Reliability Methods for Bimodal Distribution With First-Order Approximation1

In traditional reliability problems, the distribution of a basic random variable is usually unimodal; in other words, the probability density of the basic random variable has only one peak. In real applications, some basic random variables may follow bimodal distributions with two peaks in their probability density. When binomial variables are involved, traditional reliability methods, such as the first-order second moment (FOSM) method and the first-order reliability method (FORM), will not be accurate. This study investigates the accuracy of using the saddlepoint approximation (SPA) for bimodal variables and then employs SPA-based reliability methods with first-order approximation to predict the reliability. A limit-state function is at first approximated with the first-order Taylor expansion so that it becomes a linear combination of the basic random variables, some of which are bimodally distributed. The SPA is then applied to estimate the reliability. Examples show that the SPA-based reliability methods are more accurate than FOSM and FORM.

A Mean Value Reliability Method for Bimodal Distributions

In traditional reliability problems, the distribution of a basic random variable is usually unimodal; in other words, the probability density of the basic random variable has only one peak. In real applications, some basic random variables may follow bimodal distributions with two peaks in their probability density. For example, the random load of a bridge may have two peaks, with a distribution consisting of a weighted sum of two normal distributions, suggested by traffic load data. When binomial variables are involved, traditional reliability methods, such as the First Order Second Moment (FOSM) method and the First Order Reliability Method (FORM), will not be accurate. This study investigates the accuracy of using the saddlepoint approximation for bimodal variables and then employs a mean value reliability method to accurately predict the reliability. A limit-state function is at first approximated with the first order Taylor expansion so that it becomes a linear combination of the basic random variables, some of which are bimodally distributed. The saddlepoint approximation is then applied to estimate the reliability. Examples show that the new method is more accurate than FOSM and FORM.

Reliability-Based Optimization Design of Variable Cross-Section Component

Variable cross-section components are widely used in engineering practice. It is clear that reliability-based optimization design of variable cross-section component is important for engineering design. This variable section widget for reliability and the perturbation design, we propose a perturbation method of the reliability design about the variable cross-section components. We may rapidly obtain the variable cross-section component's reliability information accurately, in basic random variable probability characteristic certain situation. We propose a method with practicality for the relevant reliability design.