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A non-probabilistic structural reliability analysis method based on a multidimensional parallelepiped convex model

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Abstract

Compared with a probability model, a non-probabilistic convex model only requires a small number of experimental samples to discern the uncertainty parameter bounds instead of the exact probability distribution. Therefore, it can be used for uncertainty analysis of many complex structures lacking experimental samples. Based on the multidimensional parallelepiped convex model, we propose a new method for non-probabilistic structural reliability analysis in which marginal intervals are used to express scattering levels for the parameters, and relevant angles are used to express the correlations between uncertain variables. Using an affine coordinate transformation, the multidimensional parallelepiped uncertainty domain and the limit-state function are transformed to a standard parameter space, and a non-probabilistic reliability index is used to measure the structural reliability. Finally, the method proposed herein was applied to several numerical examples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing for Vehicle Body, College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha City, 410082, People’s Republic of China

    C. Jiang, Q. F. Zhang & X. Han

  2. College of Mathematics, Physics and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua City, 321004, People’s Republic of China

    Y. H. Qian

Authors
  1. C. Jiang
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  2. Q. F. Zhang
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  3. X. Han
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  4. Y. H. Qian
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Correspondence to C. Jiang.

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Jiang, C., Zhang, Q.F., Han, X. et al. A non-probabilistic structural reliability analysis method based on a multidimensional parallelepiped convex model. Acta Mech 225, 383–395 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00707-013-0975-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00707-013-0975-2

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