Adaptive Kriging coupled with importance sampling strategies for time-variant hybrid reliability analysis

For the time-variant hybrid reliability problem under random and interval uncertainties, the upper bound of time-variant failure probability, as a conservative index to quantify the safety level of the structure, is highly concerned. To efficiently estimate it, the adaptive Kriging respectively combined with design point based importance sampling and meta-model based one are proposed. The first algorithm firstly searches the design point of the hybrid problem, on which the candidate random samples are generated by shifting the sampling center from mean value to design point. Then, the Kriging model is iteratively trained and the hybrid problem is solved by the well-trained Kriging model. The second algorithm firstly utilizes the Kriging-based importance sampling to approximate the quasi-optimal importance sampling samples and estimate the augmented upper bound of time-variant failure probability. After that, the Kriging model is further updated based on these importance samples to estimate the correction factor, on which the hybrid failure probability is calculated by the product of augmented upper bound of time-variant failure probability and correction factor. Meanwhile, an improved learning function is presented to efficiently train an accurate Kriging model. The proposed methods integrate the merits of adaptive Kriging and importance sampling, which can conduct the hybrid reliability analysis by as little as possible computational cost. The presented examples show the feasibility of the proposed methods.     

A new method for reliability analysis of structures with mixed random and convex variables

This paper proposes a method combining projection-outline-based active learning strategy with Kriging metamodel for reliability analysis of structures with mixed random and convex variables. In this method, it is determined that the approximation accuracy of projection outlines on the limit-state surface is crucial for estimation of failure probability instead of the whole limit-state surface. To efficiently improve the approximation accuracy of projection outlines, a new projection-outline-based active learning strategy is developed to sequentially obtain update points located around the projection outlines. Taking into account the influence of metamodel uncertainty on the estimation of failure probability, a quantification function of metamodel uncertainty is developed and introduced in the stopping condition of Kriging metamodel update. Finally, Monte Carlo simulation is employed to calculate the failure probability based on the refined Kriging metamodel. Four examples including the Burro Creek Bridge and a piezoelectric energy harvester are tested to validate the performance of the proposed method. Results indicate that the proposed method is accurate and efficient for reliability analysis of structures with mixed random and convex variables.     

On the calculation of the bounds of probability of events using infinite random sets

This paper presents an extension of the theory of finite random sets to infinite random sets, that is useful for estimating the bounds of probability of events, when there is both aleatory and epistemic uncertainty in the representation of the basic variables. In particular, the basic variables can be modelled as CDFs, probability boxes, possibility distributions or as families of intervals provided by experts. These four representations are special cases of an infinite random set. The method introduces a new geometrical representation of the space of basic variables, where many of the methods for the estimation of probabilities using Monte Carlo simulation can be employed. This method is an appropriate technique to model the bounds of the probability of failure of structural systems when there is parameter uncertainty in the representation of the basic variables. A benchmark example is used to demonstrate the advantages and differences of the proposed method compared with the finite approach.     

Uncertainty Quantification of Stochastic Simulation for Black-box Computer Experiments

Stochastic simulations applied to black-box computer experiments are becoming more widely used to evaluate the reliability of systems. Yet, the reliability evaluation or computer experiments involving many replications of simulations can take significant computational resources as simulators become more realistic. To speed up, importance sampling coupled with near-optimal sampling allocation for these experiments is recently proposed to efficiently estimate the probability associated with the stochastic system output. In this study, we establish the central limit theorem for the probability estimator from such procedure and construct an asymptotically valid confidence interval to quantify estimation uncertainty. We apply the proposed approach to a numerical example and present a case study for evaluating the structural reliability of a wind turbine.     

Diseño óptimo robusto utilizando modelos Kriging: aplicación al diseño óptimo robusto de estructuras articuladas

Conventional methods addressing the robust design optimization problem of structures usually require high computational requirements due to the nesting of uncertainty quantification within the optimization process. In order to address such a problem, this work proposes a methodology, based on Kriging models, to efficiently assess the uncertainty quantification in the optimization process. The Kriging model approximates the structural performance both in the design domain and in the stochastic domain, which allows to decouple the uncertainty quantification process and the optimization process. In addition, an infill criterion based on the variance of the Kriging prediction is included to update the Kriging model towards the global Pareto front. Three numerical examples show the applicability and the accuracy of the proposed methodology. The results show that the proposed method is appropriate to solve the robust design optimization problem with reasonable accuracy and a considerably lower number of function calls than required by conventional methods.     

