functions, has led to significant developments in glass structures theory, cf. [1, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10]. Many years of scientific research conducted in European Union countries have been crowned with a report CEN/TC 250 N 1050 [2], compiled as a part of the work of European Committee for Standardization on the second edition of Eurocodes - an extension of the first edition by, among others, the recommendations for the above mentioned design of glass structures, in particular modern procedures for the design of glass building structures. The procedures proposed in the pre-code [2] are not widely known in Poland, and their implementation in the design codes should be verified at the country level. This task is undertaken in this paper.

The main idea of this work is to demonstrate an application of the generalized perturbation-based Stochastic Finite Element Method for a determination of the reliability indicators concerning elastic stability for a certain spectrum of the civil engineering structures. The reliability indicator is provided after the Eurocode according to the First Order Reliability Method, and computed using the higher order Taylor expansions with random coefficients. Computational implementation provided by the hybrid usage of the FEM system ROBOT and the computer algebra system MAPLE enables for reliability analysis of the critical forces in the most popular civil engineering structures like simple Euler beam, 2 and 3D single and multi-span steel frames, as well as polyethylene underground cylindrical shell. A contrast of the perturbation-based numerical approach with the Monte-Carlo simulation technique for the entire variability of the input random dispersion included into the Euler problem demonstrates the probabilistic efficiency of the perturbation method proposed.