On the Robust Estimation of Small Failure Probabilities for Strong Nonlinear Models

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Authors

  • Matthias Faes
  • Jonathan Sadeghi
  • Matteo Broggi
  • Marco de Angelis
  • Edoardo Patelli
  • Michael Beer
  • David Moens

Research Organisations

External Research Organisations

  • University of Liverpool
  • Tongji University
  • KU Leuven
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Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number041007
Number of pages8
JournalASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Part B: Mechanical Engineering
Volume5
Issue number4
Early online date25 Sept 2019
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2019

Abstract

Structural reliability methods are nowadays a cornerstone for the design of robustly performing structures, thanks to advancements in modeling and simulation tools. Monte Carlo-based simulation tools have been shown to provide the necessary accuracy and flexibility. While standard Monte Carlo estimation of the probability of failure is not hindered in its applicability by approximations or limiting assumptions, it becomes computationally unfeasible when small failure probability needs to be estimated, especially when the underlying numerical model evaluation is time consuming. In this case, variance reduction techniques are commonly employed, allowing for the estimation of small failure probabilities with a reduced number of samples and model calls. As a competing approach to variance reduction techniques, surrogate models can be used to substitute the computationally expensive model and performance function with an easy to evaluate numerical function calibrated through a supervised learning procedure. Both these tools provide accurate results for structural application. However, particular care should be taken into account when the reliability problems deal with high-dimensional or strongly nonlinear structural performances since the accuracy of the estimate is largely dependent on choices made during the surrogate modeling process. In this work, we compare the performance of the most recent state-of-The-Art advance Monte Carlo techniques and surrogate models when applied to strongly nonlinear performance functions. This will provide the analysts with an insight to the issues that could arise in these challenging problems and help to decide with confidence on which tool to select in order to achieve accurate estimation of the failure probabilities within feasible times with their available computational capabilities.

Keywords

    Failure probability, Interval predictor, Kriging, Model emulation, Surrogate modeling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cite this

On the Robust Estimation of Small Failure Probabilities for Strong Nonlinear Models. / Faes, Matthias; Sadeghi, Jonathan; Broggi, Matteo et al.
In: ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Part B: Mechanical Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 4, 041007, 12.2019.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Faes, M, Sadeghi, J, Broggi, M, de Angelis, M, Patelli, E, Beer, M & Moens, D 2019, 'On the Robust Estimation of Small Failure Probabilities for Strong Nonlinear Models', ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Part B: Mechanical Engineering, vol. 5, no. 4, 041007. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4044044
Faes, M., Sadeghi, J., Broggi, M., de Angelis, M., Patelli, E., Beer, M., & Moens, D. (2019). On the Robust Estimation of Small Failure Probabilities for Strong Nonlinear Models. ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Part B: Mechanical Engineering, 5(4), Article 041007. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4044044
Faes M, Sadeghi J, Broggi M, de Angelis M, Patelli E, Beer M et al. On the Robust Estimation of Small Failure Probabilities for Strong Nonlinear Models. ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Part B: Mechanical Engineering. 2019 Dec;5(4):041007. Epub 2019 Sept 25. doi: 10.1115/1.4044044
Faes, Matthias ; Sadeghi, Jonathan ; Broggi, Matteo et al. / On the Robust Estimation of Small Failure Probabilities for Strong Nonlinear Models. In: ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Part B: Mechanical Engineering. 2019 ; Vol. 5, No. 4.
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