基于多项式混沌拓展模型和bootstrap的结构可靠性分析方法

多项式混沌拓展(polynomial chaos expansion,PCE)模型现已发展为全局灵敏度分析的强大工具,却很少作为替代模型用于可靠性分析。针对该模型缺乏误差项从而很难构造主动学习函数来逐步更新的事实,在结构可靠性分析的框架下提出了基于PCE模型和bootstrap重抽样的仿真方法来计算失效概率。首先,对试验设计(experimental design)使用bootstrap重抽样步骤以刻画PCE模型的预测误差;其次,基于这个局部误差构造主动学习函数,通过不断填充试验设计以自适应地更新模型,直到能够精确地逼近真实的功能函数;最后,当PCE模型具有足够精确的拟合、预测能力,再使用蒙特卡洛仿真方法来计算失效概率。提出的平行加点策略既能在模型更新过程中找到改进模型拟合能力的"最好"的点,又考虑了模型拟合的计算量;而且,当失效概率的数量级较低时,PCE-bootstrap步骤与子集仿真(subset simulation)的结合能进一步加速失效概率估计量的收敛。本文方法将PCE模型在概率可靠性领域的应用从灵敏度分析延伸到了可靠性分析,同时,算例分析结果显示了该方法的精确性和高效性。     

Augmented line sampling for approximation of failure probability function in reliability-based analysis

An efficient approach, called augmented line sampling, is proposed to locally evaluate the failure probability function (FPF) in structural reliability-based design by using only one reliability analysis run of line sampling. The novelty of this approach is that it re-uses the information of a single line sampling analysis to construct the FPF estimation, repeated evaluations of the failure probabilities can be avoided. It is shown that, when design parameters are the distribution parameters of basic random variables, the desired information about FPF can be extracted through a single implementation of line sampling. Line sampling is a highly efficient and widely used reliability analysis method. The proposed method extends the traditional line sampling for the failure probability estimation to the evaluation of the FPF which is a challenge task. The required computational effort is neither relatively sensitive to the number of uncertain parameters, nor grows with the number of design parameters. Numerical examples are given to show the advantages of the approach.     

An adaptive multiple-Kriging-surrogate method for time-dependent reliability analysis

For accurately and efficiently estimating the time-dependent failure probability (TDFP) of the structure, a novel adaptive multiple-Kriging-surrogate method is proposed. In the proposed method, the multiple Kriging models with different regression trends (i.e., constant, linear and quadratic) are simultaneously constructed with the highest accuracy, on which the TDFP can be obtained. The multiple regression trends are adaptively selected based on the size of sample base, the maximum differences of multiple models and the global accuracy of multiple models. After that, the most suitable multiple regression trends are identified. The proposed method can avoid man-made subjectivity for regression trend in general Kriging surrogate method. Furthermore, better accuracy and efficiency will be obtained by the proposed multiple surrogates than just using a fixed regression model for some engineering applications. Five examples involving four applications with explicit performance function and one tone arch bridge under hurricane load example with implicit performance function are introduced to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for estimating TDFP.     

A new algorithm for variance based importance analysis of models with correlated inputs

Importance analysis is aimed at finding the contributions of the inputs to the output uncertainty. For structural models involving correlated input variables, the variance contribution by an individual input variable is decomposed into correlated contribution and uncorrelated contribution in this study. Based on point estimate, this work proposes a new algorithm to conduct variance based importance analysis for correlated input variables. Transformation of the input variables from correlation space to independence space and the computation of conditional distribution in the process ensure that the correlation information is inherited correctly. Different point estimate methods can be employed in the proposed algorithm, thus the algorithm is adaptable and evolvable. Meanwhile, the proposed algorithm is also applicable to uncertainty systems with multiple modes. The proposed algorithm avoids the sampling procedure, which usually consumes a heavy computational cost. Results of several examples in this work have proven the proposed algorithm can be used as an effective tool to deal with uncertainty analysis involving correlated inputs.     

Robust topology optimization for multi-material structures under interval uncertainty

In this paper, we propose an efficient method to design robust multi-material structures under interval loading uncertainty. The objective of this study is to minimize the structural compliance of linear elastic structures. First, the loading uncertainty can be decomposed into two unit forces in the horizontal and vertical directions based on the orthogonal decomposition, which separates the uncertainty into the calculation coefficients of structural compliance that are not related to the finite element analysis. In this manner, the time-consuming procedure, namely, the nested double-loop optimization, can be avoided. Second, the uncertainty problem can be transformed into an augmented deterministic problem by means of uniform sampling, which exploits the coefficients related to interval variables. Finally, an efficient sensitivity analysis method is explicitly developed. Thus, the robust topology optimization (RTO) problem considering interval uncertainty can be solved by combining orthogonal decomposition with uniform sampling (ODUS). In order to eliminate the influence of numerical units when comparing the optimal results to deterministic and RTO solutions, the relative uncertainty related to interval objective function is employed to characterize the structural robustness. Several multi-material structure optimization cases are provided to demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed method, where the magnitude uncertainty, directional uncertainty, and combined uncertainty are investigated.     

