An Efficient Reliability Analysis Method for Structures With Epistemic Uncertainty Using Evidence Theory

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhe Zhang ◽  
Chao Jiang ◽  
G. Gary Wang ◽  
Xu Han
Keyword(s):  
Reliability Analysis ◽  
Structural Reliability ◽  
Epistemic Uncertainty ◽  
Limit State ◽  
Computational Cost ◽  
Evidence Theory ◽  
State Function ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Design Point ◽  
Engineering Problems

Evidence theory has a strong ability to deal with the epistemic uncertainty, based on which the uncertain parameters existing in many complex engineering problems with limited information can be conveniently treated. However, the heavy computational cost caused by its discrete property severely influences the practicability of evidence theory, which has become a main difficulty in structural reliability analysis using evidence theory. This paper aims to develop an efficient method to evaluate the reliability for structures with evidence variables, and hence improves the applicability of evidence theory for engineering problems. A non-probabilistic reliability index approach is introduced to obtain a design point on the limit-state surface. An assistant area is then constructed through the obtained design point, based on which a small number of focal elements can be picked out for extreme analysis instead of using all the elements. The vertex method is used for extreme analysis to obtain the minimum and maximum values of the limit-state function over a focal element. A reliability interval composed of the belief measure and the plausibility measure is finally obtained for the structure. Two numerical examples are investigated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Bayesian Approach for Structural Reliability Analysis and Optimization Using the Kriging Dimension Reduction Method

2010 ◽  
Vol 132 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jooho Choi ◽  
Dawn An ◽  
Junho Won
Keyword(s):  
Dimension Reduction ◽  
Reliability Analysis ◽  
Bayesian Approach ◽  
Structural Reliability ◽  
Reduction Method ◽  
Epistemic Uncertainty ◽  
Limit State ◽  
State Function ◽  
Dimension Reduction Method ◽  
Structural Reliability Analysis

An efficient method for a structural reliability analysis is proposed under the Bayesian framework, which can deal with the epistemic uncertainty arising from a limited amount of data. Until recently, conventional reliability analyses dealt mostly with the aleatory uncertainty, which is related to the inherent physical randomness and its statistical properties are completely known. In reality, however, epistemic uncertainties are prevalent, which makes the existing methods less useful. In the Bayesian approach, the probability itself is treated as a random variable of a beta distribution conditional on the provided data, which is determined by conducting a double loop of reliability analyses. The Kriging dimension reduction method is employed to promote efficient implementation of the reliability analysis, which can construct the PDF of the limit state function with favorable accuracy using a small number of analyses. Mathematical examples are used to demonstrate the proposed method. An engineering design problem is also addressed, which is to find an optimum design of a pigtail spring in a vehicle suspension, taking material uncertainty due to limited test data into account.

Response surface method strategies coupled with NLFEA for structural reliability analysis of prestressed bridges

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia J. Sarmiento Nova ◽  
Jaime Gonzalez-Libreros ◽  
Gabriel Sas ◽  
Rafael A. Sanabria Díaz ◽  
Maria C. A. Texeira da Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reliability Analysis ◽  
Response Surface ◽  
Response Surface Method ◽  
Structural Reliability ◽  
Limit State ◽  
Material Behavior ◽  
Nonlinear Material ◽  
State Function ◽  
Surface Method ◽  
Highly Nonlinear

<p>The Response Surface Method (RSM) has become an essential tool to solve structural reliability problems due to its accuracy, efficacy, and facility for coupling with Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis (NLFEA). In this paper, some strategies to improve the RSM efficacy without compromising its accuracy are tested. Initially, each strategy is implemented to assess the safety level of a highly nonlinear explicit limit state function. The strategy with the best results is then identified and used to carry out a reliability analysis of a prestressed concrete bridge, considering the nonlinear material behavior through NLFEA simulation. The calculated value of &#120573; is compared with the target value established in Eurocode for ULS. The results showed how RSM can be a practical methodology and how the improvements presented can reduce the computational cost of a traditional RSM giving a good alternative to simulation methods such as Monte Carlo.</p>

First-Order Reliability Method for Structural Reliability Analysis in the Presence of Random and Interval Variables

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Umberto Alibrandi ◽  
C. G. Koh
Keyword(s):  
Reliability Analysis ◽  
Structural Reliability ◽  
Limit State ◽  
Computational Cost ◽  
Computational Effort ◽  
Stochastic Dynamic ◽  
First Order Reliability Method ◽  
First Order ◽  
Structural Reliability Analysis ◽  
Reliability Method

