A variable-complexity approach to second-order reliability-based optimization

• Published in: Structural and multidisciplinary optimization Vol. 25; no. 4; pp. 237 - 250
• Main Authors: BURTON, S. A, HAJELA, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01-10-2003; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algorithms; Applied sciences; Complexity; Computational efficiency; Cost analysis; Exact sciences and technology; Fracture mechanics (crack, fatigue, damage...); Fracture mechanics, fatigue and cracks; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Mathematical analysis; Operational research and scientific management; Operational research. Management science; Optimization; Physics; Reliability analysis; Reliability theory. Replacement problems; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics
• ISSN: 1615-147X; 1615-1488
• DOI: 10.1007/s00158-003-0298-3

This paper outlines a new methodology for second-order reliability-based optimization (RBO). A variable-complexity (VC) approach is used to implement a computationally efficient VCRBO algorithm, which reduces the number of costly second-order reliability analyses by using a lower fidelity, scaled mean-value technique during the majority of the constraint assessments. Two numerical examples are presented, which provide a comparison of several standard RBO approaches with the proposed algorithm. The examples include both Gaussian and non-Gaussian uncertainty to introduce significant nonlinearities in the limit state functions (LSFs). The design spaces and LSFs for both examples are presented, along with a discussion of the computational cost associated with the different RBO approaches.