A unified method and its application to brake instability analysis involving different types of epistemic uncertainties

The key idea of the proposed method is the use of the equivalent variables named as evidence-based fuzzy variables, which are special evidence variables with fuzzy focal elements. On the basis of the equivalent variables, an uncertainty quantification model is established, in which the unified probabilistic information related to the uncertain responses of engineering systems can be computed with the aid of the fuzziness discretization and reconstruction, the belief and plausibility measures analysis, and the interval response analysis. Monte Carlo simulation is presented as a reference method to validate the accuracy of the proposed method. The proposed method then is extended to perform squeal instability analysis involving different types of epistemic uncertainties. To illustrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method, seven numerical examples of disc brake instability analysis involving different epistemic uncertainties are provided and analyzed. By conducting appropriate comparisons with reference results, the high accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method on quantifying the effects of different epistemic uncertainties on brake instability are demonstrated.     

基于粒子群优化Kriging模型的边坡可靠度分析

采用传统极限平衡法进行边坡可靠度分析时,不可避免会遇到一个问题,即边坡功能函数形式的高度非线性以及隐含性.对于隐式功能函数,传统的求解方法是通过对功能函数进行多次迭代,从而得到安全系数值.但是由于功能函数的形式较为复杂,导致迭代计算的过程变得尤为繁琐且效率低下.鉴于传统边坡可靠度分析中存在的安全系数计算繁琐耗时的问题,提出一种基于粒子群优化(PSO)算法的自动采样Kriging代理模型方法,该方法可以代替功能函数的作用进行安全系数的求解.首先用拉丁超立方抽样方法(LHS)选取少量土体参数组,并通过极限平衡法求出对应的安全系数,将土体参数组和安全系数作为初始样本建立Kriging模型;其次由粒子群优化算法将最有期望改善模型拟合精度的样本点添加到样本集合中,以逐步迭代提升Kriging模型的计算精度;最后集合经典蒙特卡洛模拟(MCS)获得边坡的破坏概率.通过一个双层的土质边坡算例分析,证明了该方法可以实现准确高效的安全系数计算,尤其是在安全系数计算量十分庞大的情况下可以大大节省计算时间,是一种有效的边坡工程稳定可靠度分析方法.     

Rare Event Probability Estimation in the Presence of Epistemic Uncertainty on Input Probability Distribution Parameters

The accurate estimation of rare event probabilities is a crucial problem in engineering to characterize the reliability of complex systems. Several methods such as Importance Sampling or Importance Splitting have been proposed to perform the estimation of such events more accurately (i.e., with a lower variance) than crude Monte Carlo method. However, these methods assume that the probability distributions of the input variables are exactly defined (e.g., mean and covariance matrix perfectly known if the input variables are defined through Gaussian laws) and are not able to determine the impact of a change in the input distribution parameters on the probability of interest. The problem considered in this paper is the propagation of the input distribution parameter uncertainty defined by intervals to the rare event probability. This problem induces intricate optimization and numerous probability estimations in order to determine the upper and lower bounds of the probability estimate. The calculation of these bounds is often numerically intractable for rare event probability (say 10^?5), due to the high computational cost required. A new methodology is proposed to solve this problem with a reduced simulation budget, using the adaptive Importance Sampling. To this end, a method for estimating the Importance Sampling optimal auxiliary distribution is proposed, based on preceding Importance Sampling estimations. Furthermore, a Kriging-based adaptive Importance Sampling is used in order to minimize the number of evaluations of the computationally expensive simulation code. To determine the bounds of the probability estimate, an evolutionary algorithm is employed. This algorithm has been selected to deal with noisy problems since the Importance Sampling probability estimate is a random variable. The efficiency of the proposed approach, in terms of accuracy of the found results and computational cost, is assessed on academic and engineering test cases.     

Do we have enough data? Robust reliability via uncertainty quantification

A generalised probabilistic framework is proposed for reliability assessment and uncertainty quantification under a lack of data. The developed computational tool allows the effect of epistemic uncertainty to be quantified and has been applied to assess the reliability of an electronic circuit and a power transmission network. The strength and weakness of the proposed approach are illustrated by comparison to traditional probabilistic approaches. In the presence of both aleatory and epistemic uncertainty, classic probabilistic approaches may lead to misleading conclusions and a false sense of confidence which may not fully represent the quality of the available information. In contrast, generalised probabilistic approaches are versatile and powerful when linked to a computational tool that permits their applicability to realistic engineering problems.     