This paper presents a novel procedure based on first-order reliability method (FORM) for structural reliability analysis in the presence of random parameters and interval uncertain parameters. In the proposed formulation, the hybrid problem is reduced to standard reliability problems, where the limit state functions are defined only in terms of the random variables. Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) for hybrid reliability analysis (HRA) is presented, and it is shown that it requires a tremendous computational effort; FORM for HRA is more efficient but still demanding. The computational cost is significantly reduced through a simplified procedure, which gives good approximations of the design points, by requiring only three classical FORMs and one interval analysis (IA), developed herein through an optimization procedure. FORM for HRA and its simplified formulation achieve a much improved efficiency than MCS by several orders of magnitude, and it can thus be applied to real-world engineering problems. Representative examples of stochastic dynamic analysis and performance-based engineering are presented.

Improved Line Sampling Reliability Analysis Method and its Application

2007 ◽  
Vol 353-358 ◽  
pp. 1001-1004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu Fang Song ◽  
Zhen Zhou Lu
Keyword(s):  
Markov Chain ◽  
Reliability Analysis ◽  
Failure Probability ◽  
Low Cycle Fatigue ◽  
Limit State ◽  
Computational Cost ◽  
State Function ◽  
Line Sampling ◽  
Failure Region ◽  
Important Direction

For reliability analysis of implicit limit state function, an improved line sampling method is presented on the basis of sample simulation in failure region. In the presented method, Markov Chain is employed to simulate the samples located at failure region, and the important direction of line sampling is obtained from these simulated samples. Simultaneously, the simulated samples can be used as the samples for line sampling to evaluate the failure probability. Since the Markov Chain samples are recycled for both determination of the important direction and calculation of the failure probability, the computational cost of the line sampling is reduced greatly. The practical application in reliability analysis for low cycle fatigue life of an aeronautical engine turbine disc structure under 0-takeoff-0 cycle load shows that the presented method is rational and feasible.

Reliability Analysis of Foundation Pit by Improved Response Surface Method

2011 ◽  
Vol 147 ◽  
pp. 197-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiang Zhou ◽  
Jing Cao ◽  
Yu He ◽  
Jie Song
Keyword(s):  
Reliability Analysis ◽  
Response Surface ◽  
Structural Reliability ◽  
Lateral Displacement ◽  
Limit State ◽  
Uniform Design ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
State Function ◽  
Foundation Pit ◽  
Improved Response Surface Method

Lacking of explicit limit state function (LSF) will result large quantities of computational efforts for a FEAM based structural reliability analysis. An improved response surface (RS) method is proposed to analyze the failure probability of foundation pit through combining uniform design (UD) and non-parametric regression (NPR). Deferent levels of design parameters are first delicately selected according to UD and then FEAM is used to analysis corresponding pit response parameters including maximum lateral displacement of wall, settlement of ground, safety factor of overall stability, safety factors of against overturning, heave and piping. The RS relationship is then established through NPR based on inputs and responses. At last, a direct Mont Carlo Simulation is carried out to obtain the probability density function of response parameters.

scholarly journals Hybrid Reliability Analysis for Spacecraft Docking Lock with Random and Interval Uncertainty

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianguo Zhang ◽  
Jiwei Qiu ◽  
Pidong Wang
Keyword(s):  
Reliability Analysis ◽  
Structural Reliability ◽  
Limit State ◽  
Random Variables ◽  
Simple Problem ◽  
State Function ◽  
Limit State Function ◽  
Interval Variables ◽  
Reliability Method ◽  
Hybrid Reliability

This paper presents a novel procedure based on first-order reliability method (FORM) for structural reliability analysis with hybrid variables, that is, random and interval variables. This method can significantly improve the computational efficiency for the abovementioned hybrid reliability analysis (HRA), while generally providing sufficient precision. In the proposed procedure, the hybrid problem is reduced to standard reliability problem with the polar coordinates, where an n-dimensional limit-state function is defined only in terms of two random variables. Firstly, the linear Taylor series is used to approximate the limit-state function around the design point. Subsequently, with the approximation of the n-dimensional limit-state function, the new bidimensional limit state is established by the polar coordinate transformation. And the probability density functions (PDFs) of the two variables can be obtained by the PDFs of random variables and bounds of interval variables. Then, the interval of failure probability is efficiently calculated by the integral method. At last, one simple problem with explicit expressions and one engineering application of spacecraft docking lock are employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.

