Numerical separation of bi-modal strength distributions

This paper is devoted to the separation of bi-modal strength families. A numerical solution has been developed, because the complexity of the problem makes it unrealistic to search for an analytic solution and the bibliography has shown that the graphical method has severe limits. Specific softwares have accordingly been written which permit the processing of a whole data family and which do not require preliminary data treatment. This method have been applied to various families of strength data corresponding to increasing levels of difficulty in effecting a separation. It gives satisfactory results if the statistical parameters (Weibull modulus and mean strength) of the sub-families represented in the analysed data are not too close.