Modified screening-based Kriging method with cross validation and application to engineering design

In this paper, a basis screening Kriging method using cross validation error is proposed to alleviate computational burden of the dynamic Kriging while maintaining its accuracy. Metamodeling is widely used for design optimization of complex engineering applications where considerable computation time is required. The Kriging method is one of popular metamodeling methods due to its accuracy and efficiency. There have been many attempts to improve accuracy of the Kriging method, and the dynamic Kriging method using cross-validation error, which selects adequate basis functions to best describe the mean structure of a response using a genetic algorithm, achieves outstanding performance in terms of accuracy. However, despite its accuracy, the dynamic Kriging requires very large amounts of computation because of the genetic algorithm and no limitation for order of basis functions. In the proposed method, a basis function set is determined by screening each basis function instead of using the genetic algorithm, which has advantages in computation for high dimensional metamodels or repeated metamodel generation. Numerical studies with four mathematical examples and two engineering applications verify that the proposed basis screening Kriging significantly reduces computation time with similar accuracy as the dynamic Kriging.     

结构的失效可能度及模糊概率计算方法

依据模糊可能性理论,系统地建立含模糊变量时结构的可靠性计算模型。旨在解决模糊结构、模糊-随机结构和模糊状态假设下结构的可靠性计算问题。所建模型可给出模糊结构失效的可能度和模糊-随机结构失效概率的可能性分布。研究表明:对同时含模糊变量和随机变量的混合可靠性计算问题,把失效概率(或可靠度)作为模糊变量,能更客观地反映系统的安全状况。算例分析说明了文中方法的合理性和有效性。     

基于Kriging模型和提升小波变换的随机模型修正北大核心CSCD

为提高随机模型修正效率,减小计算量,提出了一种基于Kriging模型和提升小波变换的随机模型修正方法.首先,对加速度频响函数进行提升小波变换,提取第5层近似系数代替原频响函数.其次,采用拉丁超立方抽样抽取待修正样本,将其作为Kriging模型的输入,对应的近似系数作为输出,构建Kriging模型.提出了一种引入莱维飞行(Lévy flight)的蝴蝶优化算法(LBOA),并将其应用于Kriging模型相关参数的寻优中,提高Kriging模型的精度.最后,以最小化Wasserstein距离为目标,通过鲸鱼优化算法求解待修正参数的均值.测试函数结果表明,LBOA在寻优能力、收敛精度和稳定性等方面有了很大的提升.数值算例的修正误差均低于0.4%,验证了所提模型修正方法具有较高的修正精度和效率.     

基于失效域重构和重要抽样法的结构动力学系统首穿失效概率

对于线性动力学系统，重构系统失效域，利用基本失效域概率构造重要抽样密度函数，提出了基于重要抽样技术的首穿失效概率估计方法；对于非线性动力学系统，构建等效线性系统，线性化原理为线性与非线性系统对安全域边界具有相同的平均上穿率.最后给出Gauss(高斯)白噪声激励的线性与非线性系统的数值算例，并与Monte-Carlo(蒙特 卡洛)方法及区域分解方法比较，结果显示该文方法是正确有效的.     

Global optimization of expensive-to-evaluate functions: an empirical comparison of two sampling criteria

In many global optimization problems motivated by engineering applications, the number of function evaluations is severely limited by time or cost. To ensure that each of these evaluations usefully contributes to the localization of good candidates for the role of global minimizer, a stochastic model of the function can be built to conduct a sequential choice of evaluation points. Based on Gaussian processes and Kriging, the authors have recently introduced the informational approach to global optimization (IAGO) which provides a one-step optimal choice of evaluation points in terms of reduction of uncertainty on the location of the minimizers. To do so, the probability density of the minimizers is approximated using conditional simulations of the Gaussian process model behind Kriging. In this paper, an empirical comparison between the underlying sampling criterion called conditional minimizer entropy (CME) and the standard expected improvement sampling criterion (EI) is presented. Classical test functions are used as well as sample paths of the Gaussian model and an industrial application. They show the interest of the CME sampling criterion in terms of evaluation savings.     

基于Monte-Carlo随机有限元方法的随机边界条件下自然对流换热不确定性研究

为分析边界条件不确定性对方腔内自然对流换热的影响,发展了一种求解随机边界条件下自然对流换热不确定性传播的Monte-Carlo随机有限元方法.通过对输入参数场随机边界条件进行Karhunen-Loeve展开及基于Latin(拉丁)抽样法生成边界条件随机样本,数值计算了不同边界条件随机样本下方腔内自然对流换热流场与温度场,并用采样统计方法计算了随机输出场的平均值与标准偏差.根据计算框架编写了求解随机边界条件下方腔内自然对流换热不确定性的MATLAB随机有限元程序,分析了随机边界条件相关长度与方差对自然对流不确定性的影响.结果表明:平均温度场及流场与确定性温度场及流场分布基本相同;随机边界条件下Nu数概率分布基本呈现正态分布,平均Nu数随着相关长度和方差增加而增大;方差对自然对流换热的影响强于相关长度的影响.