Single-Loop System Reliability Based Design Optimization (SRBDO) Using Matrix-based System Reliability (MSR) Method

This paper proposes a single-loop system reliability based design optimization (SRBDO) approach using the recently developed matrix-based system reliability (MSR) method. A single-loop method was employed to eliminate the inner loop of SRBDO that evaluates probabilistic constraints. The MSR method computes the system failure probability and its parameter sensitivities efficiently and accurately through efficient matrix calculations. The SRBDO/MSR approach proposed in this paper is uniformly applicable to general systems including series, parallel, cut-set and link-set system events. Two numerical examples demonstrate the proposed approach. In the first example, the cross-sectional areas of the members of a statistically indeterminate truss structure are determined for minimum total weight with a constraint on the system failure probability satisfied. The second example demonstrates the application of the proposed approach to topology optimization. The influences of the statistical correlation and the types of constraints, i.e. deterministic, probabilistic (component) and probabilistic (system) on the optimal topology are investigated. Safety, Reliability and Risk of Structures, Infrastructures and Engineering Systems – Furuta, Frangopol & Shinozuka (eds) © 2010 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-415-47557-0