Reliability Analysis Method Based on Support Vector Machines Classification and Adaptive Sampling Strategy

2012 ◽  
Vol 544 ◽  
pp. 212-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Yan Hao ◽  
Hao Bo Qiu ◽  
Zhen Zhong Chen ◽  
Hua Di Xiong
Keyword(s):  
Reliability Analysis ◽  
Adaptive Sampling ◽  
Limit State ◽  
Computational Cost ◽  
Sampling Strategy ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
State Function ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Vector Machines

For probabilistic design problems with implicit limit state functions encountered in practical application, it is difficult to perform reliability analysis due to the expensive computational cost. In this paper, a new reliability analysis method which applies support vector machine classification(SVM-C) and adaptive sampling strategy is proposed to improve the efficiency. The SVM-C constructs a model defining the boundary of failure regions which classifies samples as safe or failed using SVM-C, then this model is used to replace the true limit state function,thus reducing the computational cost. The adaptive sampling strategy is applied to select samples along the constraint boundaries. It can also improves the efficiency of the proposed method. In the end, a probability analysis example is presented to prove the feasible and efficient of the proposed method.

Study of Computation for Structural Reliability Index Based on Penalty Function Method

2014 ◽  
Vol 635-637 ◽  
pp. 443-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hai Tao Lu ◽  
Yu Ge Dong ◽  
Fang Ying Wu
Keyword(s):  
Unconstrained Optimization ◽  
Penalty Function ◽  
Reliability Index ◽  
Function Method ◽  
Structural Reliability ◽  
Limit State ◽  
State Function ◽  
Penalty Function Method ◽  
Design Point ◽  
Reliability Method

According to the geometric meaning of the structural reliability index, an unconstrained optimization model with structural reliability index and design point is obtained by exterior penalty function method. The Powell method, golden section method and extrapolation method are used to solve the unconstrained optimization problem. The proposed method not has to deal with the any derivative of the limited state function, and can been used to obtain structural reliability index and design point of the strong nonlinear limit state function, which first-order reliability method (FORM) may fail to converge. Three examples are given to compare penalty function method with the difference methods. The results show that the given method is simply, effective and precise enough.

scholarly journals A New SORM Method for Structural Reliability with Hybrid Uncertain Variables

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 346
Author(s):  
Pidong Wang ◽  
Lechang Yang ◽  
Ning Zhao ◽  
Lefei Li ◽  
Dan Wang
Keyword(s):  
Reliability Analysis ◽  
Structural Reliability ◽  
Limit State ◽  
Random Variables ◽  
State Function ◽  
Strong Nonlinearity ◽  
Limit State Function ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Uncertain Variables ◽  
Practical Engineering

(1) Background: in practical applications, probabilistic and non-probabilistic information often simultaneously exit. For a complex system with a nonlinear limit-state function, the analysis and evaluation of the reliability are imperative yet challenging tasks. (2) Methods: an improved second-order method is proposed for reliability analysis in the presence of both random and interval variables, where a novel polar transformation is employed. This method enables a unified reliability analysis taking both random variables and bounded intervals into account, simplifying the calculation by transforming a high-dimension limit-state function into a bivariate state function. The obtained nonlinear probability density functions of two variables in the function inherit the statistic characteristics of interval and random variables. The proposed method does not require any strong assumptions and so it can be used in various practical engineering applications. (3) Results: the proposed method is validated via two numerical examples. A comparative study towards a contemporary algorithm in state-of-the-art literature is carried out to demonstrate the benefits of our method. (4) Conclusions: the proposed method outperforms existing methods both in efficiency and accuracy, especially for cases with strong nonlinearity.

Seismic Reliability Analysis of Complex Structure

2012 ◽  
Vol 446-449 ◽  
pp. 2321-2325
Author(s):  
Zhi Yong Zhang ◽  
Wen Bo Huang ◽  
Yue Fa Zhou ◽  
Tian Shu Song
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element Method ◽  
Finite Element ◽  
Reliability Analysis ◽  
Structural Reliability ◽  
Limit State ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
State Function ◽  
Limit State Function ◽  
Seismic Reliability ◽  
Element Method

The seismic reliability analysis of complex structure is carried out based on the response surface method and finite element method. Firstly, the appropriate design points are selected based on the mean values and standard deviations of the basic random variables. Secondly, the finite element method is employed to obtain the values of the limit state function of the complex structure. Thirdly, with selected design points and the obtained values of the limit state function of the complex structure, a polynomial function is constructed to approximate the original implicit limit state function. Then, with the established explicit polynomial limit state function and available methods of structural reliability analysis, the seismic reliability of the complex structure is estimated. Numerical analyses show that the established method is simple to use for the evaluation of the reliability analysis of complex structure.

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